The judges are appointed by the Governor and Senate for 7 years; their term ends January 28th, 1838. This court holds its sessions at Indianapolis in May and November. It has appellate jurisdiction only, except that the legislature may give it original jurisdiction in capital cases and cases in chancery, in which the President of the Circuit Court may be interested or prejudiced. Circuit Courts. Salary. John R. Porter, J. H. Thompson, do. Vermillion Co., 1st Circuit, President Judge, $700 do. 700 Madison, 3d do. do. 700 These judges are elected by the legislature for 7 years. They hold two terms annually. The Associate Judges have $2 a day. INTERNAL IMPROVEMENT. This state has entered upon a system of internal improvement on an extended scale, in improving river navigation, and constructing canals, railroads, and turnpike roads. was In January, 1836, an important "Internal Improvement Bill ” passed by the legislature, which provides for a loan of $10,000,000 on the credit of the state, to be expended under the direction of the Board of Internal Improvement on the following objects. 1. The White Water Canal, including a lateral canal or railroad to connect said canal with the Central or White River Canal, $1,400,000 3,500,000 3 Extension of the Wabash and Erie Canal to Terre Haute, 1,300,000 4. The Madison and Lafayette Railroad, 5. The New Albany and Crawfordsville McAdamized, or 6 A McAdamized Turnpike Road from New Albany to Vin The Board of Internal Improvement, in the early part of the season of 1836, stated that during the four succeeding months the following works would be let to contractors: - viz. 23 miles of the Wabash and Erie Canal, lying between Georgetown and Lafayette; 34 miles of the White Water Canal, extending from Brookfield to Lawrenceburg; 22 miles of the Madison and Lafayette Railroad, extending north from Ohio river; 50 miles of the Central Canal; 41 miles of the New Albany and Vincennes McAdamized Turnpike; and 20 miles of the Cross-cut Canal, extending from Terre Haute to Eel-run. The Wabash and Erie Canal, extending from near the entrance of the Maumee river into the west end of Lake Erie, to Lafayette, on the Wabash, in Indiana, 187 miles in length, 105 miles being in Indiana and the rest in Ohio, is an important work, now in active progress. Before the end of the year 1836, 65 miles are expected to be navigable. The navigation of the Wabash, it is thought, will be found inadequate to the increasing commerce of this route; and it has been proposed to continue the canal down the Wabash to the junction of the Central Canal, 270 miles; and thence to the Ohio, 110 miles: - whole distance by this route from Lake Erie to the Ohio, 460 miles. See page 261. The Central Canal is to diverge from a point on the Wabash and Erie Canal, between Fort Wayne and Logansport, passing the valleys of the Mississinewa and White rivers, down the west fork of White river, passing by Indianapolis, to the Ohio at Evansville. Length, 290 miles; the last 110 miles being common to this and to the Wabash and Erie Canal. This canal is designed to open the central part of the state to both a northern and a southern market. The White Water Canal is to commence at the National Road in Wayne county, pass down the valley of the White Water river to Lawrenceburg on the Ohio; 76 miles in length. It is provided, that, at some future day, the north end of this canal shall be connected with the Central Canal in Delaware county, The Terre Haute and Eel River Canal is designed to form a connection between the Wabash and Erie Canal and the Central Canal. Length, 40 miles. Cost, estimated at $629,631. The Madison and Lafayette Railroad is designed to extend from Madison on the Ohio through the central part of the state, passing by Indianapolis, to Lafayette on the Wabash and Erie Canal. Length, about 160 miles. The New Albany or Jeffersonville and Crawfordsville Road is designed to connect the Ohio at a point opposite to Louisville with the Wabash and Erie Canal, by a route nearly parallel with the Madison and Lafayette Railroad. Length, about 158 miles. The New Albany and Vincennes McAdamized Road will connect the Ohio at New Albany, near Louisville, with the Wabash at Vincennes. Length, about 104 miles. The Michigan and Erie Canal or Railroad is designed to extend from the south end of Lake Michigan to the Wabash and Erie Canal, at or near Fort Wayne. It will complete the connection between lakes Erie and Michigan. The law directs the connection to be made by a canal, if practicable, if not, by a railroad. XXIII. ILLINOIS. GOVERNMENT. JOSEPH DUNCAN, of Jacksonville, Governor; (elected in 1834 : term of office expires on the 1st Monday in Dec. 1838,) Salary. Lieut.-Governor, $1,000 $5 a day usually, $3 a day. Attorney-General, 350 and fees. Present number of Senators, 40; Representatives, 93; pay of each, Indentured and registered servants and children, French negroes and mulattoes held in bondage, The Illinois and Michigan Canal, extending from Chicago on Lake Michigan, to Ottawa on Illinois river, about 95 miles, was commenced in 1836, as a state work, under the direction of a Board of Commissioners. The canal is to be 36 feet wide at the bottom, 60 on the surface, and 6 feet deep. The Illinois river is navigable for steamboats at all seasons to Ottawa. Within 36 miles of Chicago, the canal must be cut 24 miles through solid rock, from 7 to 28 feet in depth. The cost of making this part is estimated at $4,000,000; of the whole, at $7,000,000. The commissioners advertised in July, 1836, for 10,000 laborers, offering from $20 to $30 per month. The Beardstown and Sangamon Canal was incorporated at the last session of the legislature. THE NATIONAL ROAD. This national work, which commences at Baltimore, extending west, passing by Cumberland, Md., Washington, Pa., Wheeling, Va., Zanesville and Columbus, Ohio, Indianapolis, Indiana, to Vandalia, Illinois; and it is expected to cross the Mississippi, at Alton or St. Louis, and be continued to Jefferson City, and perhaps further. Its course in Illinois from the eastern side of the state to Vandalia, is 90 miles in length, |
