The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1897-02-01

was accompanied by one of the scan
dals that have afflicted the state in
its early history, and which was the
end of it's usefulness. In the primitive
days Of 1854-5 the statesmen were ION
the make" and when they found that
the governor of the territory, Al H.
Reeder, could make any spot the capt.
tai by his order, the spectators were
not long getting in their work They
saw a T'c1ante for--SaC fortune, and. the
governor was not unwilling to- have
come to his pocket the share Of the
profits that was offered. So they made
up company to build the capital at the
point named and called it Pawnee The
fort was considered a safety indorse-
ment from the Indians, and the protect
Ing walls were depended upon to keep
the people happy. When in the winter
of 1854 it was found that the govern
ment intended to name this as the
capital it was the cause Of one Of the
greatest uproars that the territory had
ever experienced. The people went to
Washington with their troubles, but it
did no good. The spectators went
ahead and laid out the town and made
the plans for a metropolis. They built
the first capitol that the state had, and
its ruins and those of the governors
mansion are still to be seen. They stand
near the railroad track one on one side
and the other on the other. They are
of stone and have now not a piece of
wood in their construction.
SPECTATORS GET LEFT.
The capitol was provided with wood
en- seats and had all the appliances
that a Legislature might want It was
two stories in height and the lower
mouse was to meet on the second floor.
while the senate had reserved places
on the ground floor The legislature
was not to meet until the following
July, so the preparations were all ready
for the coming. Boarding houses
sprung up like mushrooms, and as all
the lumber was hauled from the Mis-
souri, river in wagons the expense was
considerable. But this would all be
repaid when the capitol was in work
Ing order argued the spectators as
they built on. They totally misunder-
stood the temper Of the men with whom
they had to deal When the legislators
said that they did not want to go to
PaWnee they meant it. They did not
propose to break their word either
The session Of the legislature was
more like the invasion of a desert than
the gathering Of the representatives of
great territory. The coming was not
on passes in those days. The legisla-
tors Travelled in their own wagons. and
took with them all the necessaries for
the caring of themselves while they
We're engaged in settling the affairs OF
state. They came in white-topped
wagons whose sides bulged with the
things they had gathered for the jour
ney. The boarding houses Were ignored
and the people Of the town Mortified
to see that there was no intention of
patronizing the alluring things that
were prepared for them The legis-
lators stopped on the east side Of the
town and camped out They ate their
bacon and drank the water Of the Kan
sas river below the junction-the Kaw,
they called it then-and We're satisfied.
They had no more intention Of remain
ing in the country Of the enemy than
had the Missourians who came over
the border few weeks before to elect
them and who went back when their
task was accomplished
The capitol was occupied July 2. The leg
iSIatuTe was organized with Daniel Woodson
the territorial secretary in the chair. The
members took the oath Of office and then
after appointing the committees, they passed
a measure removing the capitol to Shawnee
Mission. where the majority of the members
had wanted it in the first place The gov
ernor vetoed the bill. AS soon as the law
makers received the veto thew took I'M fine
bill again, and this time 1t went through with
rush. It was passed over the governors
veto, and the legislature stood adjourned, to
meet ten days later at Shawnee Mission The
members began packing their effects, and nv
night the town was deserted, and the dream
OF glory was at an end. In few weeks there
was an attack of yellow fever and the
place was indeed desolate. The old Pawnee
house still stands, but that and the governors
mansion are the sole remains of the first
capitol Of the state.
TWO MORE MOVES.
The next capitol of the state was the build
Ing at Shawnee Mission, a long barracks
like structure, that was anything but attract
i've; 1t vas used but once, and then the state,
creasing Importance. took up It's headquarters
IN the Constitution hall, a low building on
Kansas avenue, Topeka. 1t still stands and
is said to have bcen used for purposes that
we're not at all TO the credit Of the state In the