Page:A History of the University of Chicago by Thomas Wakefield Goodspeed.djvu/59

THE PREPARING OF THE WAY 33 Being thus not encouraged, but permitted, to lay the case before Mr. Rockefeller, Mr. Goodspeed did so, writing on January 7, 1887, a long letter, of some two thousand words. After going over the whole case very fully, the letter says: This then is what I should 'like to ask you to do. Offer one hundred thousand dollars for the founding of this new University, with the express stipulation that one hundred thousand more shall be raised at the earliest moment possible, but let your offer become binding as soon as fifty thousand dollars shall be secured in cash or income producing assets We must have either fifty thousand dollars or a hundred thousand dollars from some one man, and I know no man living to apply to for such sums for such a purpose except you We have here a great necessity, a great opening, a great opportunity Prof. Harper, who is now here, wishes to be considered as joining me in this letter I believe that a more important and promis- ing project was never brought to any man's attention. I am sure you will consider what I have said. Do not refuse my request until you are clear it is the thing to do. This appeal was reinforced by a letter from Dr. Harper to Mr. Rockefeller written from New Haven, January 1 1, 1887, from which the following is quoted: I had the privilege last week of hearing read a letter written by Dr. Good- speed to you concerning the affairs of the University of Chicago. As you know, I am now at a distance from Chicago and my interests are in a different work I cannot add anything to what Dr. Goodspeed has said, but I can express the conviction that in my opinion there is no effort which would accomplish greater good than the establishment of such a University. It is a great mystery to me that men have not seen this and acted upon it. With a good financial basis there is almost nothing which could not be accomplished at this point. It is safe to make the prediction that in ten years such a Uni- versity would have more students, if rightly conducted, than Yale or Harvard has today. I am now an entirely disinterested person. It is, however, my sincere hope, that some man like yourself will be led to look at this thing in this light, and to do for this University what needs to be done to give it a fair start. Mr. Rockefeller's response to the appeal made to him by Mr. Goodspeed was dated February 14, 1887: Your long letter with respect to the University I have read and re-read, and think it is a very important question, but have not been able to see my way clear to give you any encouragement. I will still further investigate.