116 
head-pressure relatively to the earth would be 
about four pounds per square foot. Light winds, 
sometimes following, sometimes resisting, the 
train, caused some variations which were al- 
lowed for in computations. 
It is to be noted that a plane surface would 
have given a higher resistance, by at least 50 
per cent., than was recorded by the cup-shaped 
vane. TRy Jel, 1t 
TRIVALENT CARBON. 
In the Journal of the American Chemical Society 
for November appeared an article of very un- 
usual interest. By the action of silver, mer- 
cury or zine on triphenylchlormethane Dr. M. 
Gomberg has obtained a new hydrocarbon, tri- 
phenyl-methyl, (C;5H;);C. For some reason, per- 
haps because of space relations involved, two 
molecules of this hydrocarbon do not unite to 
form hexaphenylethane, (C,H;); C —C (C,H;5)s, as 
would be expected. The new body is the only 
one among the seventy thousand or more com- 
pounds of carbon, which contains an odd number 
of atoms of odd valence. The compound fur- 
nishes the first opportunity of studying the 
properties of a substance containing a carbon 
atom that is almost certainly trivalent. From 
this standpoint, as well as others, the discovery 
possesses a great theoretical interest. Hspe- 
cially the properties of triphenyl methyl in7its 
rapid absorption of oxygen furnish a practically 
complete refutation of the view that benzene, 
ethylene and similar compounds contain tri- 
valent carbon. W. ALN. 
COLUMBIA UNIVERSITY. 
THE trustees of Columbia University have 
authorized the publication of the following 
statement drawn up by President Low: 
The problem of Columbia University can 
now be defined, for the first time since, in 1892, 
it was determined to move to Morningside 
Heights. 
Cost of land and development at Morn- 
HROTFENGIS 1S ISTP, cogagesoo cancecoougeaa2c00 $6,516,300 17 
Improvements at College of Physicians 
FOG! TSKRIFSTEO ASH scodeonasecoacoacosusocsonoceo 879,688 43 
"$7,395,988 60 
586,519 92 
_ $7,982,508 52 
Interest to June 30, 1900, ............... 
SCIENCE. 
[N.S. Von. XIII. No. 316. 
Of this large sum the University has suc- 
ceeded in paying, mostly out of gifts and leg- 
acies, $4,250,000. Of its outstanding debt the 
sum of $750,000 is provided for. It still owes 
$3,000,000 that is not provided for; upon 
which the annual interest payable is $98,500. 
Careful computations justify the undersigned 
in saying that eight years from now the Uni- 
versity will be able, by the increase of income . 
from its fees and endowments to care for its 
floating debt without embarrassment to its 
educational work. The falling in of contin- 
gent interests already definitely established 
may hasten this result importantly. Experi- 
ence also demonstrates that the endowments of 
the University are likely to be constantly in- 
creased by gift and legacy year by year. 
The problem of the University, therefore, is 
to conduct its educational work for a period of 
eight years without curtailment by reason of 
the interest to be paid in the meanwhile on its 
outstanding debt, say $100,000 a year. 
For the academic year ending June 30, 1897, 
the last year at the 49th street site, the Univer- 
sity had a deficiency on its current educational 
account, disregarding interest, of $48,260. For 
the coming academic year, 1901-1902, the esti- 
mates for the Budget already made show that 
the ordinary income of the University next year 
will pay all of its current expenses except the 
interest on its outstanding debt. 
If our interest payable can be taken care of 
for eight years, the problem of the University 
growing out of its removal to the new site will 
be solved. 
From the purely business point of view, the 
operations of the University have been already 
justified. Its plant has been increased in value, 
' after deducting the proceeds of its old build- 
ings, by more than $6,250,000, taking its new 
site at cost. If the new site be taken at its 
present market value, the increase in the 
value of the University’s plant would be not 
less than $8,000,000. The debt incurred in 
producing these results, still remaining unpro- 
vided for, is only $3,000,000. In addition, 
University Hall is now being enlarged by gift ; 
and Earl Hall is about to be erected, also by 
gift. In the same interval, the trust funds of 
the University have been increased by $1,250,~ 
