The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1869-03-06
rAoM SPRINGFIELD.

RIVER IMPROVEMENT BILL.
This bill, the passage Of which on Thursday
evening Of last week, We were only able TO men.
ten in orr last, creates . board Of three canal
commissioners -instesd of seven, a. BEFORE
and appropriates $780, 900, to be expended in the
erection Of dam, which, it is believed, will make
the river permanently navigable to La Sale. and
thus virtually lengthen out the canal to the
Mississippi river. The passage of this bill Of
course sets aside the appointment of canal COM
missioner. made BY the Governor at the begin
ming Of the session, and accordingly their nsmes
have been returned to the executive. Who the
new commissioners will be, is yet unknown, but
the Governor will hardly attempt to defeat the
bill BY refusing to appoint them, after having
signed the bill. The Senators unanimously and
most OF the members Of the house. of both parties,
have joined in recommending the appointment
of Gen. J. d. Webster, Col r. B. Mason, and r.
E. Goodell Esq, rs the commissioners.
THE NEW STATE HOUSE.
The hullabaloo about corruption and immense
waste Of money in the work thus far ON the new
state house at Springfield has apparently less
foundation in reality than in Chicago prejudice
and Misrepresentation. The foundation doubt
less has cost more than was anticipated, but No
more, probably, than was necessary TO render it
fit for the proposed superstructure. 1t now looks
Is il an appropriation Of about $4,000 will be
made 70 continue the work fer the next tive
years, With new architect aud Asw set Of COM
missonsrs, whs may DO required to use cut stone
prepared BY the penitentisry oonvicts at Joliet
........ A RAILROAD swINDLE-
A ball has been smsgglsd through the house,
and is now pending in the senate, var,ousy called
the sx.post faoto BILL" " railroad swindle, &c,
which sertainly looks like monstrous wrong on
its surface 1t is known there are two parties in
the management of the Chicago s. Rock Island
r. R. One party, headed by John F. Tracy, is
in favor Of consolidating the stock OF the r. l. r.
r. proper with that of the extension from the
Mississippi river TO Omaha The other party,
embracing nine-tenths Of the stockholders, is
opposed to the constellation, and Of letting each
end of the road stand on lite own bottom. ma
j9rity Of the present directors side with Tracy,
but it is well understood that at the first new
election of directors the Tracy party will be
ousted. Last year Tracy got himself and party
continued in Office year longer by getting an
act through the Iowa legislature postponng the
election enc year. The bill now before the ILL
nss legislature is virtually to postpone tho cleo
ton two years lunger-in other words, to con.
tinue the present directors in Office against the
- r -
to waste tho property of those stockholders. We
are surprised to see Mr. Speaker Cory win tho chic.
champion Of this so apparently indcfensible
measure. E#H 3r4Erl E'rfGeW
SHARON TyNDALE.
Tho Secretary Of State Of illinois gets but g..
500 salary, aud yet the Office has 20 maay perqui.
sites as to make it really worth honestly
5000. Bat even this sum did not satisfy the
late Secretary, Mr.. Sharon Tyndsie. who, sccord-
ing to the developments, a. yet but partially
made, has. like true loyalist, added some $15.-
coo toe2Oo0 to his last TIVE years perquisites BY
swindling the state in the purchased of paper for
the use of ths public printer and in the contract
for copying the laws and journals. The case Of
Mr. Tyndals is rendered still worse BY the dew
eloPment Of the fact in the house ON Wednesday,
that he had attempted to bride members 10 as to
stias an investigation into his rascalitics.
INVESTMENT OF Stair FUNDS.
1t has also leaked out that tho State Treasurer
has been making good thing Of his sffice BY
loaAing out about million of dollars of the state
funds set aside for the payment Of principal and
interest Of the public debt and which remain
from year to year in his hands. 1t is proposed
to cut off this little steal by requiring him to
invest this money in government securities, and
give the state the benefit of the interest.
The house, ON Tuesday, passed a bill reducing
the fees Of county officers in all counties having
over 10000 population to the rates at which those
fees stood in 1855.
PENIrENTIARY. ,t.U
The offer of Sam Buvkmaster and others to
run tho penitentiary without expense to the
state and to pay $1,000 year for the privilege
has been rejected by the house. and the bill will
doubtless pass giving the present commissioners
$500, 900 10 run the institution for tho next two
years. sFl.., sal
~ .fe,l.yis ,ss, REGISTRY Law. .e,o,,..
Although IL was admitted in the discussion
that tho registry law Gusts the state $4,000 4
yenr and i-rno check upon fraudulent voting, the
houss by 40 to 30, on sMondny refused to repeal
the law.
.esaetn ~ ENCOURAGING RAiLRoADs. s.., Ya