The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1904-03-16
GIFT OF $40 900.
Andrew Carnegie's Handsome
Donation to Washburn.
Topeka Institution VIII Get
Beautiful New Library.
HAS NO CONDITIONS.
The Money Is Ready as Soon as
Wanted.
Justice David j. Brewer Helped
Secure the Gift.

observatory, in a commanding site
overlooking the whole length of College
avenue. It will be built of white stone,
TO correspond with the rest of the COLI
lege buildings
This donation of 10000 from Mr.. Car
negle is entirely separate and distinct
from the effort which is being made
by nVe western colleges-Doane, Drury |
Colorado. GrinnelI, and Washburn-to
secure from Mr.. Carnegie a donation
OF S4,OOO.O00 each as an endowment.
This million dollar scheme has never
been officially announced by the col
lege authorities; they have rather en-
deaVored to give out the impression
that nothing of the sort is on foot
PRESIDENT Plass has been in commu-
nlcatlon with Mr.. Carnegie for nearly
Two years in an effort to secure this
donation for a library. At first the
rlch phllanthropist declined to listen;
he did not want to establish college
libraries: he preferred to devote his
money to building libraries for cities.
Dr. Plass secured the cooperation of
Justice David j. Brewer of the United
states supreme court, who is also a
trustee OF Washburn. Through Judge
Brewer the assistance of Attorney Cen
efal Knox was secured. With such in
HuenceS enlisted on his side Dr. Plass
soon found that things were coming
his way. 1t was a great triumph for
Or. Plass' diplomacy when he received
Monday evening a note from Mr. Car
negie's secretary announcing that $40
600 was ready for the college any time
it wanted it.
The following are copies of the letters
announcing the gift:
Andrew Carnegie, 2 East 91st Street
New York.
March 10, 1904.
Rev. Norman Plass, President WASH
burn College, Topeka, Kansas
Dear Sir:-Mr. Carnegie has consider
ed your appeal on behalf of Washburn
college, and in consideration of your
undertaking that the library will be
| adequately supported Mr. Carnegie
will be glad to give forty thousand dol
lars for the erection of a library build
| ing for the college.
| Respectfully yours,
JAMES BERTRAM,
P. Secretary.
Andrew Carnegie, 2 East s1st Street,
New York.
March TO- 1904.
Rev Norman Plass, President Wash
burn College, Topeka, Kansas.
Dear Sir:-Will you kindly submit
picture and floor plans of the library
| building when same are ready for ap-
prevail. Respectfully yours,
JAMES BERTRAM,
/ p. Secretary
Outside of the state institutions, this
will give Washburn the finest library
| building of any educational institution
in Kansas. The Spooner library at the
Otdl0 university was d %fO,UUU
and the library erected by the state for
the State Normal cost $50, 600. Next
| comes Washburn with its $40, 900
library As a special memorial to his
old friend and benfactor John Ander-
son of Emporia, Mr.. Carnegie gave to
the College of Emporia a $4,000
| library.
In speaking of the provisions for the
future maintenance of the Washburn
library, President P1ass said today:
| haf VIII
were at present devoting about $500
year to the maintenance of our library,
I thought that we would be able to in
crease this to SO 900. This is what l
shall now try to do, though the gift is
not conditioned upon our securing any
specific sum for maintenance. We are
simply to provide adequate mainten-
| ance. 1 expect to secure from friends
of the college five year pledges for the
support of the library.
The $4,000 which Mr.. Carnegie has
given US will be paid in cash, not in
bonds or securities. 1t will be avail
able as soon as we are ready to use ii.
hope that we may start the cOnStruc-
ton of the new building some time this
summer. It depends on what progress
we can make with the preliminaries-
We expect to secure information about
the construction of the latest style of
library buildings, and then secure from
architects competitive plans for the
building. It win be a strictly modern
structure.
The present library building, which
is one of the most beautiful buildings
on the campus, is now too small for the
purpose for which it was built. Our
library has grown, and our students
are so much more numerous that we
! need more room. Everything is over
| crowded. When the present library
| building is vacated, we will use the
first floor for the college offices. At
present our administration department
is cramped up in a few small rooms in
Within hall. My plan is to use the
present magazine and reading room of
the library as a public office for the
reception of visitors. The room west
of this will be the presidents private
office. The room south of it will be
for the use of the faculty. L do not
think that any extensive remodeling
will be necessary, except perhaps the
construction of a few glass partitions.
Upstairs in the building the Y. NJ. {.
A. room and the Cooper meteorological
museum will not be disturbed
President Plass was asked whether
has any relation to the effort made
by the five western colleges above men
toned to secure $1,000,000 each. He
said:
Il have nothing whatever to say
about any effort such as mentioned. I
know nothing about it This donation
of $4,000 from Mr.. Carnegie is an en-
tirely Independent move; it has no con-
nection with anything any other col
lege may be doing. / have been work
ing on my own responsibility to secure
Mr.. Carnegie's interest in Washburn. "
President Norman Plass has been
lmaking a great record during his two