Correspondence (incoming) - Sp-St

Athens, Tenn., May [7?] 1889 Hon. Leland Stanford My Dear Sir; I wrote you a letter and sent it to Omaha in the care of Bishop Newman. I presume it did not intercept you - as the Bishop was absent at the time of your [transit?]. Our Board of Regents have purchased a splendid property - near the present University Campus - for 15.000$. It cost the syndicate 45000$. It will take 10.000$ to complete and furnish it. It is 4 stories, and contains 80,000 sqr feet of flooring. It is built of pressed [birch?] and cut stone. With this building we can accomodate from 700 to 1000 students. Our desire is to call it "Newman Hall of Science". Bishop Newman is to preach the Baccalaureate sermon May 26th and lecture before the alumni on the 27th. It will be a gratification to all friends of Bishop Newman to allow him to present it to our Board while he is with us. This we cannot do, unless it is paid for - or nearly so. We also hesitate

to call it Newman Hall, unless the money is raised or pledged. Knowing your respect and love for Bishop Newman, I have written you and now write again. Please Gov. Stanford help us to establish this living monument to your former Pastor true friend; and thus associate his name with [Gen. Grant's?] forever in doing good. Our forth coming Yr. Book will contain a roll of over 1000 students. Arrangements have just been perfected by which the Chattanooga University property shall be transferred to the Grant Memorial Corporation. This property is valued at 200.000$. The consolidated school property, endowments [?] is worth about 500.000$. On the 2nd of May the Board of Regents elected me Chancellor of the entire system - the two Universities and 12 Preparatory Schools. Bishop Newman and wife will be in Athens Tenn. on May 25th. On the 26th he preaches the Baccalaureate discourse before a graduating class

of some 25. The Bishop has also been invited by the alumni to deliver the annual address, which he has consented to do on Monday 27/89. Bishop Newman [?] the L.L.D. from our school some 10 years ago. You are on honorary alumnus of the same rank. It would be in harmony with the exercises of the occassion to delegate to him the honor of announcing at the close of his address a donation from his friend Gov. Stanford of California. Trusting that the dear Lord will incline your heart so to do; I shall wait and pray for a favorable response. With great respect I am sincerely your friend [Jud?] [F.?] Spence Chancellor of [G.M.?] University

[See?] cut at top of this page of our new building which [we?] hope to name Newman Hall of Science.

To be "Newman Hall" (conditioned)