The Telegraph-courier. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1888-1946, 1912-03-21
Local Members of LegisIa-
ture Get Formal Call for
Special Session.
TAKE UP MANY PROPOSITIONS
Governor Names Twelve Reasons for
Convening Legislature at This Time
and Orders Elections to Fill the Va
cancies Caused by Death During Year.

Assemblyman M. ]. Scholey of this
city and State Senator Isaac T. Bis
hop of Somers, have received from
Madison the formal call for a special
session of the legislature to be held
beginning April 30th In the formal
call the governor enumerates ten rea-
sons for the calling Of the Legislature
as follows:
i; To make an appropriation and
grant relief to the city of Black River
Falls, its citizens and others in the
immediate vicinity thereof who suf-
fered loss in the food on Oct. 6, 1911,
to permit a dam to be built across
Black river at this point, and to make
provision for the constructions of re-
tanning wall that will protect the city
from further injury.
2. TO appropriate money or make
other provision for the Improvement
of the levee system in and about the
city OF Portage in the counties of Co.
lumbia and Sank to protect life and
property in the valleys of the Fox and
Wisconsin rivers.
3. To enact laws for the construc-
ton of dams and the regulations and
development of water powers.
of the statutes relating to weights and
measures.
5. TO amend chapter 452 of tho
laws Of 1911 pertaining to public
lands.
6. To validate elections held on
April 2, 1912, and to amend the pri- /
mary and general election laws
z. To enact laws relating to asso-
Citations transacting insurance business
on the Lloyds' plan.
s. To enact legislation relating to
home rule for cities.
81. To enact legislation relative to
the protection Of fish and game.
10. To make an appropriation to
cover expenses incurred by the legis-
lative reference department. in prep
aration for and during such special
session"
Gov. McGovern in the proclamation
for special session of the legislature
speaks, as follows regarding the situa-
ton at Black River Falls.
son Oct. 6, Of last year. after
period of exceptionally heavy rains,
the dams in Black river at Dolls, Hat
field and Black River Falls broke in
rapid succession and the tremendous
flood of water they empounded pour
ed in torrent over Black River Halls.
sweeping away a large part of the
business sections of the city and de-
stroying property worth hundreds of
thousands of dollars. In response to
an immediate appeal for aid The state
sent two companies of the Third regi-
ment of the national guard to protect
life and property in the flooded dis
trict and organized an executive com
mittee to receive contributions and re.
lieve distress. Under the directions of
this committee work was at once be-
gun to restore the river to les former
channel and keep it there and to re-
build the dam which it had been found
necessary to blast out with dynamite
These improvements are now well I'M
der way, the needy and homeless have
been cared for and plans have been
devised for the rebuilding of the por-
ton of the city demolished by the
flood.
There is, however, no legal authori-
.ty for the, construction of such dam
as the altered situation requires. Nor
are sufficient funds available tc. meet
the needs of the community. Before
the flood the bonded indebtedness OF
the city had reached the limit per-
mitted by law; now, on account of the
loss of so much assessable property,
real and personal, it finds itself bond
ed far beyond this limit. It's sewer
age system has been destroyed with
consequent menace to public health,
and it may not be able even to keep
open its public schools after last
year IS appropriations for this purpose
will have been exhausted So an in
sistent call has been made for state
aid. Whether there should be an ap-
preparation Of public money for any
of these purposes is q question the
legislature alone can decide but it is
quite clear that to postpone the con-
sideration of it until the next regular
session will be almost equivalent to
refusal to render any assistance what
ever.
This and other matters of urgent
Importance constitute an extraordinary
occasion which makes it my duty to
convene Sthe legislature in special ses-
sion. ~