Financial History of Oregon 407 such an explanation by saying that "a careful and complete revision of the con- dition of the Soldiers' Bounty Fund, that is, a comparison of bonds redeemed by former Treasurers and myself, with bonds issued, shows that there are still out- standing 159 bonds of this issue. * * * The apparent discrepancy between this and my report for 1882 arises from the fact that the report for that year, together with the report of 1880, was made upon the basis of the reports of former Treasurers, in each case the amount of bonds redeemed by myself being deducted from the amount of bonds reported as outstanding at the time the several reports were made." This statement still leaves the report of 1880 in a bad light and proves nothing as to the source of the discrepancy. (14) The Treasurer's Report, 1887, p. 129, shows that 157 bonds were redeemed, but the debt statement, p. 10, shows only one bond outstanding at the close of this period — one bond having been lost sight of. On page 161 of the report occurs the list of 40 persons for whom bounty bonds were issued but which had not been called for. 1890. The Treasurers' reports from 1887 to 1899 retain unchanged the item of "Soldiers' Bounty Bonds, $50." From 1893 on there stands in connection with it the announcement that "forty soldier bounty bonds of $50.00 each (exclusive of interest) still remain uncalled for, the same being issued under date of January 1, 1866." However, without explanation in 1899 the announcement reads: "Thirty- eight soldier bounty bonds of $50 each," etc. In 1899 a bounty bond (Face $50.00, Interest $68.25) was paid, p. 17 of report of 1901. The same report gets the interest due on the 38 bonds wrong, giving it as $2,612.50. The following report states it correctly as $2,593.50, making total liability on these 38 bonds to be $4,493.50. And so the matter still stands. Relief Bonds. It was eminently fitting that as a companion act to that granting bounties for future enlistments for the Indian fight- ing service should be one making similar substantial provision for the men of the First Oregon Cavalry whose terms of ser- vice were just expiring. An act known as "the Relief Act" was passed on the same day with the Bounty Act. It provided for the payment by the state of five dollars per month to each commissioned officer and enlisted soldier "of the companies of Oregon Volunteers raised in this state for the service of the United States to aid in repelling invasions, suppressing insur- rection, enforcing the laws and protecting public property, in addition to the pay allowed them by the United States." This "relief" was due after the term of enlistment had been served, or an honorable discharge granted. The payment took the form of a state bond due in ten years, bearing seven per cent interest, payable semi-annually ; interest and principal payable in coin. A tax of one-half mill was to be levied annually to meet payments of principal and interest. A provision, similar to that with the bounty fund, regarding the use of any accumulated surplus of ten thousand dollars or more, directed the application of such surplus towards the redemption of bon ds so as "to redeem the greatest number of bonds, until the amount of caslfon hand for redemption is exhausted." 1 iActs and Resolutions, 1866, Appendix, "Unpublished Laws of 1864, pp. 104-108.
