The San Francisco call., 1910-05-29
WORK BEGUN ON
new STRUCTURE
Agricultural Building on the
Campus of University to
Be a Reality

BERKELEY. May 2S.-After years Of
effort on the part of the faculty of the
department Of agriculture and through
the indefatigable work of Prof T. J.
Wickson, dean Of the college, the hope
Of a new home for one of the most
important departments on the campus
is about to be realized.
This morning surveyors from the
Office Of Prof John Galen Howard, SUI
pervising architect in charge of the
greater university plans, began to lay
out the site for the foundations of the
new building. which will be one of
the greater group. and cost, without
equipment. about 100000.
CAMPUS REJOICING
The campus is rejoicing with Pro-
fessOr Wickson and his staff over the
action of the regents and Doctor
Wheeler in ordering the immediate
construction of the home Of the agri-
cultural college, which will be located
on the campus near the head of Uni
versity avenue
To secure funds for the building of
the structure. which viii be the fore
runner Of FIVE buildings which viii
constitute the so called agricultural
group, the regents Of the university
have adopted a unique policy of bor-
fund and paying interest for the use
OF the coin
This was made urgent by the fact
that the only fund available for the
construction Of the new building was
an endowment fund, which before has
always been loaned outside and netted
the university at least 10 per cent in
terest-
Bur the regents hit upon the scheme
of borrowing money from this fund and
repaying it from the special tax fund
for. permanent improvements. which the
state allows each year This money
borrowed viii be paid back at the
rate Of $4,000 year, the last payment
with the interest being paid in 10
years
BEGINNING OF GROUP
The new building will be erected
along the lines Of California hall, Of
solid granite and modern in every par
ticular. II will stand in the center Of
the agricultural group Of five build
fngs.
The structure will contain the ad-
ministrative Offices Of the college as
well as the Offices OF the United States
experiment stations. A feature of the
building will be the large lecture room
constructed TO accommodate at least
250 students. The hall will be built
in the form of a semicircle, and the
building will bow out slightly on the
south side, where the lecture room will
be located.
It is expected that work on the foun-
dation will be begun at once and that
within two years the building will be
fully equipped and ready for occupancy.
The fight of the farmers Of the state
end the faculty of the college of agri-
culture for a new building to replace
the present structure, long outgrown
by the tremendous progress of the col
lege in the last 10 years, has been a
notable one and has been bitterly
waged.
Three times the matter has come be-
fore the state legislature to be turned
down after a hard fight The students
of the college of agriculture, TOO, joined
in the fight and did good work for the
new building.
On the shoulders of Dean Wickson,
however, has fallen the burden of
lighting for the new building, and
backed by the farmers Of the state and
scientists of California he has con-
Quoted campaign which was success
fully waged and ended in the increase
OF the tax rate allowed the institu-
tion for permanent improvements from
2 to cents on each 500 valuation Of
property in the state.