Page:Oregon Historical Quarterly vol. 7.pdf/374

368 individuals residing in the country, amounting to $3,734.26, most of which are already due. These notes are a balance in favor of the estate of Ewing Young." Having apprized the Legislature of the existence of available funds it reiterates a suggestion as to "the expediency of making provision for the erection of a jail in this country." The Legislature responded to the suggestion of the executive by directing it to appoint an administrator "to close up and collect the debts due to the estate" and turn the receipts into the treasury. It was then instructed to arrange for the building of a "substantial log jail," appropriating $1,500 from the moneys received from the proceeds of said estate for its construction. This jail was the only public building secured by the Provisional Government.

Some two years were consumed in arriving at settlements of the accounts of the estate of Young. During part of the time at least the estate had been leased, but on June 13, 1843, the property, consisting mainly of horses and cattle, was closed out at a public sale. Some $4,000 were realized as the total of the sales, which were settled mainly with promissory notes. It was these the administrator was to collect to provide funds for building the jail.

The territorial treasurers for some years enter the sum received from this source as a liability along with scrip or warrants outstanding. After the year 1846, however, it seems to have been regarded as a permanent possession. Compared with the revenues from all other sources at this time this escheat fund was large. And when at the June session, 1845, the Legislature was considering the advisability of erecting more public buildings, with the proceeds of this estate, it received a petition having thirty—nine signers asking for the repeal of the act applying a part of the proceeds of the estate. The petitioners feared the Government