In force Feb.[February] 24, 1841.
An ACT to authorize Lester Barker, Alanson House and their associates to build a mill-dam across Fox River.
1Location.
Heighth.
Proviso.
Sec.[Section] 1. Be it enacted by the People of the State of Illinois, represented in the General Assembly, That Lester Barker, Alanson House and their associates, be, and they are hereby authorized to construct, build and
continue a mill-dam across Fox river at or near the head of the Big Woods, in the county of Kane,2 between the lands held by them, to the heighth of seven feet above low water mark; also, another dam across a slough within three-fourths
of a mile below the above mentioned dam, on the west side of said river, between lands held by them, to the heighth of eight feet above the surface of the slough: Provided, Said grants shall not be construed so as to prevent the State from improving said Fox river at those places by dams, locks, or in any other way, at any time
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hereafter, for the purpose of slack water navigation or otherwise. This act shall
take effect from and after its passage.
Approved, February 24, 1841.
1Abram R. Dodge introduced HB 88 in the House of Representatives on January 7, 1841. The House passed the bill on February 10. The Senate passed the bill on February 18. The Council of Revision approved the bill on February 24 and the act became law.
Illinois House Journal. 1840. 12th G. A., 199, 234, 243, 361, 443, 469, 476, 492; Illinois Senate Journal. 1840. 12th G. A., 290, 307, 326, 339-40.
Journal of the House of Representatives of the Twelfth General Assemble (Springfield, IL: William Walters, 1840), Journal of the Senate of the Twelfth General Assembly (Springfield, IL: William Walters, 1840),
2The head of the Big Woods was the area of present day Batavia. The Big Woods was a continuous forest that lay on the east side of the Fox River. It was twelve miles in length and averaged three miles in width, and followed the
river to Aurora.
Commemorative Biographical and Historical Record of Kane County, Illinois (Chicago: Beers, Leggett, 1888), 969.
Printed Document, 2 page(s), Laws of the State of Illinois, Passed by the Twelfth General Assembly (Springfield, IL: William Walters, 1841), 186-87, GA Session 12-2,