Page:Oregon Historical Quarterly vol. 8.djvu/180

 172 F. G. YOUNG. $855.37; 1854, $6,601.31; 1855, $8,382.79; 1856, $6,815.22- 1857, $2,000.00; 1858, 000; 1859 (Sept. 12), 000. Additional peculiarities of these territorial treasury ac- counts are best disclosed by attention directed to each annual statement in turn. Statement for the Year 1852. The Auditor had up to this date issued warrants to the amount of $5,005.79. As only $799.25 had been paid on them, warrants nominally to the amount of $4,206.54 were outstanding. But out of this sum only $679.54, the claim of the territorial superintendent of schools, were ever paid. (New warrants to cover some of the same claims, but for reduced amounts, were issued a few years later and paid. ) Of the warrants which the Treasurer refused to pay on the ground that they were for claims not recognized by law, $1,491 were due commissioners on Cayuse War claims ; $1,170 were for the claims of a board of pilot commission or and its officers ; and $1,241 were claimed by Amory Holbrook for services as prosecuting attorney pro tern for several coun- ties. Those of the commissioners on Caynse War claims were provided for in Congressional appropriations to meet the ex- penses of that war. It is to be remarked, however, that the claim of A. A. Skinner for services as such a commissioner was paid out of the territorial treasury, which was in accordance with the terms of the act providing for the appointment of these officials, an act passed before the Congressional appro- priation. The territorial treasury was never reimbursed for this payment. The claims of the board of pilot commissioners w r ere never satisfied, excepting claims for advertising for them. Amory Holbrook was at this time being dubbed "the evil genius" of the Governor. A few years later new warrants for reduced amounts were issued to him and paid. While the Treasurer seemed thus careful to pay only "lawful orders/' he did pay the claims of the territorial librarian whose salary was provided for out of the national treasury. The amount paid him was returned and figures in the receipts of the next year. The warrants thus actually outstanding amounted to