The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1906-12-19
Is ACRES TO THE UNIVERSITY.
MRS. RUSSELL SAGE'S $780, 900
CHRISTMAS GIFT.

Scllwa Estate. Adjoining the University
Grounds on the south, Added to Them
DIR. MacCrackcn's Plan for q Group
CHANCELLOR Henry NJ. MacCracken OF the
New York University announced y esterdsy
at the closing ceremonies before the Christ
ma, recess Of the university graduate
school and the school OF pedagogy, IN
Washington Square, that the uni versity
had acquired title only a few hours before
10 the Schwab farm. Of fifteen acres. which
adjoins the south line Of the university
grounds and carries that line TO 1SOth street.
While the Chancellor concealed the identity
NJ the donor by saying that the farm had
heen bought by friends of the uni versity
and presented to the institution free of
cncumbrance as a Christmas gift it was
learned elsewhere that the gift came from
Mrs. Russell Sage. Mrs. Sage is a z reat
friend Of Miss Helen NJ. Gould, who is a
graduate Of the New York University law
school and who gave the university the
Hall of Fame and the library building.
Mrs. sage and Miss Gould have long been
intimate friends OF Chancellor and Mrs.
MacCracken.
That the gift was not expected by Chan
cellor MacCracken just at this time is the
idea Of the members of the class in philos-
uphy which DR.. MacCracken vas teaching
Yesterday morning in Library Hall on the
tr-..I,- Tho nIaaa hAd ha rolxz ananal
when he received a telegram When he
read it he changed color. dismissed the
class and left the building. He missed
chapel during the next hour for the first
time since the fall term opened, and didn't
return until II O'Clock.
IN his announcement yesterday Chan
Cellor MscCracken said that the gift of the
estate. which comprises IT'S city lots, is the
largest single present to the university,
with the exception of the library edifce
which Miss Helen Gould gave twelve years
ago. y. Clarence Davies, the broker for
the Gustav Schwab estate, which owned
the farm. said last night that the purchase
price was 100000 He said that the Schwsb
heirs had frequently received as good
offers for the property. but that they had
held on TO it with the idea that the univer-
sltv ought to have it.
chancellor MacCra cken has frequently
made it plain that he has great plans for
the future Of New York University, which
will he greatly advanced by the increasing
nj The area Of the college campus 10 thirty
seven scr r.. In his address at the open
ing N the school year this fall he said hat
hc hoped that the university would some
dav be modelled on the plan of the great
English unive sites, in that he would he
shle 10 group a lumber Of colleges at Uni
yersity Heights, each with a separstefaculty
II is expected that one OF the early changes
will be the moving of the Washington
square branches of the university to Uni
yersity Heights.
Ia his talk to the students yesterday
the Chancellor said that the acquiring
Of the new property would make it possible
n enlarge the summer school next year.,
and that the vacation work of the institu-
ZION Wonld ne tne nTsJ uepartIhent W
benefit by il. The summer school will be
hole in the three story brick mansion Of
thirty seven rooms which was built and
occupied by the late Gustav Schwab,
father Of Gustav H.. Schwab. Last year
the summer school had an attendance OF
$50 and was greatly crowded for room.
Next year, the Chancellor said. he expected
5O out Of the 1000 students in the WASH
ington square schools to enroll at the
summer school on account Of the improved
facilities for the session.
In the negotiations which resulted in
the turning over Of the property TO the
school yesterday Mrs. Sage was represented
by Henry W. DeEorest.
The Schwab farm has been in the pos
session Of only three or four families since
the original Dutch purchase $50 years ago.
At the time of the Revolutionary war 1t
was owned by a family named Archer
and formed a part Of the line OF defence
" the Colonial forces along the Har lem
River. On the spot where the late Gustav
Schweb built his residence in 1858 was
Fort No. 8. When the ground was exoa-
waited for the Schwab residence a lot Of
relics Of the old fort in the shape Of cannon
balls, old muskets, pieces OF uniform and
uniform buttons were dug up.
Gustav Schwab, who later became a
member Of the firm Of Oelrichs 4 Co, agents
for the North German Lloyd line, lived in
~the house he built until his death in 1888,
and his widow continued to reside there
until her death in 1904.
Since that time the big house has been oc-
oupied only by a caretaker. Some years
ago the late Herman Schwab, a son OF
Gustav Schwab and brother OF Gustav II.
Schwab, the present agent OF the North
German Lloyd Line, built a small brick
house on the farm a lev yards away frons
his fathers residence. and these two brick
structures are the only buildings except a
few outbuildings. The smaller house is
now occupied by a family, whose lease has a
lew months longer to run
While the farm u for the most part
covered with fine elms and oak trees, there
Is much level lawn space, the whole being
tmodel addition 70 an ideal college campus
There have been many plans made for
cutting streets through the property, but
none has ever materialized and il has
fortunately been preserved for the uses 0f
the university.