, 1873-11-17

Tho people Of Chicago have no roason to re.
decision Of Judge Williams in which ho con-
firmed tho assessment lowed On the Towns Of
North Chicago and Lako View for tho paymont..of
tho proposed addition to Lincoln Park. In tho
first place, tho loose and irregular mannor In
which tho assessment Was made, and, In the HOO
ond place, the conduct Of tho persons mainly
interested In tho collection Of tho tax, stamp the
entire proceeding as unwarrantod and un-
just. Tho Ramo parties first ondeavorod
to grab several hundred thousand dollars
from tho City Treasury. They wont down to
Springfield and induced tho Legislature to paas
m act authorizing tho Park Commissioners to
asaess damages and improvements, and then cal
upon tho Mayor and Comptroller Of Chicago to
Issue thom city bonds for tho amount necessary
to pay for the lands thus acquired. n was an
iniquitous grab, and the Supreme Court decided
against 1t On tho ground that tho Legislature
had no authority to lovy municipal taxoa. Not
discouraged by this they sought to ecouro their
onis by inducing the Supervisors Of Lake Wow
and North Chicago to come togothor in joint
session, and assoss the property OF both towns
without any regard to tho separate functions Of
the two corporations.
Tho main point Of tho Supreme Court decision
is. that the property Of ono town cannot be as
soasod for tho local improvements in another
town, which is certainly q very clear require
mont Of our present State Constitution. Tho
Constitution authorizes the General Assembly
to yoat the corporate authority Of municipali-
tics with tho power to make local improvements
by special aaaoBsmcnt. or by special taxation, or
otherwise. An act Of tho Legislature mado an
application Of this clause to the enlargement Of
parks prescribing special assoeemont aa tho
modo Of proceeding. Thoreupon the joint &c.,
asaoaanout for gross sum Of $1,000, 900. Find
ing tint this was not enough, they then assessed
100000 moro In bulk upon tho property Of
North Chicago, on account Of tho "density Of
its population and tho superiority Of improve
ments." As matter Of course, this vas alto
gother irregular and unauthorized, as woll as
ridiculous, and would havo boon sufficient in
itself to nullify tho assessment. But tho su-
pramo Court further decides that the joint action
OF tho two sots OF Supervisors vas unconstltu-
tional. BY making q joint assessment, the Lake
View Supervisors we're aHsosaing North Chicago,
aud the North Chicago Supervisors we're assesH-
ing Lake Viow, aimee the proposed addition
to tho Park lies partly In Lake Wow and
partly in North Chicago. Tho Constitution
authorizes assessments for local improvements,
but that ia manifestly not a local improvement
which is located In anothor town.
Tho decision OF tho Supreme Court in this caao
amounts to postponemeqt Of the projected e1.
tension OF Lincoln Park. The only way IN which
tho land can be paid for Ia for the property Of
North Chicago to bo assessed for that portion
which lies within tho limits OF North Chicago,
aud the property Of Lnko View to bo assoBaed for
that portion which lios within the boundaries
Of Lake View. Tho Park may be ex-
tended as fur as tho limits OF North
Chicago, by making q new assessment to
pay for this much Of tho land But this is . very
small proportion Of tho proposed addition. The
property Of Lako View is not able to pay for all
that part within Its own territory, which occu-
pics about half the township. There Is only ono
why In which this dead lock oan lao removed, and
that is by aunexing Lake Wow to North Chicago.
This would require vote OF both North Chi
cago and Lake View, pnd would bring tho Park
question in all it's bearings directly before tho
persons interestod-as 1t should have boen In
tho frat place, .,