Page:The History of Oregon Bancroft 1888.djvu/368

350 The session was begun and held in two rooms of the state house, which was so far finished as to be used for the meetings of the assembly. The principal business, after disposing of the Indian question, was concerning the public buildings and their location. The money for the state house was all expended, and the commissioners were in debt, while the building was still unfinished. The penitentiary fund was also nearly exhausted, while scarcely six cells of the prison were finished, and the contractors were bringing the government in their debt. The university commissioners had accepted for a site five acres of land tendered by Joseph P. Friedley at Corvallis, and had let the contracts for building materials, but had so far only expended about three thousand dollars; while the commissioners appointed to select, protect, sell, and control the university lands had made selections amounting to 18,000 acres, or less than one township. Of this amount between 3,000 and 4,000 acres had been sold, for which over $9,000 had been realized. In this case there was no indebtedness. No action had yet been taken concerning the Oregon City claim, which was a part of the university land, but proceedings would soon be begun to test the validity of titles. To meet the expense of litigation, an act was passed authorizing the employment of counsel, but with a proviso that in the event of congress releasing this claim to