No. 19. IN ASSEMBLY, January 11, 1836. REPORT Of the select committee on the petition of inhabitants of the town of Cicero. Mr. Williamson, from the select committee to which was referred the petition of the inhabitants of the town of Cicero for an act appointing commissioners to drain the Great Swamp in said town, REPORTED: That they have examined the petition referred to them, and that it is respresented in the petition, that there is situated in near the centre of the town, a swamp, commonly known as the Great Swamp, which contains about 5,000 acres of land, and embraces a number of military lots. This swamp is of such an elevation as to admit of its being thoroughly drained, as there are outlets from it running in contrary directions. The petitioners represent that a large tract of land which is now of little worth, entirely incapable of cultivation, and embarrassing to the town, can be drained at a moderate expense, and thus reclaimed, and become valuable land. It retards the settlement, and has an unfavorable influence upon the residue of the town, and the petitioners, therefore, ask that a law may be passed which shall provide for draining this swamp under the direction of commissioners, and that the expense thereof may be charged upon the land reclaimed. It is within the knowledge of a part of your committee, that the facts set forth in the petition are true. An examination of Burr's map of the town, will afford a very correct view of this swamp, and the unfavorable effect of it upon the town is apparent. A similar measure to the one now proposed, was in 1822 adopted as to the swamp in the town of Salina, with great success, and much of the prosperity of that town is to be attributed to the law for draining the swamps therein. The necessity of legislative aid will be apparent when it is considered that this swamp has remained so long without any effort being made to improve it, owing doubtless to the fact, that it is owned by many individuals not living near it, who attach little value to it, and who cannot feel the necessity that exists for an attempt to reclaim it. The committee deem the application reasonable, and have prepared a bill for that purpose, which they now ask leave to pre sent. No. 20. IN ASSEMBLY, January 11, 1836. REPORT Of the select committee on the petition of the trustees of school district No. 8, in the town of York. Mr. Patterson, from the select committee to which was referred the petition of the trustees of school district No. 8, in the town of York, asking authority to sell a part of their school-house lot, REPORTED: That the petitioners represent that the school-house lot is situated on the main street in the village of York, and is consequently valuable: that at a meeting of the inhabitants of said district, regularly called, it was voted to petition the Legislature for authority to sell a portion of said lot. They further represent that a portion of the front, and the rear of the lot, can be sold without any disadvantage to the district. Your committee are of opinion the facts set forth in the petition, that the interest of the district would be promoted by allowing the trustees of said district to dispose of a part of their lot. They have, therefore, prepared a bill, and have directed their chairman to ask leave to introduce the same. |