Repository: UIHistories Project: Board of Trustees Minutes - 1892 [PAGE 135]

EXTRACTED TEXT FROM PAGE:

138

UNIVERSITY OF ILLINOIS.

During a part of the three months the farms suffered from drouth. The pastures were eaten closer than for years. There was some inconvenience from lack of water. The hay crop suffered somewhat. About 130 tons were secured in good condition. The wheat crop, aggregating about 420 bushels, was quite good, and the oat crop of about 1,600 bushels, was unusually good in yield and quality. The corn crop promises to be somewhat above an average. The live stock on the farms, as a whole, has done well. The new barn on the experiment farm has been enclosed, and the work is progressing rapidly. The extension of the water pipes to this barn and the dairy house, etc., has been completed, greatly to the relief of the farm and experiment work. The financial statements concerning these will be presented by the Business Agent. Respectfully submitted,

G. E. MORROW.

I also present a communication from Miss Kimball in regard to the fee for music lessons, and invite your attention to it. Your attention is asked to the status of Green street as a public thoroughfare. The question as to the party responsible for the maintenance of the sidewalk on the south side of this street has long been a debatable one. The walk is now badly out of repair and in a dangerous condition. By consulting page 142 of the Transactions of the Board of Trustees, 1868, it will be seen t h a t the opening of this street for public purposes was duly authorized, though no deed to the land, from the University to the City of Urbana, was ever placed on file. Is it not wise t h a t action be taken now by you, such as will be necessary to place the care of the street in the city within whose corporate limits it lies? If so, an agreement should be first required of the city authorities to keep the street and walk in proper order, without expense to the University. Attention is also asked to the matter of the western land sales. The committee to which this was referred consisted of Dr. Peabody, Mr. Charles Bennett and the Business Agent. Evidently a new committee should be appointed with such instructions as you may desire to give. During the summer vacation Mr. E. E. Chester, chairman of committee on educational exhibits of the Illinois Board of Commissioners of the World's Columbian Exposition, asked to meet as many members of the Faculty as could be convened to consult in regard to a proposed exhibit by the University. This meeting was held and a committee of the Faculty was appointed to estimate the cost and space required for such exhibit. Nothing very definite could be arrived at, but a total sum of $13,000.00 for the preparation of the exhibit, $2,000.00 for cases, and $3,000.00 for attendance, together with 8,000 square feet of floor space was proposed. This preliminary and wholly unauthorized report was made to the Commissioners at their July meeting in Chicago. I t is quite probable t h a t something like this amount of money and of floor space will be assigned by the Commissioners for the purpose, if found necessary. I t appears to me the time has fully come for your honorable body to take some action upon the subject, first, by authorizing the preparation of an exhibit under the direction of members of the Faculty and at the cost of the Illinois Commission and second, by the appointment of a suitable committee with proper authority, to which all matters pertaining to the exhibit should be referred. I submit herewith the quarterly report of the President of the Agricultural Experiment Station.

AGRICULTURAL E X P E R I M E N T STATION.

Professor T. J. Burrill, Acting Begent, D E A R SIR: The Board of Direction of the Agricultural Experiment Station presents the following papers: Paper A Is a statement of expenditures for the year ending June 30, 1391.