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1. Resolved, That the Governor be requested to communicate to this House, the reports heretofore
made to the Executive by the Board of Public Works.
2. Resolved, That the Auditor of Public Accounts be requested to communicate to this House, the
reports heretofore made to him by the Board of Fund Commissioners.
3. Resolved, That the Fund Commissioners be requested to inform this House, whether the three
millions of dollars authorised to be borrowed by an act, entitled “An act to increase
the Capital Stock of certain State banks, &c., and which is provided in said bill
for the purpose of increasing the capital of the State Bank of Illinois, and of the
Bank of Illinois, have been borrowed; and if so, whether any premium has been obtained
on the sale of the State Bonds for the same: also, what amount of “Certificates of
Illinois Internal Improvement Stock,” have been sold by them, in what sums, at what
premiums, if any, and whether for cash or any other thing: also, what sums have been
drawn for by the Board of Public Works, and by each one of the Commissioners of Public
Works; and that they specify, as far as practicable, the amount drawn for each one
of the several works of internal improvement: also, what is the amount of compensation
received by each one of the Board, for their services since their appointment to office,
including all contingent expenses, if any: also, what is the amount of clerks or other
persons in the employ of the Board, and the compensation paid them.
4. Resolved, That the Board of Public Works be requested to report to this House, the progress and present condition of the several works of internal improvements
committed to their charge, under the provisions of an act, entitled “An act to establish and maintain a general system of Internal Improvement;” what amount
of work has been done on said works, specifying the amount as far as practicable done
on each, and the amount of money expended on each of said works: also the number of
miles let out on each of the railroads mentioned in said bill, and on the great western mail route,2 designating the points of said roads where said contracts have been let out: also,
the probable cost of the work let out on each of said works, specifying the probable
expense per mile of the railroads, and the great western mail route, so far as contracts
have been made on the same: also, what is the ascertained length of each of said railroads,
and of the great western mail route, specifying the distance between each of the points
named in said bill: also the estimated expense of constructing each of the same, if
any estimates have been made by the engineers: also, what amount has been drawn from
the Fund Commissioners by each one of the Board,3 and what aggregate amount has been
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expended by each one; that they designate for what purpose the money expended by them
has been used, specifying the amount expended on each work, and the particular part
of said work on which it was expended: also, what amount of railroad iron has been
purchased, and its cost; what number of depots, offices, and other public buildings
have been erected, or contracted to be built by them, and the cost or probably cost
of each of the same, and where the same are situated: also, what number of boats,
skiffs or other vessels have been built or purchased for the improvement of the navigation
of the rivers named in said bill, and the cost of each of the same: also, what amount
has been expended in the improvement of each of said rivers: also, what is the number
and salary of the engineers, clerks and agents, now employed by the Board, and each
one of the Commissioners, specifying how many are employed in each judicial district:4 also, what number of engineers, agents and clerks, have been employed by the Board,
and each one of the Commissioners, since the creation of the system, their salaries
and compensation: also, what number of engineering corps have been employed, and where
employed: also, what is the amount of compensation received or claimed by each one
of the Board for their services since their appointment to office: also, what is the
aggregate amount of money paid or due to the commissioners, engineers, agents, and
all other persons employed by the Board, and each one of the Commissioners, including
the amounts paid for the outfit of the engineering corps, and all other expenses incurred
in examining, surveying, and locating the railroads, and the great western mail route;
and also the aggregate amount paid or due, as last aforesaid, in each one of the judicial
circuits, and specifying the particular items for which the money has been expended:5 also, what is the amount of contingent expenses of the Board, and of each one of
the Commissioners; and what items, if any, are embraced under the term of contingent
expenses.61On December 5, 1838, John J. Hardin introduced the resolution in the House of Representatives. After some debate on December 8, the House amended the resolution by adding text, then adopted the
resolution as amended.
Illinois House Journal. 1838. 11th G. A., 1st sess., 20-21, 49- 50.
2Section six of the 1837 internal improvement act appropriated $250,000 for a mail route from Vincennes, Indiana, to St. Louis, Missouri. Pursuant to the provisions of the act, the Board of Commissioners of Public Works
commenced surveys on the Great Western Mail Route, which surveyors completed by the
fall of 1837. In August 1837, Illinois entered into contracts with private firms to construct portions of the route, and
construction commenced. By December 1838, the Board of Commissioners on Public Works
had expended $94, 932.07 on the road, and by December 1840, the amount spent had increased
to $244,547,43.
John H. Krenkel, Illinois Internal Improvements 1818-1848 (Cedar Rapids, IA: Torch, 1958), 80, 82, 130.
3The Internal Improvement Act provided for the establishment of a seven-member Board of Public Works to oversee
the state’s public works projects at the local level as well as for a three-member
Fund Commissioners’ Board made up of professional financiers to oversee the finances
of the state’s public works projects.
5On December 8, 1838, the House amended the resolution by adding “Specifying the district in which each item of expense
accrued, and in which each engineer, agent, clerk, or hand is employed, giving the
comparative costs of the contracts on the different roads; and in answering each of
these inquiries, designate districts: and also the amount of damages already recovered
from the State for the “right of way” in the different districts’ together with the number of suits
now instituted and undetermined against the State for “right of way;” also the number
of members of this General Assembly who have been receiving a salary from said Board,
designating the employment and the amount of the salary; also the quantity of land
purchased for the State by said Board, and the cost of the same, including the depot
lands, stating the location of the same, and the probable value at this time.”
6On December 8, 1838, the House amended the resolution by adding “Also what branch
railroads have been ordered to be made by the Board, their length, the estimated cost
of construction, and estimated cost of depots, cars, and appendages necessary for
the same; also what number of acres of land have been entered by the Board for the
State, their cost, including expenses of examination and survey; and also the estimated
value of the same at this time.”
Printed Transcription, 2 page(s), Journal of the House of Representatives of the Eleventh General Assembly of the State of Illinois at their First Session (Vandalia, IL: William Walters, 1838), 20-21