Year: 1873

4
Bishop McTyeire arrived here yester-
dav from New York. He had not been
1 long in the city before this fact became
generally nOised about, and those who
| found il an impOssibility to restrain
| their desire to obtain from him confirm
alton concerning Vanderbilt's munifi-
cent gift, waited upon him and heard it
from his lips, and departed perfectly
satisfied with their mission. He VEN
tured out upon the streets, and under


went an immense amount of hand


shaking, congratulatOry Of his having


been the recipient of the half million of


dollars contributed toward the perma-


nent establishment of the Central Uni


versity of the Methodist Episcopal


Church, South.


The Banner reporter visited the bish-
op at seven o'clock last evening, to as


certain facts for the benefit of the pub


lie. The bishop had just finished his


evening meal, and enjoyed the balmy


influence of the home circle, from


which he had been absent, off and on,


during the past eight months. He was
consequently in a very excellent hu-


NOR. On leaving New York he went
to Syracuse, to obtain information rela-


tive to the architecture Of the magnifi-


cent university Just erected at that


place, that he might suggest such prac-


teal points as to the general design of
the proposed central university as might


be deemed expedient. That city had
appropriated one hundred thousand dol
lars toward its erection, and four hun
dred thousand more had been contrib
uted toward that end 1t was a splen-
did edifice, "but,n said the bishop, with
an air of much satisfaction, "we'll beat
that.n


He said that he had been congratula-
ted by many friends, but congratula-
tiOns were due to the munifcent donor.
One gentleman had remarked to him:
Commodore Vanderbilt has done more
toward a reconciliation of the south
than the forty-second congress"


The amount given by Commodore
Vanderbilt was five hundred thousand
dollars. There was not a particle of
doubt about that being the sum. He
had read the article in the Banner rela-
tive to the feeling manifested by our
citizens on the reception of the news of
the donation, and was much pleased
with it, and had clipped it out with a
view of sending it to the commodore.


For the present he would have MOTH
ing to say as to the location Of the uni
versity. That would be developed in
the future.


The board of trust would meet next
Wednesday to take preliminary action
looking to the early establishment of
the university. He would at that time
make a report to the board relative TO
what had been accomplished toward its
establishment.


After a very pleasant conversation in
regard to the bishops travels, the Ban
aer reporter took his departure.


We understand that an available fund
of about two hundred thousand dollars
has been secured outside of the contri-
button of Commodore Vanderbilt, so
that the board of trust have a total of
seven hundred thousand dollars at its
It is currently reported that
a rich lady of Memphis had signified
her willingness to contribute one hun
dred thousand dollars toward the estab-
lishment of the university, but we have
as yet been unable to ascertain any
thing definite regarding it.


1t is quite clear that the university
is to be erected at an early day. Though
it has become generally understood that
it will be located at Nashville, we
should not be so sure of it that it
should become a serious bar to our
using every effort to promote that most
desirable object. Committees should
be appointed at once to obtain sub
scriptiOns for the purchase from fifty to |
one hundred acres of the most eligible |
ground, in close proximity to the city, |
for a site, and tender it to the college of |
bishops, through the board of trust. !
There are plenty Of eligible sites in the |
of Nashville, of which one
might be selected. Surely, if a gentle
man one thousand miles from us can af- !
ford to give five hundred thousand dol |
lars toward the establishment of the |
we can and ought to afford
site for it. Wherever the university |
may be built, it will of itself be certain |
to form q nucleus for quite town of
houses around, and will very greatly en-
hance the value of property. At what |
ever point it should be loca- |
ted, whether beyond the suburbs |
of north, south and west Nashville |
and Edgefield, it viii exercise wonder |
full influence upon the growth and gen.
eral prosperity of it, and generally upon |
the city. When it is contemplated that
five hundred students are likely to at !
Ienu II, some Iued may De IOImeu aS 10
the truthfulness of this assertion. Some |
rich gentleman who has plenty of land
would do a deed worthy of remembrance |
We're he to donate sufficient quantity |
of land TO meet all the requirements for
so large a university. He could erect no
greater or more enduring monument for
himself


Let our citizens 60 to work, meaning
business, for the board of tiust means
business, and the college of bishops viii
mean business.