The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1922-12-20
INSISTS A u B j R N
OFFER De PUT ON
A 4BUSINE IS Basis
0pelika Auburn Alumni Asso.
citation Holds Montgomery
Must Meet Obligation
Over Four Million


until Montgomery has made def
mite, concrete offer, guaranteed to
exactly the same extent as similar
business proposition OF like magni-
tude would have, to be safeguarded, .
committee of the Auburn Alumni
association of opeiika Tuesday issued
lengthy statement.
The Opelika citizens take up the
proposition from numerous angles.
They point out that Montgomery cit
liens have mot counted the cost.
havs overlooked facts and must be
prepared to duplicate the EQUIP
ment. or removal Of Auburn to the
capital will work an injustice and
handicap to the institute and that
Montgomery's plan is not practicable.
The committee pointed out the fol-
lowing estimated cost OF removal
Two thousand acres of best and
choicest farm land in Montgomery
county ESTIMATED COST. 100000.
Estimated cost in replacing college
buildings. $2,O00,0oo
That 1t will cost $500, 900 to pro-
vide places for board and lodging for
Arburn's present student body, a
guarantee 1t is insisted, Montgomery
must make accompanying formal pro-
posal.
Montgomery to underwrite 100000
already subscribed in the Greater ALL
burn campaign, which pledges, 1t Is
argued, will be nullified upon re-
moval Of Auburn to Montgomery.
Total obligations that should be
made legal and binding upon Mont
gcmery to insure Auburn's present
assets, the committee places at
s4,400,0n0
The Alumni committee is composed
of r. c. Smith, 1891, president of the
local association; N. d. benson, Jr.,
1906, and Jacob A. walker, 1908. r. 6.
Smith and Jacob A. Walker are the
representatives of Lee county in the
incoming legislature, having been
nominated in the democratic primary
without opposition, on the one plank
of undivided support to the Alabama
Polytechnic institute.
The statement Is as follows:
Alumni Statement
1.-THE exact terms of the offer that
will be made by Montgomery to the
board of trustees of the Alabama
Polytechnic institute on December
81, 1922, have not been made public.
The press of the state and the alumni
of the college have discussed at
length the relative advantages of the
city of Montgomery and of the town
of Auburn for the location Of the
great institution, ignoring in large
measure the fact that this is not now
the issue and cannot be the issue
until Montgomery has made def
mite. concrete offer, guaranteed 20
exactly the same extent as a similar
business proposition OF like magni-
i I. y Co., Ia
This proposition of removal, it is con-
coded by even the Montgomery pro-
ponents, must be such as to assure
the college OF no financial loss by
reason of the removal; the college
plant must be rebuilt and replaced AZ
or near Montgomery without addi-
tional cost to the state or to the
college. Until this. definite, concrete,
guaranteed proposal is made by
Montgomery, the time has not arrived
to discuss, and it is futile to discuss,
whether the welfare OF the state de-
mands the removal of the college.
whether Montgomery Is a better
place for the college. whether the
soil of Montgomery county or the
soil of Lee county is the better for
experimental (agriculturaD purposes.
whether the morals of the young men
and women will be better conserved
in city or small town, whether
the sentiments clustering around
Auburn should be disregarded. 1t is
not even pretended by Montgomery
that the differences in the respective
advantages of the two towns are
such that the college should scrap
all of its material resources and
make an entirely new start at Mont
gomery.
Counting the Cost
ain preparing to place the college
in statu quo on a -2,000-acre farm. as
though by the mere rubbing of Alad-
din's magical lamp.t he citizens of
Montgomery have not counted the
cost. Even the Montgomery alumni
of Auburn have overlooked certain
obvious facts. A study of what it
would take to replace the college
near Montgomery must convince all
that the plan is not possible. This
replacement OF the college neces-
sarily involves these things:
Il. The securing OF the necessary
farm lands. 1t is proposed that these
shall compose the richest and most
select lands of Montgomery county.
What, will these lands cost! We do
not know. We are not familiar with
farm values in Montgomery county.
We presume that such lands would
cost at least 500 an acre-total cost,
100000.
90 The college buildings at Auburn
would have to be built, it is said. 1t
would. cost about 100000 to build
them. We do not know what it would
cost to rebuild them. We are inclined
to think the amount would run as
high as 100000. If Montgomery is
trying to drive hard bargain, she
may value the buildings as low as
$500, 5000. But Montgomery must be
just and generous in this matter.
However, the minimum she can offer
Us an absolute guarantee. as good as
that made by a surety company,
that she will replace the buildings.
Such a bond in legal transactions
must be In double the amount of
probable liability, and Montgomery
should be prepared to meet the high
est estimate, $4,000, 900.
Housing Students
as. II il fact that cannot be avoid
tegral part of the Auburn college
system. Many private residences and
|all the fraternity houses have been
built as to be practically small pri-
waite dormitories. The town of Au-
burn thus houses 1,400 students. 1t
lis proposed by Montgomery that the
fraternities and private private per-
sons, who have invested hundreds OF
thousands of dollars in such private
dormitories ON the faith that the col
lege would remain at Auburn, bear
their own loss upon the removal OF
tho college. We will not comment
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