136 F. G. YOUNG. from this expenditure. The site of the penitentiary was utterly unfit and the structures erected on it sufficed for the safe detention of only a half-dozen convicts, and not at all for their employment. A change of location was regarded by every one as inevitable and was put off a few years only be- cause of the cost it involved. A fire, that occurred under suspicious circumstances, consumed both library and State House, just when they were for the first time being brought into full use. Of the former at the close of this period there was a nucleus of about a thousand volumes, mainly exchanges, and of the latter a heap of charred debris. Through the sale of school lands a net common school fund of $32,424.74 had been accumulated. 8 The administrative cost of making this accumulation had been $1,411.57. A uni- versity fund of $5,465.40 was on hand. The securing of this amount had entailed an expenditure of $6,885.27. 9 The above financial showings would seem to demonstrate that the zeal for the promotion of the commonweal in civil affairs was little in evidence. On the other hand, ardor for public safety and sacrifice for the defense of the lives and property of isolated and exposed families and communities from a savage foe shine brightly throughout the period. The first report of a depredation always elicited a prompt and patriotic response in succor and relief. It was for construc- tive acts of state-building that the civic sense was almost ab- solutely wanting. The dissipation of fiscal resources betrays the partisan, sectional and personal interests in the saddle. Faith in the efficacy of governmental agency in promoting the general welfare was weak. Individualism was rampant. This aspect of the public affairs of this period is not necessarily to be interpreted as indicating an inherent warping of the public mind and conscience. A combination of conditions existed 8 To this sum is to be added the small amounts just accumulated in the dif- ferent county treasuries to the credit of the school fund but not reported. 9 This includes expense of abortive building operations at Corvallis.
