Repository: UIHistories Project: Board of Trustees Minutes - 1926 [PAGE 493]

EXTRACTED TEXT FROM PAGE:

49°

board of trustees

[December 28

MATTERS PRESENTED BY PRESIDENT KINLEY The Board considered the following matters presented by the President of the University. THE HESSEL LAND (l) In accordance with your action at the Meeting of October 23 last (Minutes, page 412) I proceeded as your agent to take the necessary steps towards securing the Hessel land. O n your direction I offered M r . Hessel through the Comptroller £1500 per acre. This he refused. Following your further instructions I proceeded as your agent to take steps for the condemnation of this land and the employment of special legal counsel. Green and Palmer of Urbana were employed. Several days before the date of the trial, which was set for Tuesday, December 22, I received a proposition from M r . Hessel through the Treasurer of the University to sell the land in question for #127,000. I called a meeting of several of our people to get opinions and advice on this matter on Monday afternoon, December 21. There were present our Counsel, Messrs. Green and Palmer; Professor White; M r . George Huff; the Comptroller, M r . Lloyd Morey; the Treasurer, M r . Burke; the Chairman of the Finance Committee, M r . J. W . Armstrong; and, towards the end of the meeting, Mrs. Busey, w h o kindly came at m y request. At this meeting the matter was carefully discussed, information as to the opinions of the prospective witnesses was presented, the arrangements for the trial were gone over, and w e made the best estimate w e could as to the valuation which the jury would probably set upon the land. The meeting lasted four hours. After the matter had been thoroughly considered it seemed to us that the University would probably fare better by accepting M r . Hessel's offer than by letting the trial proceed. Accordingly I sent word to M r . Hessel, through our Treasurer, M r . Burke, that I would recommend his proposition for acceptance by you. T h e trial was set for the following morning (Tuesday) at nine-fifteen o'clock and the parties interested appeared, including M r . Hessel and his attorneys, M r . L. R. Herrick of Farmer City and M r . C. D. Thomas of Champaign. It then developed that M r . Hessel wanted the University to assume general taxes and unpaid special assessments on the land, which would aggregate, I was informed, about an additional $1000. Consulting with Counsel, I requested them to refuse the additional payment. After a discussion which lasted until nearly noon M r . Hessel finally reverted to his original proposition, made through our Treasurer, as stated above. Accordingly the Counsel for the parties drew up a form of contract for the University to purchase the land at the price, #127,000, offered by M r . Hessel and I signed the contract as your agent subject to your approval. I submit it herewith for keeping along with this report in the files of your Secretary. I recommend that you approve and accept this contract. M y reasons for this recommendation are as follows: 1. The imperative need of the University for this land is obvious. It is the one piece along the Illinois Central Railroad between St. Mary's Cemetery on the south and Armory Avenue on the north, about three-quarters of a mile, not now owned by the University. It projects eastward from the Illinois Central right-of-way to First Street in the heart of our property. It became evident long ago to you and your predecessors on the Board that i the physical growth of the University f necessary to meet the growing enrollment were not to be checked, this piece of land must belong to the University. It has been the settled policy of the Board for years to secure this land as soon as it was able to do so. It also became evident a year or two ago that the owner of the land was planning to plot it and offer it for sale in city lots. Indeed, I a m informed that a plot of part of it, including the dedication of a street to be known as Hessel Boulevard, had been presented to the City Council of Champaign, and the street dedication at least approved and accepted. have 2. If werected until thisit is obvious that eithersale asUniversity and houses been e wait thereon, tract of land is put on the city lots never can