EARLY DAYS OF THE UNIVERSITY OF COLORADO 21 



to erect a single building. The latter seems to have been the chief 

 obstacle in the way of further progress, so the movement halted until 

 the next meeting of the legislature. 1 Mr. Graham, as ever indefati- 

 gable, got the subscribers to the university fund to meet at the Court 

 House on May 2, 1871, so that more work could be done. 2 This plan 

 had no result. Evidently, however, someone, who it was is not 

 known, was soliciting subscriptions, for on October 27, 1871, another 

 meeting of the subscribers was held and it was estimated that about 

 $3,000 was then offered for the university fund. 3 The Boulder News 

 protested against the delay again and again, 4 and then, changing, 

 became optimistic in October and hoped that the university would be 

 opened during the coming January. 



The ninth session of the territorial legislature opened January 1, 

 1872. As a preparation for this the board of trustees held, on January 

 1, its first meeting since April 4, 1870. 5 The board promptly recon- 

 structed its membership. Some of the early members of the board 

 had died, others had left the territory, while still others were not 

 known to the members of the board ; consequently their names were 

 dropped and others put in their places. 6 The secretary was requested 

 to report to the board on the lands offered to the university. He 

 reported eight offers totaling 159 acres. He also reported donations 

 in money or work under the date of January, 1870, to the amount of 

 $2,160 and miscellaneous donations since then, the largest being that 

 of Ira Austin of $4,000 or 40 acres of land as he might elect. After these 

 reports were made it was voted to receive bids of land for a relocation 

 of the university. The old site had proved to be unsuitable and, what 

 is more, the donors had not deeded the land to the trustees. On 



1 Compare A. Widner's brief sketch of the history of the University in the Governor's Message and 

 Departmental Reports submitted to the 1st General Assembly (1876), "Report Univ. of Colorado." 



' Boulder News, April 2g, 1871, May 6, 1871. 3 Ibid., October 27, r87i. 



* Ibid., August T2, August ig, November 3, November 10, November 17, i87r. 



s Minute Book, pp. 8-37. Comment in Boulder News, January 5, January 12, 1872. There were present 

 Messrs. Berkley, Gilpin, Widner, Sanford, Scudder and Graham. The meeting lasted from January 1 to 

 January 8, inclusive. 



« George F. Crocker and James M. Smith were dead; B. F. Hall and D. P. Wallingford had removed 

 from Colorado; J. Feld, William Hammond and M. Goss "are not known" as citizens of the territory. The 

 new members were Nathan Thompson, George C. Coming, Jacob F. L. Schirmer, N. K. Yont, Ira Austin, 

 Henry C Thatcher, John F. Topping. 



