The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1914-05-03

reach It's present position Of
greatness in large measure by
virtue Of it's princely land en-
dowments. without these Columbia
In spite Of its splendid contributions to
the cause Of learning. would have never
risen above the plane Of q provincial
college, says a writer in the Spear Bull
lettw. The history Of Columbia during
the Arst hundred years OF its existence
10 story Of grinding poverty and con-
slant struggle with debt. The vision Of
. university, national in its influence.
in the heart Of the metropolis OF the
Western world could not find expression
because Of It's crippled financial condi-
ton. Concrete expression OF its vision
01 greatness was only made possible by
the enormous increase in value OF its
aaAd sndowments, granted the college
IN one instance by Trinity Church in
the middle Of the seventeenth century.
and In another instance by the State In
ne early part of the nineteenth century.
Z. A. President Butler declared In his
address At the commemoration of the
16oth anniversary Of the founding OF the
college: THE two historic endownents
Of the college which in these later days
have become. through the growth and
prosperity OF the city. the main support
Of it, rapidly expanding work are gifts,
the one from the Church. the other from
the State. to the upbuildlng and defence
NJ both Of which the college has bent it's
~, Ja, - Il, a.
ton. In the Kings farm, or lower es-
tato. and the Hosack Botanic Garden, or
upper estate, Columbia now holds tangi-
bic evidence OF what religion and civil
eovernment have done for learning in
this community. and it gratefully ac-
knowiedges its heavy obligation to BOTH"
The founding OF the college was al
tended with a great deal OF bitterness
among the colonists in Manhattan. The
petitioners for charter to the Assembly
incorporated in their plea that Trinity
Church would consent to release part Of
their Kings farm as a site for the col
lego buildings upon the condition that
the President of said college forever
TOR the time being shall be a member OF
ANA In communion with the Church Of
England as by law established. and that
the morning and evening service be the
liturgy OF said Church" Many OF the
burghers. driven from the old country
oy religious dissensions, regarded with
oisfavor the founding Of u college given
over to public uses that should embody
IN tts curriculum or administration any
sectarian influence. The fear Of these
colonists proved groundless, as later
events revealed. The stipulation as to
the liturgy was later revoked. and the
college since It's founding has been free
nom any form Of sectarianism and has
ministered to all creeds.
The institution founded with a m-a-
sre grant OF money raised by q public
lottery struggled along under trying
dimculties. The part Of Kings farm
granted by Trinity was valued al about
10000 and lay on the west side or
Broadway in the West ward OF the city
OF New York. fronting easteriy 70 Church
street. between Barclay and Murray
streets, @40 feet, and rising westerly be-
tween and along Barclay and Murray
streets to the North River This was
beyond the confines Of the inhabited pnr-
ton OF the city and was for many years
unproductlve. The trustees OF the coll
lege appealed TO the royal Governor for
grant OF public land TO help dcfrav
expenses. In response a large tract OF
sHooO acres, comprising the township OF
hingsland, In the county OF Gloucester
vas conveyed to the trustees by letters
patent IN l1'O. Subsequently this land
and further grants OF 10000 acres
1ranted in 1I74 were conveyed 10 the
state OF Vermont In the settlement uf
. dispute over the boundary line. The
result OF this shutting was that Column
biS was deprived Of valuable lands with
out any compensation therefor.
We come now TO a curious and highly
sIGnincant chapter in Columba's his
tory. from which its real DEVELOPMENT
may be dated This chapter also brings
to light figure OF marked powers and
strange aspirations. Occupying the
chair OF botany at Columbia In the early
part Of the last century was n Dr. Ho-
sack. He was Il teacher Of brilliant at
tsdnments, who entertained ideas on
teaching that were far ahead OF his time
Above oil he believed that the only way
hfo favorite subject could he taught was
through close. intimate touch with ma
ture. With that end In view he rcpest-
edly petitloned the State Legislature for
q grant OF land 10 Columbia for Il bo-
tAnical garden. This the Legislature
refused to do. DR.. Hosack was wealthy
and mere matter Of money was not an
obstacle in the qualification OF his desires
In 1901 he purchased from the city
plot OF ground comprising 20 acres, or 25s
city lots, extending from Forty-seventh
street to Fifty-frst street and from
Fifth avenue TO a line about 100 feet
east OF Sixth avenue DR.. Hosack paid
S<.s07.S6 for the deed. He sank for
tune estimated at about 100000 in i'm
proving the plot and growing rare specl-
mems Of plants for the education Of tho
Columbia youth But the cost OF up
keep becoming too onerous burden on
l,ia nnrsa nr HnancL Inhunnl .ha 81.