The copper country evening news. [volume] (Calumet, Mich.) 18??-1907, 1897-03-10
INQUIRY IS ORDERED.
Chicago Drainage Board To BE
Investigated
BY A LEGISLATIVE COMMiTTEE.

What Has Been Done with the S3I .O00,-
900 Which Has Been Expended ON the
big Drainage Canal - Debate I'm the
House Before the Resolution Was
Adopted-In introduced by ReveiI.
Springfield, Ills. March 10.-The Chi
.ago drainage board will be investi-
gated by a special committee from the
legislature and compelled to show what
has been done with the $3l 100000 ex-
pended in the great drainage canal.
Revells resolution calling for the APP
pointment of an investigating commit
tee for this purpose was adopted Tues
day. Shamrock, from the committee on
waterways and drainage reported the
resolution with the recommendation
that it be adopted. Revell moved the
adoption of the resolution, and Creig
offered substitute, moving that ac-
ton be postponed one week. This mo-
ton was laid on the table and a long
and heated discussion followed regard
Ing the adoption of the resolution. An
amendment was offered by Needles and
adopted providing that the investiga-
ton should not be of any expense to the
state. Buckner of Cook county spoke
against the resolution saying that he
could see no good cause for 1t.
Said 1t Would BE Impossible.
Hall of Cook county followed in the
same line. He said 1t would simply be
impossible to make such investigation.
The drainage trustees formed a great
corporation which had expended mill
ions of dollars and to make an investi-
cation of any value to the people, would
require from two to three years, be-
sides he could see no reason why the
legislature should interest itself in the
canal as 1t had cost the state nothing.
Stoskopf opposed the resolution because
the preamble recited alleged facts about
which the members knew nothing. To
adopt the resolution meant an indorse-
ment of those statements. Merriam
declared 1t was one Of the most extra
ordinary resolutions ever offered In the
legislature and he was opposed to it.
IF the facts alleged in the resolution
are true" he said, II think IL calls for
action on the part of the grand jury in
Cook county and not from the legis-
lature."
Corrupt Use of Funds.
The resolution, he went on to say.
solemnly charged these men with cor
ruptly using funds. 1t did not allege
they had done so, but made q positive
statement He did not believe In as
sailing a mans character in this man
ner.
In reply to this Revell Said that there
was a demand for the investigation by
the people of the drainage district
They wanted to know where the $751;
100000 had gone. Two years ago the
trustees came down here and asked for
an additional tax, promising the legis-
lature that the canal would be COM
pleted in 1897. They came now asking
for an additional tax and were no near
er the end of their work than they were
two years ago. AS to Merriams deli
cacy about assailing the characters Of
men, he said that last session that gen.
tleman stood on the floor day after day
with resolutions assailng the reputa-
ton of fellow members. This retort
caused laugh in all parts of the house.
Nothing About Expenditures.
Continuing, Revell said that the
drainage board had furnished a vast
amount of information regarding the
construction of the canal, but had not
said one word as to the expenditure
of the $31, 100000. Turning to the Re-
publican members, he added that the
Republicans had elected five of the nine
members Of the board, and that one OF
the Republicans had turned renegade
and the board was now in the hands of
the Democrats as a consequences and
he thought the Republicans ought to
know why this was the case. In the
course Of his remarks Revell said that
the drainage board had a paid lobby
list here. Bailey arose and wanted to
know the name OF the lobbyist.
Revell represented that the name of
the lobbyist was Lyman e. Cooley,
one Of the dreamers of the age"
This ended the argument and the
speaker directed the clerk to call the
roll on the adoption of the resolution
resulting in it's adoption by a vote of
Sc yeas and SO nays