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Sec[Section] 1 Be it enacted by the people of the State of Illinois represented in the General Assembly, That Frederick B. Brockett, of Effingham county, be, and he is hereby authorized to build and continue a mill dam acro[ss] the Little Wabash river on [the] east half of the south west quarter of section numbered eight, township numbered
six north of range numbered six east of the third principal meridian, in Effingham county. The said said dam shall not exceed seven feet in height from the bed of said stream, and shall be constructed so as to allow the safe passage of descending navigation
on the said river.
Sec. 2. The state hereby reserves the right of constructing a lock, shute, sluice[,] or other device for the transporting ^the^ trade on the river over, around[,] or near the site of the said dam, whenever it may be deemed advisable by the Legislature for the improvement of the navigation of said river, without any charge or cost to the state for the right of way by the said Brockett, his successors of assigns.2
Sec. 3. Be it further enacted that James T. Ano and Stephen T. Ano, be, and they are hereby authorized and permitted to build and continue a mill dam
across the Little Wabash river, on section numbered twenty-three, township numbered four, north range numbered six
east of the third principal meridian in Clay county. Said dam shall not exceed tw[?] and a half feet in height from the bed of said stream.
Sec 4 And they are hereby authorized to dig a race or ditch from said dam to section
numbered twen[?]
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four in the township and range aforesaid of sufficient width and dept to convey water sufficien[t] to propel a grist and saw mill which they are hereby authorized to erect on said
twenty-fourth section, subject, however, to all the provisions of the second section
of this act.
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H. R. No 54
A Bill for an act to authorize the persons therein named to build and continue mill dams across the Little Wabash river.
A Bill for an act to authorize the persons therein named to build and continue mill dams across the Little Wabash river.
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[01]/[16]/[1840]
[01]/[16]/[1840]
Engrossed
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38
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01/27/1840
01/27/1840
Passed
1On December 13, 1839, William J. Hankins in the House of Representatives presented the petition of citizens of Effingham County, requesting continuation of a mill-dam across Little Wabash River. The House referred the petition to a select committee. In response to this petition,
Hankins of the aforesaid select committee introduced HB 52 in the House on December
21. The House passed the bill on January 27. The House informed the Senate of the bill’s passage, but the latter took no action.
Journal of the House of Representatives, of the Eleventh General Assembly of the State
of Illinois, at Their Called Session, Begun and Held at Springfield, December 9, 1839 (Springfield, IL: William Walters, 1839), 33, 72, 105, 184, 260; Journal of the Senate of the Eleventh General Assembly of the State of Illinois, at
Their Called Session, Begun and Held at Springfield, December 9, 1839 (Springfield, IL: William Walters, 1839), 189.
2In February 1841, the General Assembly passed an act granting Brockett the right to build a mill-dam in the exact same location.
Handwritten Document, 4 page(s), Folder 51, HB 52, GA Session 11-S, Illinois State Archives (Springfield, IL) ,