The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1873-03-08
From Springfield.
IL RIES.

JuRIEs.
Tie house has been at work on a bill
to amend the cumbrOus and unintclligiblc
jury law of the last legislature. The most
important provision adopted thus far is Il
clause providing that it shall be no cause OF
challenge for having read an account of the
case, if the Juror swears he can render an i'm
partial verdict.
JUSTICES AND CONTABLEs.
4 law of the last legislature requires that in
each town in all counties under township or
ranization there shall be, an election this
sprinr for justices and constables. The jul
dietary committee of the senate and house,
how yer, after an investigation Of the subject,
came to an agreement that the law was uncon-
stitutonal, and therefore reported a bill to
the house repeating the law of the last lcgis-
lature and providing that the present justices
and constables shall hold their offices until
their successors are elected, ald providing,
further that in counties under township or
ganization the next election Of justices ard
constabes shall take place in April 1o7i and
in counties not organized, in November 1873.
The bill passed on Saturday with the emer-
gcncy clause, and is therefore now the law,
JUSTICES FEES
Under the fee system provided by the new
constitution it has hitherto been a matter of
doubt what were the legal fees OF justices OF
the peace. 4 bill has passed the house Civ
ing justices $500 per day for actual services
in lieu of all other fees
CANAL BILL.
The canal bill, appropriating 100000 and
the revenues of the canal to the construction
of dam at Copperas creek, has passed the
house.
ABSENTEEISM.
I ne great drag on business in the present
legislature as in the last, is the curse of alb
sentecism The house and senate have sell
dom quorum in either over three days in Il
week. The present legislature has already
been in session sixty days, which is eighteen
longer than the limit of a session uudcr the
old constitution, and as yet but two bills have
actually gone through all the forms and be
come laws. At the rate Of progress hitherto
it will prolong the session to July to get
through with the necessary Legislation of the
session.
RAILROAD SUITS.
There was little brush in the house on
the railroad question on Wednesday, which
indicates the drift of Legislative sentiment in
regard to the fight between the railroads and
the people. 1t is known that the Chicago 81
Alton road had commenced suit in the |. 5.
Court at Chicago against the farmers of Nc
Lean county who recently took IA ride on that
road and refused to pay more than three cents
a mile fare. Mr. Cassidy, of Mclean offer
cd joint resolution in the house instructing
the attorney general TO defend the suit and to
pay the expenses out of the state treasury
There were Il dozen of speeches made on the
resolution in the style of the Cullen speech at
Ottawa, but the resolution was stranglcd
THE SHAWNEETOWS DITCH,
Years ago-from 1896 to fS4O-Whpn Hi
nois, then having about rs much population
as Cook county has now, and not half the
wealth, undertook to build about 700 milo. of
railroad work, on one of the projected roads
from Shawncctown to Alton was commcnc-
ed in a swamp back Of shawncctown, where
actually, before 4 mile of track was laid, Il
depot building was erected at Il cost Of 500
000I To drain the ground, ditch was dug
from the swamp through the high ground on
which Shawncctown is situated, to the Ohio
river, the intention being to make a covered
sewer OF it. But the sewer was never built,
and the water at every flood coursing through
the ditch, has worn it into a fearful ch0sm,
which, with its frequent cavings in, promises
10 undermine half of Shawncctown. The
people ask the state for IN appropriation OF
$4,000 to fill UP the ditch \ committee of
the legislature have been there to examine
the matter, and after drinking two baskets OF
Shawnectown champagne and attending a
ball or two in their honor, have returned and
recommend the appropriation Of 100000 to
ill the said ditch, which will probably BE
voted.