At first, state politicians handed the Capitol to Salem, the Penitentiary to Portland, and the University to Corvallis; then later it was promised to Jacksonville. The controversy grew bitter, the arguments so strong in every direction that the issue finally died of overdoing.
In 1857, Judge Matthew P. Deady, a southerner and President of the State Constitutional Convention, was much in favor of the parochial school system, though later he was one of the most loyal supporters of the University. Mr. R. S. Boise of Salem, with a large group of northern followers, felt the state should have one nondenominational school of importance, with lower fees, so the political dickering continued. By 1872, the issue had built up in tension and was again a red-hot argument.
On a July night of that year, a group of five men met to discuss again the need of adequate schools. In the old McFarland home on Charnelton street, kerosene lamps burned into the morning hours, and the young be-whiskered gentlemen discussed the good of future generations. They were B. F. Dorris, S. H. Speence, John M. Thompson, Judge J. J. Walton, and John C. Arnold. Later, J. S. Scott, J. B. Underwood, S. S. Comstock, A. S. Patterson, E. L. Bristow, E. L. Applegate, and Dr. A. W. Patterson joined them to organize the Union University Association. John Thomas was elected President, and T. G. Hendricks, Treasurer, while Walton, Dorris, Scott, and Abrams formed the first board of directors. This board appeared before the next meeting of the State Legislature to present a bill permitting purchase of a site for the erection of the first building on the new University campus. Fifty thousand dollars was allowed for Deady Hall, to be completed and turned over to the State in January, 1874. The bill also provided for a Board of Regents of nine—six to be appointed by the governor and three by the association itself. State scholarships were to be awarded by counties and forbade any sectarian or religious tests for either students or instructors.
Again plans ran into trouble. Outside interests appeared declaring the location bill unconstitutional because “all state institutions were to be located in Salem.” Again the pioneers fought for their rights with good arguments; increased population, high standards of living, value of land, and so on. In spite of all the evidence, opposing elements obtained a revocation of the bond issue, and only private subscriptions saved the university.
Committees were appointed for selection of the best site, and ways of raising money. The final choice was left to the State board of commission, which meeting in Eugene “found the fine view from the Henderson property most to their liking” so, in April of 1873, their selection was made of this thirteen-and-three-fourths-acre tract.
The University was at last on its way, but it proved to be a very rough road.
Plans were for a thirty-thousand-dollar bond issue by the courts, with twenty thousand to be raised by private subscription. The financial panic was on. Cash was scarce. Subscriptions came in slowly. There were loud protests at tax time! But plans never stopped: of the two hundred families making up the listed population, one hundred and forty names were on the subscription list, many of them for labor and farm produce. Thomas Judkins sold land at six dollars an acre, the proceeds to go to the building. Churches helped out with suppers and strawberry festivals.
At last Deady Hall was completed—as far as the roof, when again money ran out and again citizens dug deep in their pockets to complete the tall stately building, the first of the new University.
The Applegate House
Josephine Evans Harpham
