Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1912-05-16
MESSAGE SENT To
THE LEGISLATURE
Gov. MCGOVern Presents Docu-
ment at Extra Session.
URGES AID TO FLOODED CITY
State Can Afford to Be Generous
in Giving .ReIiefto Black River Falls,
Says Recommendation
Made on Other Measures.

Madison.-Gov. I. E. McGoveTn's
message, delivered to the Wisconsin
Legislature at the special session con-
vening on April 80, is as follows;
Fellow Citizens Of the Senate and As
If faithful performance Of public duty
ever entities a legislature to Official re
pose after the close Of its regular session,
you gentlemen of the legislature OF u IL
should be relieved from the obligation
OF assembling again. 1t is no disparage-
ment Of others to say that the work you
did here last year was greater In variety
ana amount and transcends in importance
the achievements of any Of your pFede-
ceSSOrS. This work moreover was so wen
and conscieutiously done as to evoke I'M
mediate, widespread and general approval
Tested therefore by the value or the seFF-
Ice rendered you are clearly entitled 70
exemption from further call But uHLoI-
Tunately this Is not the sole Criterion :
emergencies Unforeseen by anyone at Jle
time Of your last adjournment have mace
1t necessary for me to convene you IN
special session.
RELIEF FOR BLACK RIVER FALLS.
On October E, 1911. after week of ex-
cepdoually heavy rains, the dams across
Black River in Jackson County at DelIS,
Hatfield and Black River Falls gave way
in rapid succession and the latter city was
entire business section was almost instant
ly plotted out, many people were left
homeless and property estimated at more
than half a million dollars IN value was
destroyed The river left its customary
channel, undermined the lower portion OF
the city and swept away not only the
buildings that marked the principal bust
ness center but also the very ground upon
which they stood. Two companies OF the
National Guard were Immediately ordered
to the flooded district to preserve order
EUl nrrfprr life and nV0npTTv Under the
command of Major Williams they remained
at Black River Falls about two weeks un-
and the danger from the food had passed.
Meanwhile a Relief Committee was ap-
pointed consisting of State Treasurer An
drew H. Dahl, George /. Cooper OF Black
River Falls, Eltlnge Elm0re Of MllWau-
kee, II. l.. Van Gordon Of Taylor and
Major c. r. Williams of Camp Douglas
TO receive contributions for the benefit OF
those who were in immediate need. In
response to the solicitations Of this COM
mittee S42,323.21 have been received. A
portion of this fund was expended from
day to day for the relief Of restitution and
the construction OF works to protect the
city from further imminent disaster. A
COfer-dam and retaining wall were built
and by these means the current of Black
River has been turned back into its old
channel. But the city is sadly in need OF
assistance. The improvements now being
constructed by the Relief Committee can
not be fully paid for out Of the money
collected by private subscription. They
must nevertheless be completed. The city
itself is apparently helpless. Before the
food it was bonded to its full debt limit
Now after the loss of so much property
1t is unable to raise any money what
ever. Its sewage system has been practi-
CdIly destroyed and unless soon repaired
Will prove an increasing menace to health
as the season advances. There appears
to be no adequate legal authority for the
construction of the dam now being built
to furnish the city with light and power
In this situation the people of Black River
Falls have turned to the state for aid
and You gentlemen of the legislature are
the sole judges of the extent to which this
appeal shall be needed.
Relief is asked for under three principal
heads.
First is a request for assistance fol-
those who were rendered homeless or des-
ttute by the flood. Under the decision
of the Supreme Court of this state in the
Davidson, ia Wis. sos. there can be little
doubt that the legislature has power law
fully to appropriate money for this pur-
pose So also may public money be ex-
pended to gather up and remove debris
scattered by the food, repair the sewage
system and in other ways protect the
public health. Some have suggested that
the relief to be afforded under this head
should be given by cancelling the indebt-
edness Of the city to the trust funds oil
amounts to about S3i 900, cannot how.
ever be RENTED or reduced without al
the same time transferring an equal sun
from which the loan was made as the lat
ter must be kept intact. 1t should be-
borne in mind also that no appropriation
and no transfer can be made from the
general fund for any purpose other thar
public one.
The second ground upon which assist
ance has been asked Is TO support the
schools and rebuild the business portion
of the city. Looked at from the stand
point of the expenditure of the money OF
the state the first of these PURPOSES is 10
and fAn. SnPOu1 8 70.
er is public. The legislature has no au
thOrity therefore to make an appropriation
Tor either of these objects
The third and remaining basis for an
phCauon to the state for financial assist
ance is the necessity of a retaining wal
along the river bank east OF the city t
protect it from further injury in the fu
ture. Were this a proposal to appropriate
money from the general fund it would
meet the legal obstacle interpoSed by sec
ttOn 10 of article Nv of the Constitution
Of Wisconsin which prohibits the stat
from contracting any debt or being partl
in carrying on amy work of internal i'm
state I'm the case of State ex rel Jones VS.
Froelch, 1l5 Wis. 80, a Portage leve,
case, hos so held. But this legal difficult,
may be obviated in the case of the re
tatniug wall at Black River Falls as 1
has beer twice Obyiated heretofore in tn,
case OF leyees at Portage by making tht
appropriation from the drainage fund In
stead. This is q special fund derived from
the sale OF swamp aud overlooked land,
granted TO the state by the federal govern
ment in the year 1850 for the construction
of necessary levees and drains 10 reclaim
the swamp and overlooked lands within
cur borders Investigation shows that Their
are Ais Quarter-Quarter sections of Sucl
lands withln Jackson county, of whicl
Black River Falls is the county seat. Four
teen such forty acre tracts lie within on
mile Of the city: 20 are within two miles
81 are within three miles; "a are within
four miles; 50 are within five miles: I 5
are within six miles; 217 are within sever
miles, 29T are within eight miles: 81 ar
within nine miles and 459 are within tel
miles. 1t is true that at present the great
er portion of the money belonging to tn
drainage fund was years ago tranSferrei
by gu act Of the legislature to the gen
sral fund. Whether this transfer be Iega
or not it was plainly not required bv in
trust impressed upon these funds bv tn
federal grant. To the extent that Suc
funds may at any time be needed for th
accomplishment of the purpose for whic
they were originally set aside there ca
be little doubt that the legislature ha
power to retransfer such portion of Their
as may be necessary from the general fun
back into the drainage fund. The expenS
or building a retaining wall could the
be met wholly or partially from thi
source ANY appropriation from this spe
Ctal fund the legislature may see fit {
make for the construction of 4 retaiuin
wall TO reclaim and protect these lands a
or near Black River Falls would thus b
effective.
The Joint Committee on Finance ha
considered these suggestions, has visite