The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1890-06-21
DRAINAGE LAW

The Supreme Court Of Illinois, to the
disaDpolntmcnt, we have no doubt, OF
the majority Of the tax payers OF Chica
go, has decided the drainage law
valid. At first Chicago was cnthuSi'
aStic for the law under the impression
that its provisions we're so flexible that
almost any kind of ditch, costing
from five TO fifteen millions, could he
dug-anything, indeed, that would
carry of the sewage to the lllinoi,
valley and keep it out Of the lake. The
sharp scrutiny the billunderwent dur
Ing the trial Of the question Of its
constitutional validity, however, re-
yealcd its powers and requirements in
such form that the Chicago tax payers
began 20 be alarmed, and the enthusi-
assn of the city press in favor of SuS-
tanning the validity Of the law not
only rapidly cooled off, but strong cX-
prcssions e hostility to the law and
hopes Of It's notification by the SUI
premc court were freely INDUCED in.
There were other parties, however,
who felt very different in regard to the
law. These were mainly the nine gen
temen who were elected six months
ago aS a drainage board to carry the
law into effect They are not only
very literally provided for in the way
of high salaries, but are clothed with
power the legislature itself would hest
tate TO assume and in the exercise of
which the members Of the board have
an opportunity to gain renown either
assfathful servants and public bene-
factors, or wealth and infamy as reck-
less spcndthrifts and boOdlerS.
The law is not only rigid in itself,
but the whole Illinois valley is inter
ested in and will stand up to the man
for its exact reinforcement, especially in
the requirement that not merely an
adequate drainage ditch shall be CON
structed, but such a ditch as shall be
an adequate waterway, with channel
deep and wide enough for all the pur-
poses of navigation, not only by com
mon canal-boats, but by vessels draw
ing - to IL feet Of water.
No engineer has yet estimated the
cost of such ditch, with its necessary
feeders, at less than S2j, 00O 900, and
some 90 as high as $jO,O0O,OOO. The
drainage board is clothed with all the
necessary powers to raise this money
by general taxation, by special assess
ments, and lOans-and with the power
in its own discretion to spend it; and
these powers are to be exercised over
this limited territory known as the
drainage district, the boundaries OF
which are very nearly the same as
those of the city OF Chicago since the
recent enlargement by annexation.
What now, since the rights Of Chca-
go in the matter are settled and she
will unQuestionably proceed with the
W VII lIlt WI N, - VIC dlIIlu'It VI tii'
valley toward it? First. there should
be thorough organization from Alton
to Lockport and an efficient board or
vigilance committee brought into be-
ing to keep close watch that Chicago
obcys the law to the letter; and, sec
ondly, while there is apparently
no way to stop Chicago from sending
diluted liquid sewage down the Valley
there is, if not statute, at least COM
mon law enough in force to prevent
her making such nuisance Of the
the ditch as shall affect the health of
the valley by dumping into the chanel
anything in the nature of solid filth.
No legislative delegation Of power to
the drainage bOard-vote Of the people
even, can deprive the yalley0f its com
mon law protection against an open
and palpable nuisance,
\ NATIONAL ELECTION LAW.