Capital journal. (Salem, Or.) 1893-1895, 1894-09-06
THE BRANCH ASFLBN CASE.
1t Is Argued Before the Supreme
Court.
A FULL HISTORY OF THE INJUNCTION
And the Legislation Providing che
Asylum.


the argument IN appeal, in an iniunO-
ton suit brought in tue third Judicial
circuit court, by resident Of Polk
county, restraining the state board Il
commissioners of public bei dings from
locating a site for . branch insane ass :
lum In Eastern Oregon.
The petitioner will be represented by
able counsel, Messrs. Bonham d
Holmes, Attorney BIGGER and District
Attorney McKane appearing in such
behalf, while the board of commission
ers, and incidentally Union county,
will be represented by Ex-County
Judge MOreland. OF Multnomah and
Hon. Thomss H. Crawford, leading
attorney of Union county.
HISTORY OF THE SUIT.
At the last session of the legislature,
senate bill 1872, introduced by Matlock.
of Umatilla, was passed, providing for
the erection of branch insane asylum
In one of the counties of Eastern Ore
gon. 1t constituted the governor, state
treasurer and secretary Of state, acting
In their capacity IS board Of commits.
sioners, to select the site and provide
for the construction of the proposed
new state building. For securing such
site and erecting the proper building
the sum of $le5, 600 was appropriated.
aud the bill became law, without the
signature of Governor Pennoyer, Feb
ruary q, 1898.
Following the enactment Of this law,
throughout the various counties oi
Eastern Oregon there was intense riv-
airy to secure the location. Baker City
Union, PeudIeton, Heppner and The
Dalles all We'd with each other to de
nonstrate to the members OF the board
that their particular locality was the
only one suitable for the erection Of the
proposed building. 1t wa thought
that Pendleton, the home Of the author
| of the bill, would carry away the prize
but when q decision was finally reached
the pretty little town Of Union wa
selected, and those who hsd been dis
appointed Satisfied themselves with
the fact that branch asylum would bt
located In Eastern Oregon anyway.
The location of the site was to cosI
the state $4,000, and Thos. Wright o.
Union came to Salem to transfer thu
property to the state but that Is as far al
the work of providing branch asylum
has ever progressed. Opposition to th'
proposed erection Of such building
sooh manifested itself. as also II die
against the building Of a Soldiers
home ct Roseburg. The main conten
ton was that the constitution Of thu
state provided that all state building
should be erected within the bOunda
ries Of the state capital. Eastern Ore
gon retaIIated with q threat that II tn
opposition Of Salem was manifested,
move might be made to submit al
amendment to the constitution provid
ing for the relocation of the state cap
ital. This caused the proceedings to Il
carried with more caution and wheI
the desired Injunction was sought h
restrain the board Of commissioners tn
petitioners did not hail from Salem
but from beneath the shadows OF tn
Polk county bills. The injunction
was granted, and now, after the laps
OF many months, the supreme eour
will finally settle the question.
A great deal Of interest, says the Ore
gonian, is shown in Union as to tn
outcome Of the suit and, II decision
favorable TO the erection Of the branch
asylum is reached, the work will prob
ably be speedily commenced, 20 as 3
Insure the retention Of the sl05, 900 ap
preparation, which otherwise would b
covered into the treasury Rt the clos
OF the present year.
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