 Despite significant opposition, the 35th Texas Legislature voted to buy the college and the board of regents ultimately committed to pay Mayo $80,000 for the school, in comparison to the $170,000 it was estimated to be worth at the time.On March 14, 1917, a telegram arrived in Commerce confirming that the House of Representatives in Austin had passed the requisite bill to ensure the state purchase of ETNC by a margin of 79 to 41, and Mayo died of a sudden heart attack.Despite Mayo's unexpected death, the state purchased the college after Governor James "Pa" Ferguson signed the bill into law on April 4, thereby transferring ETNC's of land as well as all of its buildings (which were renovated with $40,000 donated by the City of Commerce) to the state.