Poughkeepsie April 5th I860
My Dear friend
I am this morning in receipt of your verry kind note of
the 26 ultimo, what has detained it on its transit I know not, but ten
days seems to remind one of our youth full days some 70 years ago,
however, it is never too late to profit by your counsels, and altho1 I
deeply regret that I cannot avail myself of them as fully as I could
wish, yet it is encouraging to notice your kindness of doing what you
can in aid of my contemplated enterprise. Would that your health &
other circumstances were at my entire service in this my purposed
plans.
I begin to feel the greater urgency in this my long cherrished
object as I see and hear so many of my friends & relatives passing off
from time into eternity, admonishing me that "whatever my hands
findeth to do &cn to do quickly I notice you are progressing with
your "University*1 buildings, how much I could desire to have the beni-
fits of your valuable building stone, we have nothing of the kind within
available distance, so we shall rear our whole Structure of Brick, of
which we have abundant and off the best quality.
Doct Babcock, Profr Jewett and a few other friends were out
yesterday on a tour of examination for Locating our College, but have
not definitely settled as yet upon the location.
2d
.11"
Apr. 5, 1860 - 2
There are some indispensable considerations to be keep in view,
vis.
1 . An airy & healthy situation
2 . An ample supply of good Water
3. facilities for cesdbs-pools & other)
drainage)
4r Proximity to our city to insure easy ingress & egress, yet
avoiding to much exposure or contact with the masses.
5 Sufficiently Elevated to command a fine prospect of our beau-
tifull surroundings-----&without bleakness.
My own grounds r,Springsiden and nMillcoven embraces more or
less of these several points, yet we find objections to both, our attention
was then turned to other localities, but found none within our measure of
fitness and price to warrant a purchase Next Week we make another
examination with our Architect and hope then to decide upon the grounds*
I shall be always happy to receive your counsels and advise, for I
greatly need it, I am treading upon entirely new occupation to me, and fear
less I make a misstep, therefore I shall always be extremely thankfull to
receive advise from the friends of Education and progress in Knowledge
throughout our Common Country
As I am receiving many communications respecting my plans &c,
you will excuse my haste in the acknowledgement of your valued kind
now before me
Yours very truly &c
M Vassar
(To Martin B. Anderson) .jm
30