Papers Of Abraham Lincoln

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Sec.[Section] 1. Be it enacted by the people of the State of Illinois represented in the General Assembly, That L. E. Cartright, J. K. Hodge[,] and James Kelley be and they are hereby appointed Commissioners to view, survey[,] and relocate so much of the state road2 in Coles County as lies betwee the House of J. K. Hodge and one half mile east of the House of L. E. Cartright on the most eligible ground for a permanent road; Provided L. E. Cartright will be at the expense of the said relocation survey

Sec. 2. Said Commissioners or a majority of them shall meet at the House of J. K. Hodge within three months from the passage of this act and after being duly Qualified shall proceed to relocate so much of said road as mentioned in the first Section of this act.

Sec. 3. Said Commissioners shall make out a complete map of the course and distance of said road, and return the same to the clerk of the county Commissioner’s court of Coles County, who shall enter the same on record in his office.

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(13.)

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A Bill for An act to relocate a State Road in Coles County.

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[01]/[29]/[1841]
S. [State ] Roads.

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22

1On January 6, 1841, James T. Cunningham in the House of Representatives presented the petition of citizens of Coles County, requesting a change in a state road. The House referred the petition to a select committee. In response to this petition, Cunningham of the aforesaid select committee introduced HB 148 in the House on January 29. The House referred the bill to the Committee on State Roads. The Committee on State Roads did not report back the bill. The House incorporated the provisions of the bill into HB 284.
Illinois House Journal. 1840. 12th G. A., 190, 296.

2State roads were those public roads established or designated by the General Assembly and usually crossed county lines. Only the General Assembly could establish, alter, or abandon state roads, until 1840 and 1841, when the General Assembly gave counties the authority to alter or to abandon state roads upon petition by a majority of voters in the area of the change.
An Act concerning Public Roads, sec. 9; An Act Authorizing Commissioners’ Courts to Alter, Change, and Relocate State Roads; An Act concerning Public Roads.