|
Under the terms of an act of Congress of March 30, 1822, the federal government granted land to the State of Illinois on which to construct a canal. In addition to the area specifically set aside for the canal, Congress gave the state ninety feet of land on either side of the waterway to be used to secure timber and other materials needed for construction of the canal (U.S. Stat. at Large, III, 659). On February 14, 1823, in response to the grant, the General Assembly appointed a commission to determine the most feasible route for the proposed canal (L. 1823, p. 151). The commission completed its work in 1824, recommending five possible routes with construction costs ranging from $639,542.78 to $716,110.71 (Report of the Canal Commissioners...to the General Assembly....[Vandalia, 1825], p. 20).
Recognizing the value of a canal, but unable to finance its construction, the General Assembly on January 17, 1825 incorporated the Illinois and Michigan Canal Company, a private corporation with an initial capitalization of $1 million (L. 1825, p. 160). The incorporators, however, were unable to sell their stock and the company was abandoned and its charter revoked in 1826 (L. 1826, p. 63).
Following the failure of the Illinois and Michigan Canal Company, the General Assembly petitioned Congress for assistance in 1826, requesting a grant of public land, part of which would contain a canal and part of which would be sold by the state to finance construction of the proposed waterway (L. 1826, p. 97). On March 2, 1827, Congress responded by donating to Illinois part of the public domain to be used for the construction of a canal. In addition to the area set aside for the waterway, Congress gave to the state the alternate sections of land five miles on either side of the proposed route to be sold to finance construction (U.S. Stat. at Large, IV, 234).
With the donation as a basis for the project, on January 22, 1829, the General Assembly passed "An Act to Provide for the Construction of the Illinois and Michigan Canal." The law established a Board of Canal Commissioners, composed of three persons appointed by the Governor, and empowered the board to employ surveyors, engineers, draftsmen, and other individuals necessary for the completion of the canal. In addition the statute prescribed the manner to be used for conducting land sales and keeping records, set up procedures to be followed for legal actions taken against the Board of Canal Commissioners, and specified the dimensions of the canal (L. 1829, p. 14). On February 15, 1831, the General Assembly amended the 1829 act by providing for the laying out of town lots in Ottawa, the donation of up to ten acres of land to local governments for the erection of public buildings, and the modification of various provisions of the original act (L. 1831, p. 34).
Even with the land grant from the federal government, the state lacked the means to finance construction of the proposed canal. Therefore on March 1, 1833, the General Assembly abolished the Board of Canal Commissioners and abandoned the Illinois and Michigan Canal (L. 1833, p. 113). However, the abandonment was short lived and on February 10, 1835 the General Assembly established another Board of Canal Commissioners and empowered it to raise the funds necessary to complete construction of the proposed Illinois and Michigan Canal. The law authorized the Governor to negotiate a loan of up to $500,000 on the pledge of canal land and revenues and to issue Illinois and Michigan Canal Stock carrying a dividend of 5 percent per annum payable after 1860. The proceeds from the sale of stock, as well as those from lot and land sales, were to constitute a Canal Fund to be used solely for the construction of the canal and the payment of canal indebtedness (L. 1835, p. 222).
The pledge of canal properties and revenues was not sufficient security to attract many investors. Therefore, on January 9, 1836, the General Assembly reorganized the Board of Canal Commissioners and pledged the faith and credit of the state to the payment of the principal and interest to subscribers of the canal loan authorized in 1835 (L. 1836, p. 145). As soon as the board was reorganized the commissioners laid final plans for the construction of the canal. For purposes of convenience they divided the waterway into three divisions (i.e., Summit, Middle, Western) which were in turn subdivided into sections of varying length.
Construction proceeded rapidly and by the end of 1838 the Canal Fund virtually was depleted. To offset this situation on February 23, 1839 the General Assembly authorized the Governor to negotiate a loan, later referred to as the Thornton Loan, of up to $4 million at an annual interest rate of 6 percent (L. 1839, p. 168). Although agents for the Governor contracted for loans of $400,000 during the year, at the end of 1839 the Canal Fund again was depleted and the commissioners were forced to pay contractors with warrants bearing 6 percent interest payable at such times as funds were available. This expedient permitted construction to continue but even so the financial condition of the Canal Fund continued to worsen. In late 1840 and early 1841 several contractors ceased work on the canal while others continued to work but with reduced forces. Those contractors who continued to work were paid by two methods, state bonds and warrants promising payments at future dates (MINUTES OF MEETINGS OF THE CANAL COMMISSIONERS AND TRUSTEES, June 7, 1841, RS 491.001).
In 1843 the financial status of the canal reached its lowest point and construction ceased. Reacting to this situation the legislature authorized the Governor to negotiate a $1.6 million loan, the minimum amount deemed necessary for completion of the waterway. In order to ensure the successful subscription to the loan, the Governor was empowered to pledge the property and all revenues generated by the canal to bondholders in a deed of trust. By terms of the legislation authorizing the trust agreement, the canal, its revenues, and its property would revert to the state once the principal and interest were paid to bondholders. During the period that the canal would be under a trust agreement it was to governed by a Board of Trustees composed of three members, two of whom would be chosen by bondholders and one appointed by the Governor and not subject to approval by the General Assembly (L. 1843, p. 54). Thus, until the canal reverted to the state it would be administered for the benefit of its creditors.
The action of the General Assembly paved the way for completion of the canal and on June 19, 1845, the trustees met, formally organized themselves, and began preparations for the resumption of construction (MINUTES OF MEETINGS OF THE CANAL COMMISSIONERS AND TRUSTEES, June 19, 1845, RS 491.001). In the interest of equity those contractors who had been working on various sections prior to the suspension of construction in 1843 were authorized to submit preemption petitions requesting reassignment to their former construction areas. Between July 22 and August 18, 1845 those sections not preempted by former contractors were let to the lowest responsible bidders (MINUTES OF MEETINGS OF THE CANAL COMMISSIONERS AND TRUSTEES, July 9, 25, 1845, RS 491.001).
Following the awarding of construction contracts, work proceeded rapidly and the canal was opened for navigation in April 1848. Although it took much longer than expected to pay off bondholders and required several payments to creditors to be delayed, the entire canal debt was liquidated and the waterway returned to the state on May 1, 1871 (MINUTES OF MEETINGS OF THE CANAL COMMISSIONERS AND TRUSTEES, May 15, 1871, RS 491.001).
In anticipation of the return of the canal to the state, in 1867 the General Assembly established a new seven-member Board of Canal Commissioners empowered to make all preparations for taking control of the waterway, including the drawing up of plans for improvement and enlargement (L. 1867, p. 81). In 1869 the legislature reduced the number of commissioners to three (L. 1869, p. 60) and in April 1871 formally dissolved the trust agreement between the state and the canal creditors (L. 1872, p. 215). Thus, in May 1871 when the state resumed complete control of the Illinois and Michigan Canal the waterway was again administered by a Board of Canal Commissioners appointed by the Governor.
This form of management continued until 1917 when the General Assembly transferred control of the Illinois and Michigan Canal to the Department of Public Works and Buildings (L. 1917, p. 24). The Department of Public Works and Buildings managed the canal until 1925 when the legislature transferred control of it to the Department of Purchases and Construction (L. 1925, p. 180).
The waterway continued to operate as an artery of commerce until 1935 when it became the Illinois and Michigan Canal State Parkway and was closed to all but recreational pursuits (Illinois Blue Book, 1935-1936, p. 415). In 1933 control over the canal was again transferred to the Department of Public Works and Buildings and when the canal itself was closed to commerce in 1935, the department continued to sell and lease land and property and to lease waterpower sites (L. 1933, p. 180). In 1955 the Illinois and Michigan Canal and adjacent areas became a state park and in 1971 control over the waterway and its property passed to the Department of Transportation which assumed responsibility for all administrative activities connected with the canal (L. 1955, p. 1305; P.A. 77-155, p. 295).
As noted previously, until the twentieth century (with the exception of the period between the abolition of the Board of Canal Commissioners in 1833 and the creation of a new board in 1835 and the period between 1843 and 1845 when construction was suspended) direct management of the Illinois and Michigan Canal and its assets was in the hands of a commission or a board. By statute during the suspension period all officers and employees were discharged except for one acting commissioner, a secretary, and an engineer. These three remaining staff members were charged with the responsibilities of protecting canal land and property against trespass and damage and settling outstanding accounts with contractors (L. 1843, p. 62).
In addition to these officers the General Assembly, commissioners, trustees, and other state officials frequently appointed agents to handle specialized services and activities, the most important of which was the sale of canal bonds during the period of construction. Such sales always were conducted by the Governor or his special agents. Land sales, like stock subscriptions, involved personnel outside of the boards of commissioners and trustees. Although the commissioners and trustees administered all sales of canal lots and land, they could not permit any parcel to be sold for less than the minimum price established by statute or by an independent board of appraisers appointed by the judge of the circuit court within whose jurisdiction the lot or tract lay (L. 1847, p. 23). It was common practice for the General Assembly to appoint special commissions to investigate damage claims against the state having their origin in the construction or management of the canal (L. 1837, p. 44).
With the exception of ninety-foot strips on either side of the canal, the state sold as much canal land as possible to offset construction and indebtedness costs. Initial policy established by the General Assembly in 1829 required all canal land sales to be conducted for cash only at the minimum rate of $1.25 per acre (L. 1829, p. 14). However, in 1836 the legislature abandoned its original plan and provided for the sale of lots and land on a four-payment installment basis. No land could be sold for less than the minimum price established by boards of appraisal and purchasers were required to pay one-fourth of the purchase price at the time of sale and to pay the balance in three equal installments plus interest accruing at an annual rate of 6 percent (L. 1836, p. 145). In February 1839 the General Assembly amended the 1836 act and permitted canal lots and land to be sold for only a 10 percent down payment. Those who purchased lots and land under this system had to pay the remaining 90 percent within twenty years as well as an annual interest rate of 6 percent of the purchase price (L. 1839, p. 177). The final change in sales procedures occurred in 1869 when the General Assembly mandated that all future sales of canal lots and land be made on the basis of full cash payment at the time of sale (L. 1869, p. 62).
Although various statutes provided for the forfeiture of lots and land if purchasers failed to meet principal and interest payments, they also made certificates of purchase negotiable and transferable either by endorsement or by separate legal agreement. Moreover in 1841 the General Assembly, reacting to the panic of 1837, acted to bring relief to those who had purchased land and lots in Ottawa and Chicago during 1836. In 1841 those persons were allowed to select as much of their original purchase as previous payments covered less one-third of the original purchase price (L. 1841, p. 49). Thus, those who purchased lots and land in these two towns acquired some land and were absolved of their debt to the state.
491.001
MINUTES OF MEETINGS OF THE CANAL COMMISSIONERS AND TRUSTEES. 1829-1833; 1836-1917. 9 vols. No index.
Minutes are of the proceedings of periodic meetings of the Boards of Commissioners and Trustees of the Illinois and Michigan Canal. Among the topics discussed are the election of canal commissioners and their salaries; contract bids, awards, completions, and forfeitures; donations of land to counties for the erection of public buildings; texts of legislative acts and proclamations issued by Governors relevant to canal operations; the $1.6 million canal construction loan authorized by the General Assembly in 1843; rules and regulations governing navigation on the canal; appointments of
locktenders, collectors, and other employees; preemption claims to canal land; recruitment of construction laborers; land appraisals and sales; leases of canal land and property; damage claims against the canal; fluctuations in yearly canal traffic; robberies of canal offices; toll rates; salaries of collectors, boat inspectors,
locktenders, watchmen, and foremen; changes in boat names; waterpower leases; obstructions to canal navigation, including underwater discharge pipes laid by distilleries; ice contracts; petitions for toll rate reductions; railroad bridge construction over the canal; petitions from boatmen protesting railroad construction; printing costs; and expenditures for advertisements and legal fees.
491.002
BOARD RESOLUTIONS. 1837; 1840; 1845; 1847-1849; 1862; 1865; 1869; 1871; 1890; 1895; 1900; 1914. 0.1 cu. ft. No index.
Resolutions passed by the Board of Canal Commissioners and Trustees of the Illinois and Michigan Canal concern state bond sales, the illegal cutting of timber on canal land, plank road right-of-way requests, loan of $4,000 to Isaac Hardy to aid in construction of a hotel at La Salle, canal indebtedness, railroad swing bridges, and Chicago sewage disposal.
491.003
DUTIES OF THE MEMBERS OF THE BOARD OF TRUSTEES. 1845. 1 vol. No index.
Procedures and regulations govern the conduct of the Trustees of the Illinois and Michigan Canal and other board employees as adopted in 1845. Included among the specific guidelines are provisions describing the manner and procedures to be followed for the awarding of construction contracts, payments to contractors and bondholders, inspections of construction materials and completed construction work, settlement of construction preemption claims, trespasses upon canal timberland, travel reimbursement, and custody of the trust deed.
491.004
LETTERBOOKS. 1836-1914. 76 vols. Index, 1854-1857, 1868-1914.
Copies of outgoing correspondence of the Commissioners and Trustees of the Illinois and Michigan Canal concern a wide range of topics including construction and maintenance of the canal, financial affairs, navigation, legal matters, land sales, and political developments. Construction and maintenance correspondence provides information on labor recruitment, bridges, feeders, towpaths, waste weirs, locks, dams, gates, embankments, protection walls, aqueducts, hydraulic equipment, and other structures as well as contract specifications and bids and contract awards, completions, and forfeitures. Financial correspondence concerns revenue generated by land and equipment sales, waterpower and other leases, ice sales, and expenses incurred for construction and maintenance, loans to finance construction of the waterway, buildings and associated structures, pens, inks, stationery, postage, rent, food, coal, mules and horses, boats, travel, damage claims, attorneys' fees, advertising, printing, appraisals of canal land, surveys and plats, and other normal operating costs.
Navigation correspondence concerns rules and regulations governing boat traffic on the canal, accidents, sunken boats, toll and lockage rates, types of lawful money to be accepted as payment for tolls and
lockages, and federal tax regulations dealing with cargo. Correspondence on legal matters concern damage claims and lawsuits involving canal officials and encroachments upon canal land. Land sales information relates to the appraisal and sale of tracts, deeds and certificates of ownership of property, preemption claims, timber and mineral rights, payments for tracts, forfeitures of nonpayment, rights-of-way, leases, and the ninety-foot strips on either side of the canal that were normally leased rather than sold. Political developments discussed in the correspondence include nativism in Illinois, abolitionism and the Civil War, the election of 1860, and the Illinois Constitutional Convention of 1862. In addition to the above, such topics as weather conditions, fires and floods involving canal property, cholera epidemics in Illinois, railroad construction and its subsequent competition with the canal, and resolutions passed by the trustees and commissioners of the canal occasionally are discussed.
491.005
INCOMING CORRESPONDENCE. 1825-1930. 4 cu. ft. No index.
Incoming correspondence to canal officials covers a wide range of topics including construction and maintenance of the canal, land sales, financial affairs, legal matters, and navigation. Construction and maintenance correspondence concerns bridges, feeders, aqueducts, gates, locks, dams, waste weirs, protection walls, embankments, towpaths, hydraulic equipment, and other structures as well as contract specifications and bids, and contract awards, completions, and forfeitures. Land sales correspondence deals with appraisals and selling prices of tracts, preemption claims, timber and mineral rights, payments for tracts, deeds and certificates of ownership, rights-of-way leases, forfeitures of land for nonpayment, ice contracts, and the ninety-foot strips on either side of the canal that were normally leased rather than sold. Financial correspondence concerns revenue obtained from land, equipment sales, leases, ice contracts, and expenses incurred for construction and maintenance of the canal, loans to finance construction of the waterway, buildings and associated structures, advertising, printing, stationery, ink, pens, postage, attorneys' fees, tools, horses and mules, travel, damage claims, food, coal, and other normal operating costs. Correspondence on legal matters primarily concerns damage claims and lawsuits, encroachments upon canal land, copies of laws governing canal operations, and opinions of the Attorney General on canal operations. Information about navigation includes toll rates, boat regulations, employee regulations, and petitions received by the commissioners and trustees of the canal regarding tolls and
lockages.
491.006
REPORTS. 1830-1831; 1833; 1836; 1838; 1845; 1847-1848; 1854; 1866-1868; 1870; 1872; 1877; 1880; 1883; 1896; 1898. 0.25 cu. ft. No index.
Official reports were made by the commissioners and trustees to the Governor by the chief and resident engineers to the commissioners and trustees, by the secretary to the trustees, by the general superintendent to the trustees, and by the treasurer to the trustees and commissioners. Reports deal with the organization of the board of commissioners, land sales, proposed benefits to be gained by completion of the canal, surveying of the canal route, construction and repair work, toll receipts, payments relative to the $1.6 million canal construction loan, and engineering recommendations.
491.007
TREASURER'S REPORTS. 1837-1842. 0.25 cu. ft. No index.
Quarterly, annual, semiannual, and special reports were made by the treasurer to the canal commissioners. With the exception of one 1837 report on payments made to contractors, reports deal with all aspects of the receipt and disbursement of canal funds. The reports are merely tabular statements of expenditures and disbursements containing almost no details.
491.008
TREASURER'S REPORTS TO THE TRUSTEES ON THE $1.6 MILLION CANAL CONSTRUCTION LOAN. 1848-1865. 0.25 cu. ft. No index.
Brief reports concern payments of interest and principal to subscribers to the $1.6 million canal construction loan authorized by the General Assembly in 1843. These reports are running records of the amounts paid at various intervals, including notations about errors of payment and arrears of interest. Reports frequently refer to bond numbers but do not list the names of subscribers.
491.009
REPORTS OF THE CHIEF ENGINEER. 1846; 1848. 0.1 cu. ft. No index.
Reports submitted by the chief engineer to the trustees concern canal construction and repair, engines and pumps needed to raise the water level of the canal, and feeders.
491.010
REPORTS OF THE COMMISSIONERS AND TRUSTEES TO THE GOVERNOR. 1845-1891; 1893; 1902; 1906; 1911; 1913-1916. 7 vols. and 0.5 cu. ft. No index.
Annual and semiannual reports submitted to the Governor detail all facets of canal operations, including disbursements and monies received. Reports include itemized accounts of monies received from land sales, land and building leases, ice contracts, tolls and
lockages, state appropriations, waterpower leases, and other sources as well as itemized accounts of monies spent for the normal operation of the waterway including those for stationery, postage, tools, boots, spikes, emery cloth, advertising, straw, oats, hay, freight, livery, nails and spikes, salaries, office furniture, printing, blasting powder, cement, coal, sand, ratchet wheels, petcocks, and construction and maintenance. Annual reports also provide information about toll rates, boat accidents, canal indebtedness, rules and regulations governing navigation, and obstructions to navigation.
491.011
QUARTERLY FINANCIAL REPORTS TO THE GOVERNOR. 1918-1934. 0.25 cu. ft. No index.
Copies of one page summary sheets submitted by the Division of Waterways of the Department of Public Works and Buildings to the Governor detail cash received from various sources during the year. Summary sheets include date report submitted, inclusive dates of report, total cash received from all sources during the year, balance on hand at beginning of reporting period, amount of money remitted to State Treasurer during reporting period, amount of money on hand scheduled to be remitted to State Treasurer, and the name and title of official who submitted the report.
491.012
QUARTERLY REPORTS TO THE AUDITOR OF PUBLIC ACCOUNTS. 1903-1917. 0.25 cu. ft. No index.
Copies of reports submitted by the canal commissioners to the Auditor of Public Accounts list total amount of expenditures and cash receipts.
491.013
STATEMENT OF COLLECTIONS MADE TO THE AUDITOR OF PUBLIC ACCOUNTS. 1917-1934. 1 cu. ft. No index.
Statements record monies received by the Waterways Division of the Department of Public Works and Buildings for canal operations. Sources of revenue include rent of buildings, leases of canal property, tolls, right-of-way uses, fees paid for the use of bridges, and certified copies of records.
491.014
PREEMPTION APPLICATIONS 1845-1854. 0.75 cu. ft. No index.
By law individuals who had settled on canal land prior to public sales could file preemption claims (i.e., petitions seeking to purchase specific tracts of land before they were offered at public sale). In order to be eligible for preemption benefits an individual had to demonstrate that he had both occupied and improved the tract he was seeking. In his petition to the canal trustees, a claimant swore that he had occupied and improved the tract in question and affirmed this information in the presence of a justice of the peace. Applications provide the following information: name of the claimant, legal description of the tract for which preemption was requested, date of application, description of improvements made on the tract, and the signature of the justice of the peace before whom the applicant appeared. Many applications also note the decision made on application.
491.015
LIST OF LAND PATENTS ISSUED BY THE STATE OF ILLINOIS. 1831-1885. 2 vols. Index.
Record is of land patents issued to persons who purchased canal land, Gallatin and Vermilion saline reserve lands, school land, and Vandalia town lots. Entries include legal description of the tract purchased, name of the patentee, and the date the patent was issued. In addition lands donated to counties for the construction of public buildings were noted.
491.016
LAND PATENTS ISSUED BY THE ILLINOIS AND MICHIGAN CANAL. 1842-1878. 0.5 cu. ft. No index.
Land patents were issued to individuals who purchased tracts from the Commissioners and Trustees of the Illinois and Michigan Canal. Entries include date of patent, name of patentee, legal description of the tract patented, and the signature of the canal treasurer. These duplicates do not constitute a complete record of all patents issued by canal officials.
491.017
CERTIFICATES FOR LAND AND LOTS. 1848-1870. 4 cu. ft. No index.
Record shows initial payments made to Trustees of the Illinois and Michigan Canal for the purchase of town lots and other land. Entries include name of the purchaser; lot number or legal description of the tract; number of acres and price per acre, when applicable; total purchase price, including interest; amount of payment made; amount due in three subsequent installments; date of the transaction; record of final cancellation; and date a deed was issued after all payments were received. Because canal land could be purchased on an installment basis (i.e., a down payment and three equal installments) these certificates were used to record the sale of lots and land and to record the issuance of patents after all payments had been received by canal officials.
491.018
LIST OF TOWN LOTS SOLD BY THE BOARD OF CANAL COMMISSIONERS. 1830-1843. Compiled 1878. 1 vol. No index.
List is an 1878 compilation of all town lots sold by the canal commissioners between 1830 and 1843. Entries include name of the town and number of the block in which lot located, number of lot sold, name of the purchaser, date of sale, and certificate number. In addition a remarks column is used to indicate lots that were forfeited by purchasers who failed to complete installment payments and lots that were given in trust to the canal trustees when the waterway passed into their hands.
491.019
TRACT BOOKS OF CANAL LAND SALES. 1830-1927. 17 vols. No index.
Tract books list town lots and other land sold by canal officials. All volumes contain names of purchasers, legal descriptions of tracts sold, number of acres sold and price per acre, and total purchase price. In addition some volumes variously list receipt numbers, names of persons who received patents, patent numbers, names and titles of canal officers who issued patents, dates that patents were issued, record of installment payments, interest charged to installment buyers, valuation of tracts by appraisers, and residences of purchasers at the times of sales.
491.020
ABSTRACT OF TITLE. 1830-1912. 1 vol. No index.
Abstract of title is to blocks 12, 12 1/2, 13, and A in the Canal Commissioners' Subdivision in the southwest quarter of section 29, township 39 north, range 14 east of the third principal meridian, located in Cook County. Abstract of block 12 does not include that part of it ceded to the federal government for the purpose of constructing a turning basin for lake vessels in the Chicago River (L. 1903, p. 354).
491.021
REGISTER OF LOTS AND LAND SOLD BUT NOT PATENTED. 1837-1843. Compiled 1878. 1 vol. No index.
Register lists all town lots and other land previously sold by the Commissioners of the Illinois and Michigan Canal for which no evidence existed to show that patents had been issued. Entries include legal description of the tract, names of original purchaser and current claimant, explanation of why patents had not been issued, and notations of actions taken by canal officials relative to issuing patents. Usually patents had not been issued because original purchasers failed to make necessary installment payments or because canal employees failed to carry out clerical tasks involved in issuing patents.
491.022
LIST OF LOTS AND LAND CONVEYED TO THE TRUSTEES OF THE ILLINOIS AND MICHIGAN CANAL BY THE GOVERNOR. 1843; 1845-1848. 1 vol. No index.
List itemizes all lots and land conveyed by the Governor to the Trustees of the Illinois and Michigan Canal in accordance with a statute passed by the General Assembly on February 21, 1843 (L. 1843, p. 54). The list includes legal descriptions of all lots and land conveyed to the trustees and notations relative to lots and land sold between 1845 and 1849.
491.023
RECORD OF APPRAISED VALUE OF CANAL LAND. 1849. 2 vols. No index.
Under the 1849 regulations governing the sale of canal land all tracts had to be appraised prior to sale. These volumes are a record of the appraised value of unsold canal land in 1849 and include only tracts located outside of towns. Entries include legal description of appraised tracts; number of acres in each tract; appraised value of each tract; and descriptions of topographical features such as prairie, woodlands, scattered timber, good timber, good flat prairie, and moist prairie.
491.024
RECORD OF REAPPRAISED VALUE OF CANAL LAND. 1860-1870. 1 vol. No index.
Record is of the appraised value of unsold canal land, including town lots, as of April 1, 1860. Entries include legal description of the tracts and lots, original appraised value of the tracts and lots, and their reappraised value as of April 1, 1860. In addition frequent notation is made of the names of individuals who purchased tracts and lots between 1860 and 1871. Such entries are generally recorded by sale date and the name of the purchaser.
491.025
RECORD OF FORFEITED AND RESOLD LAND. 1851-1868. 0.5 cu. ft. No index.
Record is of town lots and other land that were sold on the installment system to individuals who subsequently forfeited their tracts because they failed to complete necessary payments. After the lots and land reverted to the canal they were resold. Entries include date of initial sale on the installment plan, name of the original purchaser who later defaulted, legal description of the tract, price per acre where applicable, total purchase price, record of payments on installments two through four, and the date of resale after forfeiture.
491.026
LISTS OF UNSOLD LOTS AND LAND. 1852; 1855-1856; 1863-1869; 1873. 4 vols. and 0.5 cu. ft. No index.
Record itemizes unsold town lots and other land patented to the state for subsequent sale to finance the construction of the Illinois and Michigan Canal. Entries include legal descriptions and appraised values of the unsold tracts. Notations on subsequent sales infrequently are included and give only the name of the purchaser and the purchase price. In the case of non-town lots brief descriptions of topographical features such as good bottomland and fair grassland are included.
491.027
RECORD OF FORFEITED LAND AND LOTS SUBJECT TO RESALE. 1860-1868. 0.5 cu. ft. No index.
Record is of town lots and other land that were sold on an installment basis to individuals who subsequently forfeited their purchases because they failed to complete necessary payments. Entries include date of initial sale, legal description of the tract, name of the original purchaser who defaulted on payment, and a record of installment payments made prior to forfeiture. Additional information includes occasional notations that some forfeited tracts were resold.
491.028
ANNUAL LAND SALES REPORTS. 1848-1865. 0.5 cu. ft. No index.
Annual reports, submitted by the treasurer of the Illinois and Michigan Canal to the board of trustees, summarize the amount and value of canal land sold during the year and the amount and number of unpaid installments due. All reports contain detailed listings of town lots and other tracts sold during the year (arranged by legal description) and complete lists of "notes unpaid" (installment payments due from purchasers). In addition the reports for 1852 and 1853 list forfeited lots and land resold.
491.029
LAND SALES RECEIPTS. 1830-1842. 0.5 cu. ft. No index.
Record consists of copies of land sale receipts which were issued to individuals who purchased tracts of land from officials of the Illinois and Michigan Canal between 1830 and 1843. Entries include receipt number, date of sale, name of the purchaser, legal description of the tract, price per acre, and total purchase price.
491.030
REGISTER OF INITIAL LAND PAYMENTS. 1849-1851. 1 vol. No index.
Record is of initial payments made for land purchased on the four-installment plan. Entries include date of payment, certificate number, name of purchaser, amount of principal paid, amount of interest paid, and total amount of payment.
491.031
RECORD OF INSTALLMENT PAYMENTS FOR LAND. 1848-1850. 1 vol. No index.
Record is of installment payments made by individuals who purchased town lots and other land on the four-installment plan. Entries include date of sale, name of the purchaser, notations of payments for all three installments that followed the initial down payment, amount of interest collected, and the date interest was due.
491.032
RECORD OF NOTES PAID. 1848-1871. 8 vols. No index.
Record is of payments made by individuals who purchased town lots and other land on the four-payment installment basis. Entries include certificate number, date of payment, name of remitter, amount of principal paid, amount of interest paid, total amount of payment, and notations on payments of fourth and final installments.
491.033
REGISTER OF INTEREST PAYMENTS DUE FOR LAND PURCHASED ON INSTALLMENT. 1837-1839. 2 vols. No index.
Record is of interest payments due to the canal commissioners by individuals who purchased land on the installment basis during 1836. Payments were due on October 1, 1837; October 1, 1838; and October 1, 1839. Register entries include date the land for which interest is due was purchased, amount of purchase price due in three installments, and amount of interest due on the specified dates noted above. Volume I also contains a record of land payments received during 1837. In addition both volumes contain lists of land forfeited for failure to comply with payment schedules during 1836 and 1837. Finally, volume II contains a list of canal lots in Ottawa and Chicago that were disposed of under the Relief Act of February 27, 1841.
491.034
JOURNAL OF MONEY RECEIVED FOR LAND SALES PAYMENTS. 1851-1854. 1 vol. No index.
Journal entries include date of payment, name of remitter, amount of money received, and whether the money was being paid on a town lot or other land. In addition to daily figures the record contains weekly totals of money received.
491.035
CONSTRUCTION ESTIMATES. 1836-1849. 114 vols. and 0.5 cu. ft. No index.
Estimates are of the cost of construction for various sections and structures of the Illinois and Michigan Canal as calculated by contractors and engineering staff of the waterway. Detailed estimates cover all aspects of construction including excavating, mucking, grubbing and cleaning, masonry, and
puddling. In addition to labor costs the estimates cover materials such as gravel, slate rock, quarried rock, corded rock, timber, planks, and concrete. Estimates also are included for such structures as waste weirs, waste gates, feeders, aqueducts, locks, dams, protection walls, culverts, bridges, towpaths, and ditches. In addition to cost estimates the names of contractors assigned to various sections and structures are noted.
491.036
CONTRACT BIDS. 1836; 1838; 1841; 1846-1848. 0.25 cu. ft. No index.
Bids were submitted by firms and individuals competing for construction contracts awarded by the Commissioners and Trustees of the Illinois and Michigan Canal. Each bid includes name of the firm or individual submitting the bid, section or structure being bid on, itemized statement of proposed work to be completed and the costs involved for materials and labor, and the date the bid was submitted. The bids relate to costs for all aspects of construction including excavating, mucking, grubbing and cleaning, masonry,
puddling, and materials to be used (e.g., timber and planks, cement, gravel, stone) and pertain to all types of structures including bridges, locks, dams, waste weirs, protection walls, culverts, lock houses, and embankments.
491.037
CONTRACTORS' PREEMPTION PETITIONS. 1845. 0.25 cu. ft. No index.
Following the resumption of canal construction in 1845 those contractors who had been working on the canal prior to the suspension of construction were permitted by statute to apply for preemption rights (i.e., the privilege of receiving new construction contracts at the sites they previously worked). Contractors were required to petition the Trustees of the Illinois and Michigan Canal and state the reasons why they should be awarded new contracts. Each petition includes date of submission, name of the contractor or contractors submitting the petition, the section or structures of the canal subject to preemption, and an explanation of previous work performed at the site as the justification for claiming the preemption.
491.038
CONSTRUCTION CONTRACTS. 1836-1847; 1891-1902. 3 vols. and 1 cu. ft. Partial index.
Construction contracts were awarded to firms by the Commissioners and Trustees of the Illinois and Michigan Canal. All volumes and loose materials list the name of the contractor, the section or structure of the canal awarded to the contractor, and the dates that contracts were awarded. In addition the records variously include information on contracts completed, relinquished, forfeited, and reawarded and itemize work to be completed, estimated costs, and contract numbers.
491.039
CONTRACT REGISTER. 1845-1848. 1 vol. No index.
Construction contracts awarded by the Trustees of the Illinois and Michigan Canal are arranged by section and structure. Contracts pertain to all aspects of construction including mucking, grubbing and cleaning, excavating, masonry, and puddling and to all types of structures including bridges, waste weirs, locks, culverts, aqueducts, and feeders. Entries include contract number, date contract was awarded, name of contractor, section or structure for which the contract was let, contractor's cost estimates, and remarks on construction progress (e.g., finished,
relet).
491.040
RECORDS OF PAYMENTS MADE TO CONTRACTORS. 1836-1864. 15 vols. and 0.75 cu. ft. No index.
Record is of payments made to contractors for construction work on the Illinois and Michigan Canal. All items include names of the contractors receiving payments, dates and amount of payments, and the sections or projects for which payments were made. Records variously include information on the type of construction work performed (e.g., excavating, grubbing and cleaning, mucking, mowing, masonry, embankment,
puddling), chief engineer's certification of work completions, and signatures of payees.
491.041
REGISTER OF ORDERS. 1840-1841. 2 vols. No index.
In 1840 and 1841 most contractors assigned to the Illinois and Michigan Canal were in debt because the canal commissioners were unable to meet their financial obligations to the contractors. In order to ease the burden of the contractors, the commissioners issued "orders" or warrants which promised payment at an unspecified future date. These orders were payable to creditors of the contractors. As sufficient canal funds became available the orders were to be registered with the secretary of the canal and then redeemed for money from the commissioners. Register entries include order number and amount, date order filed with secretary of the canal, name of the
drawee, and the name of the payee (i.e., contractor's creditor).
491.042
ABSTRACTS OF COMPLETED CONSTRUCTION WORK. 1838-1848. 3 vols. and 0.25 cu. ft. No index.
Periodic reports are on the progress of construction on various sections and structures of the Illinois and Michigan Canal. Reports list the sections or structures being reported on (e.g., waste weirs, dams, locks, aqueducts, culverts, bridges, feeders, lock gates); amount of work completed including such operations as grubbing and cleaning, mucking,
puddling, masonry, excavating, ditching, and paving; and the date of the report. The reports also contain information about contractors assigned to various sections and structures, costs for completed construction, and amount of work still to be completed on sections and structures.
491.043
RULES AND REGULATIONS FOR EMPLOYEES. 1845. 0.1 cu. ft. No index.
Rules and regulations governed the conduct of canal employees as established by the chief engineer in 1845. Among other points elaborated on are the prohibition of the use of alcoholic beverages and the threat of dismissal for those deemed guilty of even "a single case of intoxication," strict obedience to orders issued by superior officers, courteous treatment of all employees, the prohibition of the use of company "informers or spies," and an admonition to "abstain from political
controvers[ies.]"
491.044
TIME BOOKS. 1840-1927. 89 vols. No index.
Daily records are of the number of hours worked by laborers and employees of the Illinois and Michigan Canal. In addition to the names of the laborers and employees records variously list rates of pay, monthly totals of hours worked, deductions from pay for supplies furnished to workers by canal officials, occupations, and the signatures of employees acknowledging receipt of payment for their work. One volume for 1857, written in German, concerns the work of a group of German-American laborers.
491.045
STATISTICS OF LABORERS. 1838-1840; 1845-1848. 0.25 cu. ft. No index.
Very brief tabular statements are of the number of laborers employed at construction sites on the Illinois and Michigan Canal. Statements list the section or project for which the report is being submitted, dates covered by the report, and the number of laborers at the site on each date of the reporting period. In addition reports submitted for 1838-1839 frequently list the daily average number of laborers present at specific sites. Reports for 1845-1847 often state the numbers of horses and wagons, ox teams, and one-horse carts present at various construction sites as well as the number of masons at work.
491.046
SUPPLIES FURNISHED TO LABORERS. 1846-1848; 1856-1857. 7 vols. No index.
Record is of supplies furnished by canal officials to laborers working on various sections of the canal. Supply items included tea, coffee, tobacco, molasses, shoes, beef, pork, and flour. Entries include name of the laborer receiving supplies, type and quantity of supplies furnished, and the date and place supplies were delivered. Record also seems to indicate that a credit payment system was used. Records occasionally indicate the number of days worked by various laborers.
491.047
STATEMENTS OF TIMBER USED FOR CONSTRUCTION. Ca. 1845-1847. 1 vol. and 0.25 cu. ft. Index.
Record is of the amounts of timber and planks used in constructing the canal for a given period of time. Statements indicate the lengths, widths,
thicknesses, and numbers of linear feet of planks and timber used for waste weirs, locks, culverts, aqueducts, feeders, lock gates, bridges, plank covering, towpath flooring, ends of bridges, lateral braces, coping trestles, needle beams, and towpath posts.
491.048
STONE BOOKS. 1839-1876. 17 vols. No index.
Record is of stone used in the construction of the Illinois and Michigan Canal. Each volume includes the project or structure for which the stone was used and the types and amounts of stone used (e.g., face stone, cut stone, rough stone).
491.049
RECORD OF STONE USED FOR THE LOCK AND DAM AT HENRY. 1869-1870. 1 vol. No index.
Record is of the amount and type of stone used for construction work on the lock and dam at Henry, Illinois. Entries include date of stone delivery; name of the boat delivering the stone; length, breadth, and depth of the boat delivering stone; type of stone delivered, including loose stone, face stone, backing stone, and vertical wall stone; numbers of cubic feet of each type of stone delivered; and the name of the firm delivering the stone.
491.050
WESTERN STONE COMPANY ACCOUNT. 1895-1896. 1 vol. No index.
Record is of payments due the Western Stone Company for stone delivered in 1895 and 1896. Entries include date of delivery, name of the boat delivering the stone, and the amount of money due the company for the stone.
491.051
SPECIFICATIONS FOR LOCKS ON THE ILLINOIS RIVER. 1869. 0.25 cu. ft. No index.
Specifications are for locks on the Illinois River. Specifications cover all aspects of construction including grubbing and cleaning, excavating, mitre sills, foundations, valves, culverts, wing walls, and masonry.
491.052
REGISTER OF CANAL INDEBTEDNESS. 1842-1844. 0.25 cu. ft. No index.
Summary statements are of checks issued to canal creditors. Register indicates the dates that checks were written and the total amount of all checks written each day.
491.053
REGISTER OF CERTIFICATES FOR STATE BONDS. 1841. 0.25 cu. ft. No index.
In 1841 contractors agreed to subscribe to $1 million worth of canal bonds in order to prevent suspension of construction on the canal. The effort permitted construction to continue and the contractors redeemed their bonds in 1841. Register entries for these subscriptions include date of bond redemption, name of bondholder, quantity of bonds held and the face value of each, and notations relative to redemption.
491.054
REGISTER OF ILLINOIS AND MICHIGAN CANAL BONDS. 1846-1847. 2 vols. No index.
Register lists bonds registered with the Governor by subscribers to the $1.6 million canal construction loan authorized by the General Assembly in 1843. The bonds were sold by agents in Illinois, New York, and London and, by statute, had to be registered with the Trustees of the Illinois and Michigan Canal within one year after the trust was established. Those individuals who purchased bonds after the trust was established were required to register them within one year after the subscription date. Register entries include date of registration, name of subscriber, serial number of bond, date of issue, face value of bond, name of state official who signed the bond, person to whom interest and principal payments were to be made, amount of money subscribed by bondholder, and name of agent to whom subscription payments were made. Volume II also includes information on dates when interest began to accrue; lost bonds; amount of canal scrip issued and still outstanding; face values of bonds registered in Illinois, New York, and London; total face value of bonds issued; and arrears of interest accruing on canal scrip and interest certificates.
491.055
REGISTER OF SUBSCRIBERS TO THE $1.6 MILLION CANAL CONSTRUCTION LOAN.
1843. 1 vol. No index.
Register is a partial list of firms and individuals who agreed to purchase bonds from the Trustees of the Illinois and Michigan Canal in 1843 to aid in financing construction of the waterway. Register contains the names of the individuals and companies and the amounts of their subscription. The record also contains a partial listing of registered canal bonds.
491.056
REGISTER OF ASSIGNMENTS OR TRANSFERS OF SUBSCRIPTIONS. 1846. 0.1 cu. ft. No index.
Record is of assignments or transfers of subscriptions by individuals who subscribed to the $1.6 million canal construction loan authorized by the General Assembly in 1843. Register entries include date of assignment or transfer, serial number of the subscription (bond) being assigned or transferred, name of the individual assigning or transferring the subscription, and name of the assignee or transferee.
491.057
RECEIPTS ISSUED TO SUBSCRIBERS TO THE $1.6 MILLION CANAL CONSTRUCTION LOAN. 1846-1847. 0.25 cu. ft. No index.
Copies of receipts issued to subscribers to the $1.6 million canal construction loan indicate that they had made their final subscription installment payments. Each receipt includes date of payment of final installment, name of the subscriber, amount of final payment, receipt number, and the signature of the canal official issuing the receipt.
491.058
LOAN CERTIFICATES. 1845-1847. 0.5 cu. ft. No index.
Certificates are copies of agreements made between the Trustees of the Illinois and Michigan Canal and subscribers to the $1.6 million canal construction loan authorized by the General Assembly in 1843. Agreements include name of subscriber, amount paid as first installment to subscription, amount of interest to accrue on first installment, terms of principal and interest payments, signatures of officials entering into the agreement with the subscriber, and subscription number.
491.059
CANCELED BOND COUPONS. 1854-1855. 1 cu. ft. No index.
Bond coupons were issued by the State of Illinois to subscribers to various loans, including the $1.6 million construction loan authorized by the General Assembly in 1843. Entries for each bond coupon include amount of payment, serial number of bond, and the signature of the official issuing the bond.
491.060
GENERAL SUMMARY OF UNPAID DIVIDENDS. 1848-1857. 1 vol. No index.
Record is a partial listing of interest and principal payments due to purchasers of Illinois and Michigan Canal bonds that were unpaid as of 1853. Payments in arrears were supposed to have been made semiannually on September 20 and March 20, beginning in September 1848 and ending in September 1853. In addition to noting the names of the subscribers who were owed dividends and the serial numbers of the bonds they held, the record also indicates that payments finally were made in 1856 and 1857.
491.061
DIVIDEND PAYMENTS. 1849-1856. 7 vols. No index.
Record is of dividend (interest) payments made to subscribers to the $1.6 million canal construction loan authorized by the General Assembly in 1843. All volumes contain name of the payee, date of payment, and the amount of payment. Records variously include the quantity and face value of bonds held by subscribers, serial numbers of bonds, names of officials who signed the bonds, and the issue dates for various bonds.
491.062
RECORD OF PAYMENT OF ARREARS OF INTEREST. 1854-1857. 5 vols. No index.
Record is of arrears of interest payments made to subscribers to the $1.6 million canal construction loan. The payments were made between 1854 and 1857 for interest due in 1846, 1847, 1851, 1852, 1853, 1854, 1855, and 1856. Entries include voucher number, serial number and value of each bond, number of notes held by each subscriber, value of each interest coupon, total amount of interest paid to each subscriber, date of payment, and the signature of the payee or his legal representative.
491.063
ARREARS OF INTEREST PAYMENTS TO BONDHOLDERS. 1855-1856. 3 vols. Copy: 3 vols. No index.
Records is of arrears of interest owed to subscribers to the $1.6 million canal construction loan authorized by the General Assembly in 1843. Payments were made for interest due between 1848 and 1856. Entries include serial number of bond for which interest was paid, date of payment, and the amount of payment.
491.064
REGISTER OF INTEREST AND 6 PERCENT OF PRINCIPAL PAYMENTS MADE TO SUBSCRIBERS TO THE $1.6 MILLION CANAL CONSTRUCTION LOAN. 1845-1849. 1 vol. No index.
Record is of interest and partial principal payments made by the Trustees of the Illinois and Michigan Canal to persons holding bonds numbering 3,365-3,486, all of which were subscribed to between June 28, 1845 and May 1, 1846. Although these bondholders or their legal representatives acknowledged payment, there are no dates next to their signatures to indicate when the payments actually were made. Register entries include name of subscriber, date of first installment payment, serial numbers of bond certificates issued, amount of interest accruing on first installment to September 20, 1848, amount of second installment payment, amount of interest accruing on second installment to September 20, 1848, amount of third installment, amount of interest accruing on the third installment to September 20, 1848, amount of fourth and final installment, amount of principal paid to subscribers on October 20, 1848, total amount paid by each subscriber, and the signatures of subscribers or their legal representatives acknowledging receipt of interest and 6 percent of the principal due them from the canal trustees.
491.065
ORIGINAL PAYMENTS OF 5 PERCENT OF PRINCIPAL. 1860; 1862-1864; 1867; 1869; 1871. 7 vols. No index.
Record is of the payments of 5 percent of the principal owed to subscribers to the $1.6 million canal construction loan authorized by the General Assembly in 1843. Entries include payment voucher number, serial numbers of the bonds held by the payee, face value of the bonds for which payment is due, the amount of payment made, and the signature of the payee or his legal representative. For 1867, 1869, and 1871 record indicates the amounts of payments made in gold and currency.
491.066
REGISTER OF INTEREST PAYMENTS ON THE $1.6 MILLION CANAL CONSTRUCTION LOAN. 1848-1853. 11 vols. No index.
Record is of interest payments made by the canal trustees to subscribers to the $1.6 million canal construction loan authorized by the General Assembly in 1843. Register entries include payment voucher number, serial number of bond, amount of interest due, total amount of interest paid, and an undated signature of the subscriber's legal representative acknowledging payment. Some volumes periodically list the face value of bonds, the date the bonds were issued, the maturation date of bonds, the amount of principal due bondholders, and the total amount of interest and principal paid to subscribers.
491.067
RECORD OF ORIGINAL PAYMENTS OF 10 PERCENT OF PRINCIPAL. 1857; 1859; 1866; 1868; 1870. 5 vols. No index.
Record is of payments of 10 percent of the principal owed to subscribers to the $1.6 million canal construction loan authorized by the General Assembly in 1843. Entries include payment voucher number, serial number of the bond or bonds held by the payee, face value of the bonds for which payment is due, amount of payment made, and the signature of the payee or his legal representative. Volumes for 1868 and 1870 list the amounts paid in gold and currency.
491.068
BILLS, VOUCHERS, AND RECEIPTS. 1823-1825; 1829; 1835-1899. 6 cu. ft. No index.
Bills, vouchers, and receipts deal with all aspects of construction and maintenance including the following items and services: blasting powder, stone, timber and planks, quick lime, bolts and nuts, nails and spikes, staples, shingles, window frames, shovels, axes, wheelbarrows, harnesses, horseshoes, hay, oats, corn, hammers, chisels, boots, office furniture, lamp globes,
lampwicks, chain, flanges, pipes, glue, borax, turpentine, paint and paintbrushes, mucking, excavating, painting, horseshoeing, mowing, grubbing and cleaning, masonry work, hauling, and recruiting laborers.
491.069
REGISTER OF CANAL EXPENSES. 1836-1941. 117 vols. No index.
Record is of expenses incurred in the construction, repair, and operation of the Illinois and Michigan Canal. Expenditures were made for a wide range of supplies and services including those for salaries, legal service, damage claims, postage, stationery, office supplies, messenger and telegraph services, candles, lamp globes,
lampwicks, telephones, printing, advertising, surveying, plastering, coal, stoves, safes, window frames and glass, putty, masonry, cement, excavating, grubbing and cleaning, mucking, grading, paving,
puddling, blacksmithing, whitewashing, axes and shovels, nuts and bolts, nails and spikes, hammers, horses, carriages, boats, beef and pork, flour, corn, oats, hay, horse blankets, timber and planks, valves, waste gates, pumps, dredging, blasting powder and fuses, culverts, travel, rope, and principal and interest payments on canal bonds. Arranged in a variety of formats most of these records include suppliers' names and the amounts and dates of purchases or payments.
491.070
TOLL RATES. 1851. 1 vol. No index.
Record lists toll rates between various points on the canal by weight for unspecified cargo.
491.071
WEEKLY TOLL REPORTS. 1848-1926. 12 vols. and 1 cu. ft. No index.
Reports give a weekly compilation of the amount of tolls collected at several toll collectors' offices. All volumes list the site of the collector's office, the amount of money received, and the weeks covered by the report. In addition some records include daily collection totals, monthly collection totals, yearly receipt totals, name of canal officer who received collection, amount of fines collected from boat masters who violated navigation rules, amount of refunds made to boat masters, and expenses incurred by collectors for normal operating costs. In addition the volume covering the years 1851-1854 contains a record of money received for canal land sales conducted in November 1852 and from January to July 1853. Reports are included for these collectors' offices: Chicago (1848-1903), La Salle (1848-1877), Lockport (1848-1905), Ottawa (1849-1926), Henry (1872-1903), and Copperas Creek (1877-1903).
491.072
RECORD OF TOLLS PAID. 1849; 1852-1882; 1888; 1893-1926. 9 vols. and 2 cu. ft. No index.
Record is of tolls received by the collectors of the several toll collectors' offices. All volumes provide the following information: name of the boat being assessed, clearance number of the boat, amount of tolls paid, date of payment, and the collector's office receiving payment. Some volumes also indicate a boat's origin and destination points on the canal. Records are included for the following offices: Bridgeport (1862, 1866), Chicago (1849, 1852-1865, 1867-1882, 1888), Ottawa (1849, 1852-1882, 1893-1926), La Salle (1849, 1852-1877), Lockport (1849, 1852-1882), Henry (1873-1882), and Copperas Creek (1879).
491.073
ABSTRACTS OF TOLLS AND LOCKAGES COLLECTED. 1850-1912. 25 vols. No index.
Record is of the amount of toll collections and lockage assessments at various collectors' offices. In addition to giving amounts assessed each boat that navigated the canal, records also provide daily, weekly, monthly, and yearly collection figures. The volumes are arranged chronologically by date of boat clearance and provide the following information: date of payment, clearance number, name of the boat, points of origin and destination on the canal, and amounts of tolls and lockages assessed and paid. Records are included for the following offices: La Salle (1851-1877), Chicago (1850-1860; 1866-1881, 1894-1903), Copperas Creek (1877-1889), Henry (1893-1900), Ottawa (1861-1870, 1872-1895, 1901-1915), Lockport (1859-1912), and Bridgeport (1872-1877).
491.074
RECORD OF TOLLS RECEIVED. 1868-1911. 7 vols. Partial index.
Record is of toll payments made by business firms for tolls evidently not paid during navigation. The firms appear to have owned their own canal boats and were high-traffic carriers who had charge accounts with the canal officials. Records were kept of the tolls assessed and the firms made periodic payments to the collectors at Lockport. All volumes include the name of the firm and the amount and date of each payment. Some volumes also list the names of boats owned and operated by the firms, dates of navigation for which tolls were assessed, clearance numbers, whether payment was by check or currency, and with whom the collector deposited the monies received.
491.075
BOAT CLEARANCES. 1848-1932. 286 vols. No index.
Record consists of copies of certificates authorizing boat masters to navigate the Illinois and Michigan Canal. According to canal regulations all boat masters had to obtain clearances to travel on the waterway from the collector of tolls nearest their point of entry. Clearances were issued to boat masters and subsequently surrendered to the toll collectors nearest to the termination point of navigation. Boat masters who failed to abide by the regulations were subject to fines. Each clearance includes names of the boat and the boat master, location of toll collector's office where clearance was issued, the amounts and types of cargoes being transported, the points of origin and destination on the canal, and the amount of tolls "not paid." Tolls to be assessed were listed as "not paid" because the collector issuing the clearance was not the one who usually collected tolls due canal officials. Clearances are included for these offices: Chicago (1848-1903), Lockport (1849-1932), Ottawa (1849-1925), La Salle (1848-1877), Henry (1872-1878, 1880-1899), Bridgeport (1849-1951), Copperas Creek (1877-1889, 1894-1900), and Joliet (1910-1915).
491.076
LOCKTENDERS' REPORTS. 1848. 0.25 cu. ft. No index.
Daily reports by locktenders state the number of boats passing through the locks at their stations. The record does not contain boat names. Reports list the number of boats locked each day, broken down by their direction (i.e., up or down the canal). In addition to daily totals the record contains monthly totals and statistics relating to boats detained at the several locks. The locks reported on are Summit lock 1 (June-November), Summit lock 2 (June-November), lock 1 (June-November), lock 2 (May-November), locks 3 and 4 (June-November), lock 5 (June-November), locks 6 and 7 (June-November), locks 9 and 10 (June-October), lock 11 (July-November), lock 12 (June-November), lock 13 (June-November), and locks 14 and 15 (June-November).
491.077
REGISTER OF LOCKAGES AND DETENTIONS. 1848-1853; 1857-1859; 1867-1889; 1892-1902. 16 vols. No index.
Chronological register is of boats navigating the Illinois and Michigan Canal compiled by locktenders stationed at various points on the waterway. Register entries include name of the boat navigating the canal, date of navigation, and direction of travel (i.e., either up or down). In addition volumes variously list names of boats that were detained at various locks and the reasons for their detentions (e.g., cargo inspection, waiting for tugboat assistance).
491.078
REGISTER OF BOAT LOCKAGES. 1886-1887. 6 vols. No index.
Chronological register is of boats passing through unspecified locks on the Illinois and Michigan Canal. Register includes date of each lockage and the name of the boat clearing the lock.
491.079
REGISTER OF BOATS LOCKED. 1912-1925; 1936. 11 vols. No index.
Record is of boats passing through the Henry, Ottawa, and Copperas Creek locks on the Illinois and Michigan Canal. Register entries include name of the boat; points of origin and destination on the canal; length, width, and draft of the boat; and date and time that each lock was cleared.
491.080
RECORD OF ARTICLES TRANSPORTED, CLEARED, AND ARRIVED. 1852-1907. 30 vols. No index.
Data were compiled by toll collectors on the types and amounts of goods shipped on the Illinois and Michigan Canal. Articles referred to as "arrived" at a collector's office were those aboard boats that were entering the waterway. Articles categorized as "cleared" were aboard boats that had reached their departure point and were ready to be unloaded. Approximately 125 categories of agricultural products, raw materials, and manufactured goods are listed by weight, bushels, feet, barrels, and other measurements. Included among the items enumerated are beer and ale, wine and liquor, cider, coffee, tobacco, corn, oats, barley, wheat, peas, rye, potatoes, ham, pork, beef, fish, butter, cheese, crackers, salt, lumber, timber, shingles, nuts, nails and spikes, varnish, bricks, unwrought marble, pig and scrap iron, white lead, iron tools, candles, soap, gypsum, hides and skins, wool, flax, leather, feathers, ice, cordage, and agricultural implements. Records are held for the following offices: Chicago (1852, 1855-1871), Copperas Creek (1895-1899), Ottawa (1852-1866, 1872-1897), Lockport (1857-1901), Bridgeport (1859-1862), Henry (1872-1879), and La Salle (1865-1877).
491.081
RECORD OF BOAT CLEARANCES AT CHICAGO. 1863. 1 vol. No index.
Record is of boat clearances at Chicago for 1863. Information given for each vessel includes date of clearance, name of the boat, and the types of cargo being transported.
491.082
RECORD OF BOAT ARRIVALS AT CHICAGO. 1867-1873. 3 vols. No index.
Record is of boats arriving (beginning their voyages) at the Chicago toll collection office. The following information is given for each boat: clearance number, name of the boat, miles involved in the navigation on the canal, origin point on the canal, types and amounts of cargo being transported, and the water level at Summit lock 2. Information regarding types and amounts of cargo normally is limited to only one type of commodity per vessel.
491.083
COLLECTOR'S RECORD OF ARRIVALS AND DEPARTURES ON THE CANAL AT CHICAGO.
1897-1908. 2 vols. No index.
Record is of the arrival (loading of cargo) and the departure (unloading of cargo) of boats at the Chicago collector's office. Entries include date and number of clearance, name of the boat, points of origin and destination on the canal, number of miles involved in the navigation, amount of tolls assessed, amount of lockage assessed, occasionally the shipper's name, remarks (e.g., "left no clearance," round trip), and types and amounts of cargo being transported (e.g., stone measured in yards; corn, oats, and wheat measured in terms of estimated bushels; corn, oats, and wheat measured in actual bushels after being weighed on elevators; flour measured by pounds or bushels; empty barrels measured by pounds; unspecified merchandise measured by weight; and other items such as bricks, feed, and lumber).
491.084
RECORD OF BOAT CLEARANCES AND ARRIVALS. No date. 1 vol. No index.
Record is of boat clearances and arrivals at an unnamed toll collector's office and includes clearance number, name of the boat, types of cargo loaded or unloaded, and whether the boat is arriving or leaving the canal (i.e., being loaded or unloaded).
491.085
BOAT INSPECTORS' REPORTS. 1858-1864. 2 vols. No index.
Reports were made by boat inspectors at the Chicago toll collector's office. The inspector, a canal employee assigned to assist the toll collector, was responsible for inspecting all cargoes and comparing them with bills of lading and boat clearances. He boarded canal boats, inspected cargoes, and reported any discrepancies between bills of lading, clearances, and cargoes aboard to the toll collector. If boats were too crowded to permit accurate inspections, inspectors were empowered to have the cargoes unloaded for inspections. The reports include date of inspection; clearance number; name of the boat inspected; and the types and amounts of cargo aboard including rye, barley, oats, wheat, flour, salt, corn, cider, groceries, hoops, shingles, flax seed, lumber, stone, and earthenware.
491.086
CERTIFICATES OF DRAWBACK. 1850-1852. 1 cu. ft. No index.
Drawback certificates were forms filled out by shippers and sworn to before justices of the peace requesting that refunds be granted for the goods shipped over the canal that qualified for drawbacks. These drawbacks (i.e., rebates on tolls) were authorized by the trustees of the canal as an inducement to ship goods via the Illinois and Michigan Canal rather than over the Ohio River. Drawbacks of 50 percent were granted on the following goods being shipped to the East: beef, pork, bacon, lard, flour, tallow, tobacco, hemp, beeswax, furs, wool, and pelts. Drawbacks of 25 percent were granted on the following goods being shipped to Illinois: groceries, hardware, crockery, dry goods, glassware, salt, and lumber. Drawbacks of 50 percent were granted for white lead and shot being shipped westward to Illinois. Certificate entries include date of application, name of the shipper, date of shipment, items transported that were eligible for toll rebates, origin and destination points of the eligible goods, and the amount of refund requested. In addition to the shipper some applications were sworn to by the recipient of the goods.
491.087
CERTIFICATES OF BOAT REGISTRATION. 1849-1917. 7 vols. No index.
According to canal regulations all persons who operated boats on the waterway were required to register them with canal officials. Information contained on each vessel certificate includes name of the boat, name and address of the boat owner, and the date of registration. In addition, volumes variously list the weight and length of the boat and the amount of registration fee paid.
491.088
REGISTER OF BOATS NAVIGATING THE ILLINOIS AND MICHIGAN CANAL. 1855-1932. 26 vols. No index.
Record gives a chronological listing of boats navigating the Illinois and Michigan Canal. Information provided for each vessel includes name of the boat operating on the waterway, date of navigation, and entry point on the canal. In addition volumes variously list boat owner's name and residence, amount of tolls and lockages paid, clearance number, location of the canal collector's office where the boat was registered, and remarks about amounts and types of cargoes and changes in boat ownership.
491.089
CERTIFICATES OF CHANGES IN BOAT OWNERSHIP. 1857-1904. 2 vols. No index.
According to canal regulations all boats operating on the waterway had to be registered and information regarding changes in ownership had to be filed with canal officials. Information contained for each such registry includes name of the new boat owner, name of the former boat owner, name of the boat, date that ownership changed hands, and location of the canal office where the change was registered.
491.090
CERTIFICATES OF CHANGES OF BOAT NAMES. 1849-1906. 4 vols. Index.
According to canal regulations owners of boats operating on the waterway were required to register all changes in boat names with canal officials. Information provided for each such entry includes boat owner's name, previous name of the boat, current name of the boat, residence of the owner, and location of the canal office where the new name was registered.
491.091
REGISTER OF BOAT PASSES. 1910-1929. 2 vols. No index.
Register is of passes issued to boat masters permitting them to transport their cargo "free of tolls, mileage, and lockage." Information provided for each pass includes date issued, name of boat, name of the boat master, origin and destination points of the trip for which the pass was issued, and the length of time for which the pass was valid.
491.092
REGISTER OF TOWPATH PASSES. 1898-1927. 2 vols. No index.
Register is of passes issued to individuals permitting them to travel upon the towpath of the Illinois and Michigan Canal, an area under state control closed to the public unless special permits had been issued. Each pass contains the name of the person to whom the pass was issued, the date of issue, the area of the canal for which travel was authorized, and the exact time for which the pass was valid.
491.093
CASH RECEIVED. 1836-1941. 53 vols. and 0.25 cu. ft. No index.
Record is of money received by the canal commissioners and trustees for land sales; tolls and lockages; land, waterpower, and ice leases; timber; stone; cement; loan subscription payments; and old equipment such as floor beams, spikes and nails, chain, boat poles, and rope.
491.094
BANK BALANCES. 1836-1860. 4 vols. and 0.25 cu. ft. No index.
Chronological statements are of balances of canal funds in the following banks: American Exchange Bank of New York, 1845-1860; Chicago Branch of the State Bank of Illinois, 1836-1840, 1843; Bank of Commerce in New York, 1856, 1859-1860; and the Bank of Montreal (Chicago), 1853, 1862, 1864-1865, 1867-1869. All statements show the balance in the accounts on specific dates and some statements note amounts of deposits and withdrawals on specific dates as well as the names of those depositing and withdrawing funds.
491.095
REGISTER OF NINETY-DAY CHECKS. 1838-1844. 1 vol. No index.
Register is of ninety-day checks written by officials of the Illinois and Michigan Canal. Each check shows the date, amount, payee's name, and check number.
491.096
CHECK REGISTER. 1839-1843. 1 vol. No index.
Summary statements record the issuance of ninety-day (i.e., payable ninety days after issuance), "at sight" (i.e., payable immediately), and "indefinite credit" (i.e., issued by the commissioners of the canal to contractors in 1840 when the Illinois and Michigan Canal treasury virtually was depleted) checks. Statements promise to pay the amount of the check plus 6 percent interest when sufficient funds become available. Register notes the dates that checks were written and the total amount of all checks written each day.
491.097
CHECK STUBS. 1845-1846; 1855-1859; 1893-1897; 1900. 8 vols. No index.
Check stubs are from payments made to contractors (1845-1846), from payments for arrears of interest made to canal bondholders (1855-1859), and from unspecified payments made between 1893 and 1897 and in 1900. Each stub includes date check was written, name of payee, and amount of payment.
491.098
CANCELED CHECKS. 1856-1857. 0.1 cu. ft. No index.
Canceled checks are from arrears of interest payments made to subscribers to the $1.6 million canal construction loan authorized by the General Assembly in 1843. Each check includes date of payment, name of the payee, and amount of payment.
491.099
CHECK LEDGER. 1893-1895. 1 vol. No index.
Daily record is of the total amount of checks written on the exchanges at Joliet, Lemont, and Chicago by unnamed employees of the Illinois and Michigan Canal. Each entry includes date and total amount of checks written. Monthly totals for each of the three exchanges also are given.
491.100
BANK DRAFTS. 1846-1847. 0.25 cu. ft. No index.
Bank drafts issued by officials of the Illinois and Michigan Canal include draft number, date issued, city where the draft was written, name of payee, amount, and signature of canal official issuing the draft.
491.101
REGISTER OF LEASES. 1840-1920. 2 vols. Partial index.
Register is of land and/or buildings leased from officials of the Illinois and Michigan Canal. Entries include date of lease, length of lease, name of lessee, legal description of property being leased, amount of money paid by lessee, record of payments made by lessee, and descriptions of buildings leased when applicable.
491.102
PLATS AND FIELD NOTES OF CANAL PROPERTY, LEASES, AND ADJACENT PROPERTY. September 1947-1958. 26 vols. and 0.5 cu. ft. No index.
Plats and field notes describe canal land and adjacent property in Will and Cook Counties and show streets and blocks, rivers, creeks, lakes, boundary stakes, railroads, and other features including existing subdivisions. Where areas of canal property were under lease, the location, name of the lessee, and the lease number are indicated. The survey apparently was prepared for the Department of Public Works to protect canal property from encroachments.
491.103
PROPERTY INVENTORIES. 1898-1899; 1903; 1908; 1913-1916. 0.5 cu. ft. No index.
Detailed listings are of canal property assigned to various offices and collection stations. Inventories include description of property types, number or quantity of each item, value of specific property types, the function of each item, and the facility housing the property. Among the items inventoried are boards, timber, planks, flooring, iron, steel, beams, rope, hay, oats, caulking cotton, lock iron and lock valves, fire hoses, boats, barns, sheds, oil and kerosene, lard, barrels, racks and pinions, tools, nails and spikes, office furniture, and canal structures.
491.104
INSURANCE POLICIES. 1896-1932. 0.5 cu. ft. No index.
Insurance policies were issued to the State of Illinois for property of the Illinois and Michigan Canal. Policies include name of insurance company issuing the policy, type of policy issued (e.g., fire insurance), issuance and expiration dates, amount of coverage, amount of premium, policy number, and type of structure insured.
491.105
PLATS. 1830-1899. 10 vols. and 1 cu. ft. No index.
Record includes dated and undated originals and copies of township and town plats. Township plats describe topographical features of the land including types and numbers of trees; the locations of swamps, rivers, creeks, streams, and other bodies of water; notations on soil characteristics (e.g., grassland, bottomland, prairie); and occasional references about the locations of existing buildings and other structures. Although varying in quality and detail, town plats contain information on lot and block boundaries, street locations and names, railroad depot and track locations, buildings, and rivers. The following are some of the more important plats included in this series: Chicago (1833) indicating the location of Fort Dearborn, Des Plaines (1840), North Joliet (1848), Ottawa (1837), additions by the trustees to Ottawa (1838, 1840, 1842), Lockport (1836, 1848), La Salle (1838), trustees' additions to Bridgeport (1853), Chicago (1840, 1848), Kankakee (1845), Marseilles (1848, 1850), Matteson (1855), and the Catholic Cemetery in Morris, Grundy County (1878) showing the location of plots reserved for priests, sale plots, plots set aside for the poor which were available at no cost, and the section set aside for unbaptized persons.
491.106
ENGINEERING DRAWINGS AND PROFILE MAPS. 1824; 1831; 1837-1839; 1843; 1850; 1869-1870; 1876; 1884; 1914. 1 cu. ft. No index.
Dated and undated originals and copies of profile maps and engineering drawings show the actual and proposed routes of the Illinois and Michigan Canal and various engineering and construction specifications. Among the many items included in this series are a plan for a cesspool (1876); profile map for sections 10-15, 16-48, 50-57, 155-170, 173-179, and 197 (all undated); proposed canal route (1824); specifications for the Calumet feeder culvert (undated); plan for the superstructure of the Fox River aqueduct (undated); plan of local foundation (1869); plan for the aqueduct over the Little Vermilion River (undated); plan for the pumping works for locks around Chicago (1882); plan of coffer dam (undated); profile map of the Kankakee River (1869); and the route of the Chicago and Alton Railroad from the Gulf and Western Crossing to the Grand Trunk Railroad Crossing (1884).
491.107
GRUNDY COUNTY FIELD NOTES AND SURVEYS. 1863-1881. 1 vol. No index.
Field notes and land surveys were compiled by Artemus J. Mathewson, a civil engineer and surveyor, who surveyed much of the land sold by the Illinois and Michigan Canal. The surveys are arranged by legal description and detail the number of acres, the owner of the land surveyed, survey number, and topographical features. In addition notice is made of railroads passing through the tracts.
491.108
SURVEY AND FIELD NOTES. 1836-1922. 167 vols. No index.
Standard survey and field notes of the Illinois and Michigan Canal, the Illinois River, the Chicago River, and the Des Plaines River were compiled by surveyors employed by officials of the Illinois and Michigan Canal. In addition to noting lines and corners and the physical features of the three rivers and the canal, the notes also contain detailed information about the topographical characteristics of the land adjacent to the waterways. Among the specific characteristics noted are bottomlands, wet and partially inundated prairie, dry prairie, wet prairie, firm ground, bluffs, types of trees and vegetation, adjacent streams and ravines, and existing buildings. The records also provide information on the locations of bridges, waste weirs, locks, dams, and feeders along the canal route. Record occasionally summarizes the expenses incurred during the surveys.
491.109
COOK, GRUNDY, AND WILL COUNTY SURVEYS. 1835-1861. 1 vol. No index.
Copies of private surveys and field notes were compiled for various purchasers of canal land in Cook, Grundy, and Will Counties. The original surveys and field notes were compiled by county surveyors and subsequently copied by an unspecified surveyor for officials of the canal. In addition to physical and topographical features, these surveys specify the date the originals were done, name of the person who owned the property surveyed, and name of the surveyor.
491.110
ILLINOIS RIVER LEVELS. June 19-July 29, 1857. 2 vols. No index.
Record is of daily water levels on the Illinois River at Lockport as compiled by canal employees at Lockport.
491.111
LEVELS OF THE KANKAKEE RIVER AND THE HEAD OF THE KANKAKEE FEEDER UP TO BEARDSLEY'S DAM. August 5-11, 1856. 1 vol. No index.
Record is of the water level of the Kankakee River at various points.
491.112
RAIN GAUGE MEASUREMENTS. 1886-1887. 1 vol. No index.
Record is a daily account of precipitation at Lockport compiled by canal employees stationed there. Entry for each day includes a notation on the type or the absence of precipitation. When it rained or snowed the number of inches of precipitation is noted as well as its duration.
491.113
ACCOUNT BOOK OF T.W. TRUTCH. 1857. 1 vol. No index.
This volume appears to be a record of expenses incurred by surveyors headed by T.W. Trutch who surveyed part of the Illinois River for the Trustees of the Illinois and Michigan Canal in 1857. Most of the entries pertain to the number of days worked by members of the surveying party and the amounts due them for their labor.
491.114
TELEGRAMS. 1849. 0.25 cu. ft. No index.
Telegrams were sent by officials and employees of the Illinois and Michigan Canal to other canal personnel and deal mainly with water levels at various points on the waterway and possible structural damage that could occur should water levels reach excessive heights.
491.115
FIDELITY BONDS. 1845-1931. 0.5 cu. ft. No index.
According to canal regulations certain employees and officers had to file fidelity bonds as a condition for employment. Each bond includes name of employee, position held, date of bonding, amount of bond, signature of employee submitting the bond, officers of the bonding company, signature and attestation of notary public witnessing the bond execution, and the name and address of the bonding firm. Bonds are included for the following employees: toll collectors (1848-1918), trustees (1845-1859), treasurers (1845-1873), secretary (1858), clerks (1849-1913), locktenders (1848-1931), superintendents (1849-1897), and inspectors and foremen (1868-1908).
491.116
POWERS OF ATTORNEY. 1842-1847. 0.5 cu. ft. No index.
Notarized documents filed with the commissioners and Trustees of the Illinois and Michigan Canal by contractors specify the persons authorized to act as their legal representatives in all matters relating to money due contractors for completed construction work. In many cases the persons designated as legal representatives had advanced money to the contractors and were to receive any payments subsequently made by the commissioners and trustees to the contractors. In addition to notifying the canal officials of those selected as legal representatives some of the documents concern revocations of powers of attorney. Information contained in the documents includes name of contractor delegating power of attorney and the date the agreement was drawn up or rescinded.
Powers of attorney also listed in RS 491.117.
491.117
REGISTER OF POWERS OF ATTORNEY. 1845-1846. 0.1 cu. ft. No index.
Record consists of an incomplete list of individuals named by contractors to serve as their legal representatives before the Trustees of the Illinois and Michigan Canal. Register entries include date of assignment as legal representative, name of the contractor or contractors, and the name of the person or persons named as the legal representative.
For POWERS OF ATTORNEY see RS 491.116.
491.118
DAMAGE CLAIMS. 1843-1847. 1 vol. Index.
Contractors who had suffered financial losses when construction on the waterway was halted in 1841 were entitled by law to file damage claims (L. 1843, p. 54). According to the statute contractors had to file their claims in writing and, if approved by the commissioners, they could receive compensation for "the value of their machinery upon the canal at the time the work stopped, and back percentage and scaleage." However, the total amount paid to all contractors could not exceed $230,000. For each claim entries include claim number, name of claimant, amounts of the appraisal and claim, amount of damages awarded to claimant, date of appraisal, and section of the canal where the damage allegedly occurred.
491.119
REGISTER OF MESSAGES SENT VIA THE OHIO AND MISSISSIPPI TELEGRAPH COMPANY. 1848-1850. 1 vol. No index.
Register consists of a list of messages sent by canal officials via the Ohio and Mississippi Telegraph Company. Entries include date that message was sent, name of sender, name of recipient, number of words, and the amount charged for the message.
491.120
MATERIALS RELATING TO RIPARIAN RIGHTS, SUBMERGED LANDS, RIVERS AND LAKES, AND NAVIGABILITY IN ILLINOIS. 1854-1925. 0.25 cu. ft. No index.
File includes copies of legal briefs, opinions of the Attorney General, correspondence, and court decisions relating to submerged lands, navigability, riparian rights, and use of rivers and lakes. Included are materials relating to the case of Joseph Stolp, et al. v. Charles Hoyt, constitutional provisions governing navigation, unsurveyed islands in the Mississippi River, laws governing the construction and operation of the Illinois and Michigan Canal, and certificates for land issued by the trustees of the canal.
491.121
CHICAGO SEWERAGE RECORDS. 1865. 1 vol. No index.
In 1865 the City of Chicago obtained permission from the State of Illinois to lower the summit level of the Illinois and Michigan Canal to ensure sufficient flow of its sewage from Lake Michigan through the canal to the Des Plaines River. This volume is a record of the changes in the physical features of the summit level of the canal as a result of its lowering by the City of Chicago.
491.122
LAND GRANTED BY THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT TO THE STATE OF ILLINOIS FOR CONSTRUCTION OF THE ILLINOIS AND MICHIGAN CANAL. 1830; 1854-1856. 0.25 cu. ft. No index.
Photostats provided by the Department of the Interior show tracts of land donated by the federal government to the State of Illinois for construction of the Illinois and Michigan Canal. The photostats detail land approved for donation to Illinois on March 5, and May 21, 1830; August 3, 1854; August 18, 1855; and March 20, 1856.
491.123
NEWSPAPER CLIPPINGS. 1902. 1 vol. No index.
Newspaper clippings were taken from the Peoria Herald Transcript, Peoria Star, Chicago Chronicle, Chicago Tribune, Henry Republican, Joliet Republican, and the Joliet Daily News and are on such topics as dam removals, water pollution, proposed Hickory Creek diversion, and waterpower rights and leases.
These records are available at the Illinois State Archives, Office of the Secretary of State.
|
