Sec.[Section] 1. Be it enacted by the People of the State of Illinois , represented in the General Assembly, That the county commissioners of Cook county be, and they are hereby, authorized to borrow, upon the faith and pledge of said county, a sum not exceeding ten thousand dollars, at a rate of interest not exceeding eight per cent., for a term not exceeding twenty years, and to issue bond or scrip therefor, under the seal of the county commissioners’ court of said county, and countersigned by the clerk of the county commissioners’ court; any sum borrowed under the authority of this act, to be applied by the county commissioners’ for the use and benefit of said county; for the repayment of any sums so borrowed, with the interest upon the same, the said county commissioners are hereby authorized to pledge the revenues accruing to the said county.

Sec. 2. The county commissioners’ courts of Washington and Clinton counties are hereby vested with the same power and authority conferred by this act upon the county commissioners’ court of Cook county; and are hereby required to expend such money as they may by borrow, in erecting court houses and jails in the several counties.

Sec. 3. Should the said counties of Washington and Clinton not be able, within six months after the passage of this act, to negotiate a sufficient loan, then, and in that case, it shall be lawful for the county commissioners’ courts of said counties to levy a tax, not exceeding three per centum per annum, upon the value of the taxable property owned therein, over and above the tax for ordinary revenue purposes, for the purpose of erecting and completing said buildings.

Approved, February 16, 1839.