Papers Of Abraham Lincoln

In force, Feb.[February] 23, 1839.

AN ACT to authorize L. D. Hillerman to build a mill-dam across the Little Wabash river, in Clay county.
1

Mill-dam. across Little Wabash.

Sec.[Section] 1. Be it enacted by the People of the State of Illinois, represented in the General Assembly, That Lorenzo Dow Hillerman be, and he is hereby, authorized to build and continue a mill-dam across the Little Wabash river, on the southwest quarter of section number twelve, in the township number two north, of range eight, east of the third principal meridian, in Clay county.

Height of dam

Sec.[Section] 2. The said dam shall not exceed eight feet in height from the bed of the stream, and shall be constructed with a down-stream slope, with a base of at least two horizontal to each perpendicular foot; and shall be well and sufficiently planked and kept in repair so as to allow of the safe passage of the descending navigation on the said river.

Right of State to build lock.

Sec. 3. The State hereby reserves the right of constructing a lock, chute, sluice, or other device, for the transit of 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 Hillerman, his successors or assigns.

Approved, February 23, 1839.

1On January 4, 1839, the House of Representatives referred a petition to the Committee on Internal Improvements. On January 12, Representative Edward Smith of the Committee on Internal Improvements recommended that the House reject the petition. The House then referred the petition to a select committee. On January 17, Edward Smith of the select committee introduced the bill in the House. On January 21, the House passed the bill. On February 5, the Senate referred the bill to the Committee on Internal Improvements. On February 8, the Committee on Internal Improvements reported the bill favorably with an amendment, and the Senate concurred. On February 12, the Senate passed the bill. On February 20, the House concurred in the Senate’s amendment of the bill. On February 23, the Council of Revision approved the bill and the act became law.
Journal of the House of Representatives of the Eleventh General Assembly of the State of Illinois, at Their First Session, Begun and Held in the Town of Vandalia, December 3 1838 (Vandalia, IL: William Walters, 1838), 227, 238, 253, 394, 463, 488, 495; Journal of the Senate of the Eleventh General Assembly of the State of Illinois, at Their First Session, Begun and Held in the Town of Vandalia, December 3, 1838 (Vandalia, IL: William Walters, 1838), 202, 280, 295, 318, 393.