150 F. G. YOUNG. five miles above and south of the original capital." In the same act of relocation it constituted a new board of commis- sioners "to erect suitable public buildings at the newly chosen seat of government. 51 But the treasury officials at Washington ruled that no money appropriated heretofore by Congress for the public buildings at Salem could be expended elsewhere ; nor could any money appropriated for the mileage and pay of the members of the assembly, officers, clerks (or contingent expenses), be paid to them, or on account of con- tingencies, if a session should be held elsewhere than at Salem. 52 The legislature that convened at Corvallis on De- cember 3, 1855, therefore, had strong inducements to return to Salem. It remained only until the 12th, when it adjourned to reconvene at Salem on the 17th. It occupied the now quite fully completed State House and ordered the territorial library brought into the new building. After five days it adjourned for the holidays, and during this holiday recess, on the night of December 29, the Capitol was entirely destroyed by fire. The circumstances were such as to arouse suspicions, but the com- mittee appointed to investigate the matter exonerated the officers in charge of all imputations of carelessness or blame and revealed no facts warranting any assertion in regard to the origin of the fire. 53 On February 17, 1855, $27,000 had been added by appropri- ation to the State House fund. When accounts were closed it was found that $18,444.26 remained unexpended of a total ap- propriation of $52,000. A memorial asking for $50,000 to be added to the amount unexpended was without result. Nor were steps taken to begin rebuilding. 54 51 Oregon Statutes, Sixth Session, 1854-5, p. 558. 5ii Appendix to C. J., Seventh Session, 1855-6, pp. 8-11. 53 Appendix to C. J., Seventh Session, 1855-6, p. 33. 54 Governor Curry, in a letter to the Secretary of the Interior of September 13, 1858, gives the cost of the State House as $33,595.74, but in his accounts he credits the national treasury with an additional $40.00 as the premium on a $2,000 draft. This would make the net cost to the national government to be $33,555.74. Appendix to House Journal, Tenth Session, 1858-9, p. 5, and Executive Accounts, MS.
