ail
to bring the cost down to the smallest possible figure consistent with
an adequate result. The final cost to Mr. Carnegie was only $15,000.
Mr. Carnegie was amazed that so large, convenient, and dignified a
building could be built at so small a cost. Over and over again both
to Mr. Washington and to friends of the school he expressed his
surprise and pleasure at the result obtained by this relatively small
expenditure. After that there was no doubt he would do more for the
school. It was simply a question of how much more and what form it
would take. In 1903 the following letter was received by the late
William H. Baldwin, Jr., in his capacity as president of the Tuskegee
Board of Trustees.

_Andrew Carnegie_
_2 East 91st Street, New York_

_New York, April 17, 1903._

MY DEAR MR. BALDWIN: I have instructed Mr. Franks,
Secretary, to deliver to you as Trustee of Tuskegee
$600,000 of 5 per cent. U.S. Steel Company bonds to complete
the Endowment Fund as per circular.

One condition only--the revenue of one hundred and fifty
thousand of these bonds is to be subject to Booker
Washington's order to be used by him first for his wants and
those of his family during his life or the life of his
widow--if any surplus is left he can use it for Tuskegee. I
wish that great and good man to be free from pecuniary cares
that he may devote himself wholly to his great Mission.

To me he seems one of the foremost of living men because his
work is unique. The Modern Moses, who leads his race and
lifts it through Education to even better and higher things
than a land overflowing with milk and honey--History is to
know two Washingtons, one white, the other black, both
Fathers of their people. I am satisfied that the serious
race question of the South is to be solved wisely only by
following Booker Washington's policy which he seems to have
been specially born--a slave among slaves--to establish, and
even in his own day, greatly to advance.

So glad to be able to assist this good work in which you and
others are engaged.

Yours truly,

(Signed) ANDREW CARNEGIE.

_To Mr. Wm. H. Baldwin, Jr., New York City, N.Y._

This great gift delighted Booker Washington not only for what it meant
directly to his work, but because it so strikingly illustrated a truth
which he had long and insiste