Evening star., 1947-06-09
Mellon Trusts Gifts
To Art Gallery Total
II Million Since 80

EHat~b t
The National Gallery of Art here
has received contributions valued at
more than s71 100000 from the A.
W. Mellon educational and Charit-
able Trust during the period from
December 80, 1880, to December 81,
1s45. trustees report revealed
today.
The trustees also announced the
Trust plans to distribute its remain
ing assets, which had a book value
at the end of 1916 of $32 .4l6.459 with
a still higher market value, within
the next Is years.
Trustees of the fund are Paul
Mellon and Mrs. Ailsa M. Bruce,
son and daughter of Andrew w.
Mellon, and Donald D. Shepard. OF
716 Jackson place NV, who was
associated with the late Secretary OF
the Treasury for many years.
The announcement stated the
funds will be spent on major prof.
ect or projects in the Pittsburgh
area, because the major interests
of the donor had always been in that
section.
Report is Released.
It is also noted that distribution
OF the fund assets, both principal
and income. had been decided on by
the trustees as Mr.. Mellon had
questioned the wisdom OF leaving
substantial foundation funds in per-
petuity."
The trustees report covered the
trusts activities for the l5-year
period ending December 81, l94o
The trust was established by Mr.
Mellon on December 30, 1890, for
such religious, charitable, scientific
and educational purposes as are IN
furtherance of the public welfare.
The grand total of the trust con-
tributions through 1946 was s78,-
27o,286.
Gifts to Washington.
The s71 100000 given TO the Ma
tional Gallery of Art was donated
as follows: The building hous-
ing the gallery, dedicated in lS4l
and accepted by President Rose-
welt as a gift to the Nation, cost
sl6.057, ,433. MIR. Melons gift OF his
art collections were valued by con-
gressional committees at $50000,0O0
In 1942 the trust established an en-
dowment fund of $4,000 900 Tor the
gallery.
In giving his art collections, Mr.
Mellon expressed the hope other
donors would contribute to the Ma
tional Gallery of Art. This hope
has been realized through the years
with gifts of paintings, sculpture,
prints. drawings and decorative art
from many collectors, among them
being Samuel H. Kress, Joseph f.
Widener, Chester Dale and Lesslng
J. Rosenwald The gallery now
houses more than 10000 works Of
art.
One stipulation explicitly made
bv Mr. Mellon was that the gallery
should not bear his name as he
wanted a name ''as may approprl-
ately identity it as gallery OF art
of the National Government.
Public Pays For Operation.
Public funds are provided for the
administrative expenses and costs
of operation of the gallery, as well
as for the protection and care OF
the works of art. More than 2,000,-
900 persons visit the gallery annu-
ally.
Architect of the building was
John Russell Pope, who died shortly
after the excavation work began II
June, 1897. The building was com
pleted in December, 1910, by Mr.
Popes associates. Otto R. Eggers
and Daniel Paul Higgins, Of New
York. Trustees directing the project
at the time were Paul Mellon. Mr.
Shepard and David K. E. Bruce.
Though the National Gallery OF
Art was the major project Of the
trust in Washington. it gave many
graHts to other Washington institu-
tions, the report noted. Among these
were $4,000 to the Community
Chest and S140 900 recently to the
George Washington University Hos
pital.
Other Grants Made.
Grants also have been given to
the Corcoran Gallery of Art. Central
Union Mission. National Symphony
Orchestra and the Washington
Home for Foundlings, among con-
tributions TO other District organi-
cations and institutions. The trust
has also contributed to the Boys
Clubs here, in Pittsburgh and New
York
Contributions to the Mellon Insti-
tute of Industrial Research in Pitts
burgh, organized by Mr.. Mellon and
his brother, Richard B. Mellon, in
1918 as a nonprofit corporation for
research in the pure and applied
natural sciences, have also been
made by the trust. In 1943 it set
aside securities for the institute
which realized 81 l54 $50. This
amount was added to the institute s
endowment fund in 1916.
Numerous other contributions
have been made by the trust. the
report noted. These included $500
900 to the American Red Cross War
Fund from la40 to l945 and 1858 SOC
exclusively for the use of the United
Service Organizations and other
war agencies.
Mr.. Mellon was born March "a
1855, at Pittsburgh He was the
son OF Judge Thomas Mellon. who
founded the private banking house
OF T. Mellon q Sons in 1870. This
later became the Mellon Nationa
Bank A graduate of Western Uni
versity of Pennsylvania now the
University OF Pittsburgh, Mr.. Mel
Ion served as Secretary of 'he
Treasury in the administrations ol
Presidents Harding, Coolidge ano
Hoover He also served as United
States Ambassador to the Court oi
St James in the latter part oi