1893II Retrenchment 



whereby for six years each individual waived ten Contribu- 

 ner cent of his salary, thus making a total contribu- ^'°" ^>' 

 tion of about 3 100,000, which paid for books and 

 apparatus as well as for minor instructors and as- 

 sistants. At the same time, also, it was understood 

 that no deficit could be incurred at the University, 

 the president being held personally responsible for 

 any debts left unpaid at the end of the academic 

 year. As a further precaution I was obliged vir- 

 tually to pledge that no refund of unpaid or waived 

 salaries should ever be demanded. Moreover, all 

 payments were made by my personal cheque, as 

 the money came to me at very irregular intervals. 



During these unprecedented times all contracts 

 had to be made out by the year, subject to the 

 limitations indicated above, salaries being fixed at 

 specified sums "or as much thereof as can be ob- 

 tained." But however trying the situation, prac- 

 tically every one accepted it in a fine spirit and with- 

 out abatement of courage on the part of either 

 teachers or students. 



Meanwhile, before Mrs. Stanford could secure 

 any control as trustee, the Vina estate was plunging 

 the University into debt at the rate of nearly $500 a 

 day. Indeed, both Vina and Palo Alto had been 

 conducted by their owner as experiment stations, 

 with no attempt to make money. All these ex- 

 penditures had to be abruptly terminated, as other- 

 wise they would speedily have wrecked the institu- 

 tion. But herein lay a serious peril. The Vina The crisis 

 army of vineyardists, many of them brought over '^^ ^'^^^ 

 from France, could not be dismissed without pay, 

 and no money was forthcoming. At one time 

 general discontent threatened to lead to the burning 



C 497 3 



