Marshall County Republican. (Plymouth, Ind.) 1856-1878, 1871-08-24
BENDER & MlLLIKAN, Editors and Publisher,

Illinois, and reiterated by the engineer of
the Kankakee Valley Drainage Company
This organization has no jurisdiction
over Illinois territory, and can not make
the excavation The owners of the mill
and water will not permit the water pow
er to be destroyed. Mr.. Mix, part owner
of the mill, is large owner of lots and
land at Momence, the value of which
would be greatly impaired by the destruc-
ton of the water power. Again, the Kan
kakee and Washington River Improve
ment Company are now engaged in i'm
proving the water powers in the Kanka-
kee from its mouth to the Indiana State
line, and have perpetual charter from
the State of Illinois. Ex Governor
Clafiin, of Massachusetts,, is President of
the Company. The paid up capital of
this Company is $3.50, 900, bona fde and
not one cent. assessed on the land" bene-
fitted This Company will make slacl,
water navigation from the State line to
Wilmington Illinois, and there connect
with the Illinois and Michigan Canal to
Chicago, and make the finest water pow
ers i'll the West at Momenee, Aroma
Kankakee City and Wilmington. The
Company are working $50 men, and will
complete their work in two years. TC
accomplish the four feet excavation al
Momence, will require the purchase OF
this company, and its character, for it pro-
poses to raise the Momence dam sufficient IL
back the acdter as far back as it has .jat7'is
diction, which is to the Indiana State line
Now it is difficult to comprehend how
the Kankakee Valley Drainage Company
will accomplish anything, other than {
drainage upon the pockets of the owner:
of the 624S12 acres of land, by digging ;
new channel for the Kankakee river ever
if they should dig it forty feet deeper thar
| it now is, when they can not extend be
yond the Indiana line, and the lands ant
rocks and dams in Illinois keep it to it
present highth
Another objection to this law, that this
organization has filed their assessment.
and mortgaged these lands to raise none,
upon-to the amount of seven dollars pc
acre Under the same law, another Com
pany, known as the Newton COUNTY
Drainage Company, have laid out con
templated bitches, (and in many place
the bitches of the two companies run 70
miles on the same line, and in othe
places only few feet aparD and mad
| their assessments Oh the same land, il
amounts ranging from S5 to $12 per acre
and issue bonds and mortgage the sam
lands for payment of their bonds. Thi
makes double assessment, and the Ian,
owner is amazed. A third company is be
ing organized, and will be on the groun
in few days and viii lay their assess
ments on the same land. The law make
no restriction to the number of com
panies, and they will be formed and max
assessments, just as long and as often a
any money can be made cat of it.
The Kankakee Valley Company, IAN
this observation holds true of any con
pany that may be organized under th
law, have issued bonds to the amount {
100000. and can increase it to $4,000
900. The innocent landowner will natu
ally expect that strong safeguards al
thrown around the officers of the Con
psny, so as to guard the money from b.
ing suuandered, and what does he find
, Simply, the Treasurer has given bond
the amount of $4,000, or about ten pt
| cent. of the money that viii come into Ii
! hands.
Already has this organization mac
2 their assessments upon the lands reportt
! by the Assessors to have present vail
| of $3,79S, 1872; and at the end of thir
, days from August 2, all right of appeal
. cut off, and the company will sell Il
t bonds and the lien is made fast upon Il
n land 1t is very clear from the nature
: things, that there must be some limit
e the taxing power of the State. VIII
e would the people Of the State think
Y there was a tax assessed upon their re
t estate, largely in excess Of the price th'
j. put upon the land? It would destroy
/ values. Yet this thing has been done
s the Kankakee Valley Draining Compan
f upon a large portion of seven counties
the State. The average selling price
e these lands is not over five dollars
a acre, and the tax levied is seven dolla
# and forty cents per acre.
l. To illustrate. ia owns one hundr
5, acres of land, it is worth $500; he sells
i for $500, makes deed and receives
Il money. He takes the entire purchs
'e money and pays it on his assessmen
/. and finds he still owes the company So
" Hence, he Losses $242 and his land.
h man would require a considerable fortu
l. to be able to own much land in the bul
district. Already has it stopped all sa
if of land in the affected district. SIN
Id land owners who are improving tn
+ farms have ceased their improvement
se being unwilling to expend money and
a. Dor on his premises, when he knows n
Of to what extent his lands may be mo
" gagged by outside capitalists, contrary
at his interest and wishes These are br
,e few of the objections that may be urs
20 against the proceedings of the Kankal
to Valley Drainage Company. KANKAKEE
1 INDIANAPOLIS. Aug. IA. 1871.
90 A party CT men engaged in diggin
Il ditch in Jefferson township, on last
day. came unon the remains of an ami