Jasper County Democrat, Volume 17, Number 82, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 20 January 1915 — GENERAL AND STATE NEWS [ARTICLE]

GENERAL AND STATE NEWS

Telegraphic Reports From Many Parts of the Country. SHORT BITS OF THE UNUSUAL . . . . ... . Happenings in Distant and Nearby Cities and Towns.-—Matters of Minor Mention From Many Places. TO EXTEND IN ILLINOIS Is Deepening and Straightening of Kankakee If Proposed Law Is Enacted. - - Indianapolis, Jan.. 16.—A bill hat, been prepared for early introduction in the legislature which makes provisions for the state of Indiana to enter into a contract with the state of Illinois as a step toward the completion of the reclamation of the Kankakee swamp lands. The bill will be backed by an association in the northern part of Indiana which has been active in behalf of the Kankakee swamp lands and involves a question of Constitutionality. It is said there is a supreme court decision which would give the two states the right to enter into such a contract, although it is pointed out by some that such a contract could not be made without the consent of congress.

The purpose of the bill is to complete the straightening of the Kankakee river, which is an interstate stream, and it is necessary to invadt territory in the state of Illinois to complete the work. The Kankakee swamp lands involve about 1,500,000 acres of land,-and Practically all of it is in Indiana. About one township would be affected in Illinois, it is said;. The bill'has been prepared in the offic«iteof John A. Lapp, head of the department of legislative information, and covers, approximately 100 pages of typewritten paper.