348                 WISCONSI      BLUE BOOK.







                  THE STATE CAPITOL.




  The site of the present State Capitol was selccted by the H0on. JAMES D.
DOTY, October 27, 18.36, and in December of the same year the territorial
legislature, in session at Belmont, passed an act to establish the Capital
at
Madison. Messrs. JAMES D. DOTY, A. A. BIRD and JoHIN F. O'NEILL were
appointed by the general government commissioners for constructing the
capitol, and work was commenced on the building in the month of June fol-
lowing, under the direction of Mr. BIRD. On the 4th of July, 1837, the corner-
stone was laid with appropriate ceremonies. The legislature met for the
4irst time in Madison, November 26, 1838. The capitol building was not thaon
in a suitable condition for the sessions of that body, so it assembled in
the
-basement of the old American House, where Gov. DODne delivered his annual
message. Here the Legislature met and adjourned from day to day, until
temporary arrangements could be made for the reception of members in the
Assembly Hall. During 1836 and 1837, the national government appropriated
$40,000 for the capitol building; Dane county, $4,000; and the territorial
legislature about $16,000; making the complete cost of the old capitol $60,000.
The building, when finished, was a substantial structure, which, in archi-
tectural design and convenience of arrangement, compared favorably with the
capitols of adjacent and older states.
  The warranty deed of the capitol square was given to the Territory, in
con-
sideration of $1.00 received, and the benefits and advantages to be derived
from the location, by STEVENS T. MAsON, JULIA G. MNIAsON and KINTZINo
PRIHETT, of Detroit, and through their attorney, MosEs M. STRONG. It is
dated, Mineral Point, 16th January, 1839; and the square is described as
sec-
tions 13, 14, 23 and 24, in township 7, range 9 east. This interesting docu-
ment is now on file in the office of the State Treasurer.
  On the admission of Wisconsin into the Union as a state, in 1848, the con-
stitutional convention then permanently located the capital at Madison. The
capitol building proving inadequate to the growing wants of the State, the
legislature of 1857 provided for its enlargement. By this act, the commis-
sioners of school and university lands were directed to sell the ten sections
of land appropriated by congress "for the completion of public buildings,"
and apply the proceeds toward enlarging and improving the state capitol.
The state also appropriated $30,000 for the same object, and $50,000 was
given
by the city of Madison. The Governor and Secretary of State were made
commissioners for conducting the work, which was begun in the fall of 1857,
and continued from year to year until 1869, when the dome was completed.
The total appropriations for the enlargement of the capitol and for the im-
provement of the park to the present time are $557,364.4.). This does not
in-
clude $8,662.70 which was expended in a fruitless attempt to bore an artesian