Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1907-11-20
President Sniyely Of I'LL
hois & Michigan Wat
erway Examined.
mEESE IN LIME LIGHT
Moline Attorne, Aids in Uncov->
ering The Peculiar Condi-
tiOns Which PrevaiI.

Chicago Nov 20.-"Business' meth
DDS which have prevailed for years in
the handling of Illinois and Michigan
canal affairs, were told in part yester-
day
Inquisitors on the part of the Illinois
house of representatives forced from
the commissioners themselves a halt
ing story of disregard for the interests
of the state, personal ignorance of
canal affairs and negligence of official
trusteeship OF property entrusted to
their care.
Prodding around and under the con-
ditiOns surrounding the granting of
the lease and subsequent sale of the
state land at Dresden Heights TO Har-
old F. Griswold, now admitted to be
held by the Economy Light & Power
company. the investigating committee
and its attorneys. Merritt Starr ana
William A. Meese. opened, to the core
startling and astounding condition
Of things.
HarpoOned by the rapid fire qnes-
I, tions which were shot at him by Mr.
| Meese and driven home by Mr.. Starr.
Clarence e. Snively of Canton, a mem,
Der OF the canal commission for
ldecade and more and now president
| of the commission, admitted RELUCTANT
| ly and haltingly that he knew little
or nothing of the value of the property
which went to Griswold for $4,000 and
T, now is said to be/worth millions to its
tprivate holders.
William r. Newton of Yorkville. sec
retary of the commission at the time
| that the Griswod lease and sale were
made. as abjectly admitted that he had
paid little attention to wnat was hand
/ ed over by the commissioners TO the
Interests now in possession.
| Vital Points Revealed.
These are the main points which
caused some of the hardened Illinois
politicians. who sat about the commit
tee room at the Great Northern hotel
yesterday. 10 listen with unbelievins
wonder as the commissioners them
selves admitted in sworn testimony
that:
The canal commissioners granted
Irights and privileges to. the Desplaines
land Illinois rivers to Griswold which
they never possessed
| The lease and sale of the state prop
erty at resden Heights were made with
lout am engineers estimate of the po-
ltential value of the water power in
Evolved.
Tho nueStinn of n nnssihla daar mo -
Iterway through this channel was dis
posed OF with the mutcal suppositiou
that Griswold would take care of it
lat the proper time
4 HowartS F. Griswold obtained the
lease without personal meeting with
the canal commissioners. and Commits
tsioners Snively and Newton never knew
lGriswold. an Evanston man.
| The lease was for 30 years. and not
tterminable at the pleasure of the COM
missioners. as all other leases were,
because the. lease would have been
{ lworthless TO the parties with such IA
fclause"
So far as the commissioners know.
the Economy Light and Power com
Ipany does not own the lease, nor has
1t gained possession of the property.
i jaithough men are working night and
day on the property.
II Mr. Snively declined TO point out on
, the map in evidence what property was
involved. because he didn't know any
= thing about it
Only Part Revealed.
Such was the result of the first day
of probing. and when the days work
was completed the statement was made
by one of the attorneys for the COM
mittee that only the upper layer had
been removed from an astonishing ex-
position of political control of state
property for political purposes, which
the subsequent testimony would un-
earth completely.