Kenosha tribune & telegraph. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1856-1859, 1858-06-17
Proceedings of the Common Councils
of the City Of Kenosha.

JUNE 14th 1858
Council called to order Ald Bone absent,
Minutes OF last meeting read and approved
A petition was received from the residents of
Washington Island asking permission to work
OUT their road tax on said Island leave granted
A communication from NJ Frank and others
i'll relation to the condition of West Main street
was read and referred to Committee on Roads
& Bridges.
The Commissioners elected for the purpose
% u extending wisconsin street reported that
they deemed it iney pedient TO open said street.
report accepted.
Committee on r. Il Bridges reported in favor
81 SIDE walk on the south side of Park street
from the west side of Chicago street to the east
SIDE OF Church street, report adopted
Appropriations. were made to
brown n u Weeks, poor acct. $l15,44
~ Droc AVA 1865
~ ar ~ thompson. 800
The special Committee appointed TO take in.
to consideration the entertainments of the l.Le
upon the lots adjoining, made the followingre-
port:
Your committee to whom was referred tle matter
OF the cncroaciment OF the Lake upon that uortion
of the city south of the Harbor and boardern5 mon
me Lake beg leave to submit the following report
That from personal examination of the Lake
shore that vicinity they find that an entire tier of
blocks south of the ware houses and east of Like
street have already entirely disappeared and thai
or with large portion OF some of the blocks on the
west side of Lake street have shared the same fate
That the value of the property thus swept away
within the limits OF the city in the opinion of your
committee cannot fail lar ii any short of 30 OGo The
apparent natural barrier to the progress of tho Take
west IN the shape of clny bank in the carly settle
ment oftheplace gradually to grow less and loss
until III some aees 1t has almost entirely disappear
etl, leaving nothing to stay its progress but Il obt
aliuvial coil which at every succeedinr Storm i
rapidly passing away. And that from present an
pearanccs the time cannot be tar distant when the
Lake VIII Ue knocking at the walls of the buildings
upon Main Street. Under this view Of tie case
your committee feel the vast importance to The cifv
at large OF the subject under consideration and the
great responsibility resting upon them That some
thing should be done and that without uclay TO STAY
the ravages oil the Lake upon the town w olld seem
to be the dictate OF oomnlon sense and sound wis
dom. AT the same time your committee from sew
eral causes fecl reluctant to make any positive
concentration at this time. First, from the short
time they have been enabled TO dew ote TO the su beet
Second, the kind of structure best ADAPTED to ac-
compish the desired object, and the probable OK.
penSc Of tie same and Third, whether in fact undar
the charter the Council has authority to levy tax
for that purpose, we are however unanimous in the
opinion that no such authority exists in tina charter
eaccpt upOnsa submission to vote of the free
Of the city
Upon examnaten of the charter of the city of
Chicago we md special provision there
III authorizing the City Council to construct works
of that kind and assess the thereof upon the
Lewiston of the City benefited thereby
Your committee informed that the Common
Council Of tie city Of Iaenc authorized Tie con
structlOn OF work of the kind and assessed the
expense the same prUrata upon the lots and blocks
benefited thereby, which authority was disputed by
many OF the tax payers who refused to pay, and the
legality OF the question is now pending and undeci-
tied i'll the Supreme Court of this state
The authority OF the Council in any event to levy
tax upon the city at large for works of the kind I'M
der consideration local iii their nature) is in the
opinion of your committee extremely doubtful and
that iii this would be clearly Illegal without as
above indicated submitting the questod TO vote OF
the people.
In this opinion your Committee are strengthened
from The fact that the city Of Chicago found ii neces-
sary to have Incorporated in their Charter special
provision to that effect and authorizing the cost to
be assessed upon particular Lewiston ofthe city.
Under this view ofthe case your committee do not
feel authorized to Recommend any specific action
and beg to submit the whole question to the consd
Grafton OF the council.