The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1868-05-23
The Bridge Question.


The question what to do about the two new
canal bridges came up again in the city council
at the last meeting under such circumstances as
to afford reasonable hope that it would be set
tied in satisfactory way; that is the council
having been advised that the bridges are again
in good running order, the expectation was
that tho city now would take charge Of them
and have them attended. The matter came up
at 20 late an hour, however, that action was
STAYED of to the next meeting which will take
place on next Tuesday evening. a,
Meantime the matter of free bridge across
Fox River! is again being mootcd, and in
that connection we are requested to publish tho
following .ct of the Legislature having an i'm
portant bearing on the subject:
SECTION 1. BE it enacted By the People of the
State Of Illinois, rspresented in the General Assem-
bly,, That John Hise and Jackson r. Shaver, Of
the town OF Rutland, and Thaddeus Hampton,
Henry l.. Brush Of the town of Ottawa, and
Charles H. Force, of the town of South Ottawa,
be, and they hereby are appointed commission
ers to erect bridge across Eox river, at such a
place az they may select, between Lyman's
Mound and River street, in Ottawa Centre, in
essary to be expended therefor to be raised BY
taxation, a. hereinafter mentioned, in one or two
years, az said commissioners may deem most
expedient.
s 2. Said commissioners, or . majority Of
them, shall cause this act to be published in one
of the newspapers printed in the city of Ottawa,
| and shall thereafter cause notice TO be given by
| publication in two newspapers printed in said
city, for four weeks successively, of time when
u special town meeting shall be held, at the usu-
al places Of holding such elections, in the towns
| of Rutland and Ottawa, to determine whether
said bridge shall be built At said meetings the
election shall be by ballot; ON each Of which
shall be written or printed the words "for the
bridge" or against the bridge" and if the aggre.
gate majority of all the votes cast in both towns
shall at any election be "for the bridge the same
shall be constructed by said commissioners, or a
majority Of them. In case of a failure to obtain
such majority for the bridge, said election m ay
| be repeated in the same manner on two future
occasions, not less than six months apart
| So Whenever the majority shall be for the
bridge, as mentioned in the last section, said
commissioners, or a majority of them, shall adop'
plan for said bridge and estimate the probable
| cost of the same, with it's embankments, and
make repert to the board Of supervisors of said
county Of the sum deemed by said commission
ers necessary to construct the said bridge and
enbankments. and the year or years in which i
shall be levied and said board of supervisors
shall cause said sum to be levied and collected
by taxation of all the property subject to taxa
ton in said town Of Ottawa and Rutland. IN tn,
same manner that town taxes are nUw 5svied ant
y collected by law, and the amount shah be pai'
by said collectors TO said commissioners, and b
expended by said commissioners, or majorit,
Of them in the construction of said bridge ant
embankments. In case there should be defci
ency in the amount, said deficiency shall be re
ported by said commissioners, or a majority o
them, to said board of supervisors, and the SAM
.hall be levied and collected and expended a
aforesaid and said commissioners, or majority
Of them, shall, when said bridge shall have beer
completed, make report to the town clerks o
both said towns of the manner in which the,
have discharged their duty under this act witt
an account of their receipts and expenditures.
S4 Said bridge and embankment, when con,
pleted, shall be maintained and kept in repair b.
the commissioners Of highways Of the towns o
Ottawa and Rutland; and seid commissioners O
highways shall constitute n joint board therefor
The ordinary read tax, however, shall be expend
ed in the proportion of one-third by Rutland am
= two-thirds by Ottawa and in case the amour
needed to repair or rebuild said bridge and en-
bankments, shall be more than can be raised b.
said ordinary road taxes, the amount may be r.
ported by the board of commissioners mertionc
in this section, to said board of supervisors, an
be levied and collected by said board as hereto
fore mentioned, and be paid to and expended b
the beard of commissioners in this section mer
toned, as the sum raised to construct the bridg
was by the first named commissioners
S In case Of vacancy shall happen by deaf
or removal from the county Of any one or nor
9 of tie commissioners named in sectisn one, tn
remaining members may fill the same by ~
pointment. .-yu.A
s g. This act shall take effect and be in fore
from and after its passage 80 d ~
Approved February %, 1867.