Resolved, That the County Judge be requested to order a special election, at which shall he submitted the question of appropriating twelve thousand acres (or the proceeds thereof), of the swamp lands belonging to this county, to be used for influencing the location aforesaid.
Mr. Queal moved to strike out so much as referred to swamp lands, and insert in lieu, " County bonds for the sum of ten thousand dollars." On this quite a spirited discussion took place, participated in by Messrs. Scott, Queal, Graham, Allen, Chairman and others, after which the resolutions thus amended were passed.
On motion said bonds were to be drawn fur ten years; rate of interest to be paid annually.
On motion of W. G. Allen the chair appointed a committee of five to represent the interests of the county before the board of locating commissioners, to-wit: W. G. Allen, J. L. Dana, T. C. McCall. John Scott and E. C. Evans.
On motion Messrs. Maxwell, Graham and McGuire were instructed to solicit funds to defray expenses of the committee.
GEO. M. MAXWELL,
Chairman.
C. D. BERRY,
Secretary.
In accordance with the request of this convention, Judge Kellogg, on the fourth day of January, 1859, issued proclamation for an election to be held on the seventh of February. Public meetings were in various parts of the country ; among those remembered was one at McCartney's school-house, and one at Iowa Center. The feeling was strongly in favor of the "Donation," and it carried by a very large majority—Nevada voting the bonds by 117 for, and 3 against. On Monday, January 10, 1859, the Board of Trustees held their first meeting, at which, on determining the terms by lot, E. G. Day drew for four years. There being some charge of fraud, or unfair action, made by an anonymous letter, on the next day there was another cast of lots, in which the member for Story county drew for two years. Propositions for the location were received from Marshall, Kossuth, Johnson, Story and Polk counties, and a committee of three, to-wit : Sherwin, Pattee and Gains, were appointed to examine the several propositions.
The location was made by the Board on the twenty-first of June following and was celebrated by an Independence Day Picnic on the grounds of the farm, at which James Phelan, of Boone county, presided; Paul A. Queal read the Declaration; John A. HULL of Boone, and John Scott of Story, delivered addresses.
Two long tables had been erected in the grove northwest of where the college building now stands, at which the historian says peas, potatoes, fruit, pies, beets, cheese, honey, ham, mutton, fish, turkey, chicken, roast pig, and other delicacies and substantials were in abundance and well cooked.
After the dinner came the regular toasts, to which responses were made by Hall, Gwynne, Ballinger, Brunning, and Foster of Boone, and by Queal, Frazier, Scott, Dana, and Day of Story.