Daily capital journal. (Salem, Oregon) 1903-1919, 1914-07-24
EUGENE NEARLY BECAME
OREGON CAPITOL ONCE
Won Twice in Popular Election, Once
Against Whole State and Once From
Corvallis-Freak Legislation.

Corvallis-Freak Legislation.
That Eugene was once voted to be
the apital OF Oregon and incidentally
that feal legislation is not new fea-
ture of the Oregon System, " are facts
shown by some old records recently un.
earthed by Eugene attorney, i'll look
ing mp some old history of the state,
says the Eugene Guard. In two votes
Eugene led in a popular election for the
location. In the first Eugene led all
the other towns in the state which
sought the office, and in the race be
aween the two highest towns Eugene
was victorious There were slips, how
ever, betwixt the cup and the lip.
The congressional act of August IA,
lS4S, organized the territory of Ore
gOn, authorized the territorial lcgisla
ture TO locate the seat OF government
of the territory and appropriated the
sum of $4,000 to aid in erecting tle cap
itol building.
Salem First Selected.
BY act passed in February, 1851, the
legislature fixed Salem as the capital,
Portland as the site of the penitentiary,
and Corvallis, then called Marysville,
as the site of the university, and named
commissioners to erect the necessary
buildings The character of the build
ings were not specified except that the
peniteutiary was to ne large enough to
accommodate 100 convicts.
These buildings apparently not hay
ing been erected, by act of January,
1853, the legislature appointed new
commissioners, making a distinct board
for the erection of the university.
In January, 1854, some work evident
" having been done on the capitol
building an act was passed directing
that the form of architecture should be
changed from "Ionic" to "Grecial
DOric" and directing that the work be
prosecuted to completion.
Just what happened next does not ap'
pear in the laws, perhaps the commits
sioners resisted in following out their
plan of "IOnie architecture. Anyway,
the legislature seems to have gotten
miffed and passed an act changing tle
capital location to Corvallis and the
university location to Jacksonville, and
appointed commissioners to erect tle
buildings. The territorial officers ap-
pointed by the president refused to ac-
knowledge the validity of the removal
act and continued to maintain their of.
fees at Salem.
Legislature at Corvallis.
In December, 1850, the legislature
met at Corvallis, but the first bill intro
duced was to return the seat of govern
ment TO Salem. Various amendments
were proposed, to locate it at Eugene,
Roseburg and other places, but after a
stiff fight Salem won, and the legisla-
ture Joined the other officers at Salem.
The new capitol building was nearing
completion, but on the Goth of the
month it took fire mysteriously and
was totally destroyed. This removed
one of the most effective arguments in
favor of the Salem location, and a
few days later in January, 1886, an
act was passed providing that the ques-
ton of location be submitted TO the
voters OF the state at the June elee-
ton. If no site received majority of
/ the votes cast second election between
the two towns having the highest num-
ber of votes should be held in October
following.
Eugene Wins From Corvallis.
AT the June election the contest was
mainly between Eugene and Corvallis
Eugene received 2627 votes, Corvallis
1882, Salem 2l0l, Portland 1854. On the
official canvass some votes were thrown
out but Eugene neld the lead with Cor
wallis second. The United States off.
GERS insisted that the government would
not recognize the result whatever it
was, and people lost interest in the 0c-
| tober election. No polls were opened in
several counties. The result was that
Eugene received 2509 votes, clear ma.
iority OF all votes east. The govern.
ment officials refused to acquiesce in
the result and nc effort was made to
carry the vote into effect.
People became absorbed in changing
the territory into state and in prepar'
ing state constitution. The state con
stitution was adopted the following
year, 1857, and provided that the legis
/ lature should not have the power to 10,
cate the seat of government but that il
should be located ny popular vote. The
/ question was first submitted in 1862
and no place having a null majority was
again submitted in 1864. Eugene stood
well in both these contests but Salem
won in the second election by cleai
majority of ~.
University at Corvallis.
No attempt was made for years t,
again locate the university. While tht
location was fixed at Corvallis materia
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