, 1880-03-19
TOWN CONSOLIDATION.

The Supreme Court Decides that the
Action Of tho County board IL Uncon-
sfltmtloNn1.
Tho Supreme Court yesterday decided that tho
action Of tho County Hoard. taken unlor tho law
Of 1877. consolidating into ono tho three towns
cmbrnGed Within tho corporate limits Of tho City
Of Chicago, wns unconstitutional Tho decision
comes lust in tttne to relieve tho anxiety, not
merely Of tho politicians, who were questioning
whether three Bcts Of officers Or enc only
should be put In nomination. but also
Of tho cotiNsy, city, and other officers,
who wore fearful OF possible complications
II. c1.sc tho dec,aion should hnvo boon deferred
until after tho election, which takes place on
tho 9th Of April. 1t also puts m end for sou,c
timo to tho attempts which have boon going
OH FOR years to consolidate these three towns.
Tho law Of 1877, which authorized tho County
Dnnrd 10 consolidate on the request OF the City
Co,,ncll, wns found InapracticHblo unless some
oltan ed II isp AID jast iali te oitizons On Tic
West and North stdcs voted ln favor Of erecting
these t9wns po pEk ,bnt stets , i ss sp
could safely 70 on md consolidate and It did SO.
Soon. afterwards, however. Gen. George ".
oSno evSrod te o toof
ground that. tic consolidation WIS mil
md void on the ground that there could DO no
union without Il voto Of tho people Of tho towns,
tho act Of 1K77 not doing nwny with tho prnyIs-
ion IN tho Township Organization act ii 1s54,
NO Two OF tho sSiect f"r th s Con- ~
stitntlon reluircl uniformity il MI lnws relating
TO township organization. Moreover, no union
without 1t would net az an imposition Of town
dobts upon cthor towns without their consent,
%ss %a Sono r. fsea aoSs Is 10 tho cousttu
ttonnlity OF tho actfon taken by tho County
Hoard. ind. consequential Il Gase WIS nude up
living in West Ch!caEo, went beforc Jnstlce
r1 1f the sent1 TSw fer hS q s3
roiused 70 DO it IN tho ground that ho
wal va ? Tewn 5astIcs eo% Tx take &c sctiom @ IL tho
mntter. ThoreMpon Sir: Schack filed u bin III
tho s,lprcineg, Court asking TINT lIland9mus
the papcrs. In This application the netiou ot tho
County noarl and the lasvs upon which It xas
brought neforo tho snpron'o Court, thoH hitting
nt spriuEt!cld. Since TINT lime tho oltIzens lave
boom wnitin4 anxtouBly to seo what tho Court
threo towns, ard ho bud made tho assessment,
ss ee aee,o aaa eoef' e tse a coy sa WIS
illcgal, there would practically have been
10 assessment ut nll, and intnit confusion might
| rpvcnue for lyso. Tho decision, howovur, hns
come III ting to obstato MI trouble. The Coun-
ton Ut town officers III cach Of tho three towns,
md matters will therefore 60 on us they hnvo
DGgn H0Iny.
Willis there was general satisfaction at the s.l-
pren,e Court hnsEng given its .opiuion In tllno,
WIS not otherwise, mud thnt tho consolidation
hnl not beGn sustained. Tho evils anl ycxntIons
ot This subdivision nt the city into three parta
have bnen long fult and universally admitted,
and, with tho exception 0f IL fow politicians who
IRE always iSpsh hoa to onn agot'ns a. Of
uniting the towns, 50 that thnro
might 10 ono Assessor who would make n bur-
m0ntnus and equitable assessment Of all tho
property IT. tho throu divisions. ,Of that how
over, there is 10 hopo this year ut loast. Unless
tho Legislature which rlcots next january
can bo my nction ~ by popular vote preceded
by petition signed BY H. certnin nu1nborof votcrs