HISTORY OF WISCONSIN. 
 
third session of the second Legislative Assem- 
bly of the territory. The term for which mem- 
bers of the house were elected would soon 
expire ; it was therefore desirable that a new 
apportionment should be made. As the census 
would be taken the ensuing June, by the 
United States, it would be unnecessary for the 
territory to make an additional enumeration. 
A short session was resolved upon, and then 
an adjournment until after the completion of 
the census.  One of the subjects occupying 
largely the attention of the members, was the 
condition of the capitol, and the conduct of the 
commissioners intrusted with the money ap- 
propriated by Congress to defray the cost of its 
construction. These commissioners were James 
Duane Doty, A. A. Bird and John F. O'Neill. 
They received their appointment from    the 
general government. Work    began   on the 
building in June, 1837, the corner stone being 
laid with appropriate ceremonies July 4. During 
that yeat and the previous one, Congress ap- 
propriated $40,000, Dane county $4,000, and 
the territorial Legislature, about $16,000, for 
the structure ; so that the entire cost was about 
$60,000. The building, when finished, was a 
substantial structure, which, in architectural 
design and convenience of arrangement, com- 
pared favorably with the capitols of adjacent 
and older States. The capitol proving inade- 
quate to the growing wants of the State, the 
Legislature of 1857 provided for its enlarge- 
ment. By this act, the commissioners of school 
and university lands were directed to sell the 
ten sections of land appropriated by Congress 
"for the completion of public buildings," and 
ap)ply the proceeds toward enlarging and im- 
proving the State capitol. The State also ap- 
propriated $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 con- 
tinued from year to year until 1869, when the 
dome was completed. The Legislature of 1882 
 
appropriated $200,000 for the construction of 
two transverse wings to the capitol building, 
one on the north and the other on the south 
sides thereof, in order to provide additional 
room  for the State   historical society, the 
supreme court, the State library, and for the 
increasing work of the State offices. The gov- 
ernor, secretary of State, attorney general, 
with others, representing the supreme court 
and the historical society, were made commis- 
sioners for carrying out the work. The cost 
will be within the amount appropriated by the 
State. The total appropriations for the en- 
largement of the capitol and for the improve- 
ment of the park, to the present time, are $629, 
992.54.  This does not include the sum    of 
$6,500 appropriated in 1875, for macadamizing 
to the center of the streets around the park, 
nor the $200,000 appropriated in 1882. The 
park is 914 feet square, cornering north, south, 
east and west, cofitains fourteen and four-terths 
acres, and is situated on an elevation command- 
ing a view of the third and fourth lakes and 
the surrounding country. In the center of the 
square stands the capitol. The height of the 
building from the basement to the top of the 
flag staff is 225y feet, while the total length of 
its north and south wings, exclusive of steps 
and porticoes, with the addition of the new 
wings, is 396 feet, and of the east and west 
wings, 226 feet. 
The Legislature of 1839-40, adjourned Janu- 
ary 13, to meet again on the 3d of the ensuing 
August. The completion of the federal census 
of 1840 showed a population for the territory of 
30,744. Upon the re-assembling of the Legisla- 
ture-which is known as the extra session of 
the second Legislative Assembly-some changes 
were made in the apportionment of members to 
the House of Representatives. The session 
lasted but a few days, a final adjournment 
taking place Aug. 14, 1840. The first session 
of the third Legislative Assembly began Dec. 7, 
1840, and ended Feb. 19, 1841, with only three 
members who had served in the previous Assem- 
 
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