The proposal for a single consolidated court was defeated, by a vote of 17 to 32; and the provisions for separate courts were adopted, in accordance with the wishes of a majority of the Cook County members." The constitution of 1870 provided that Cook County shall be one judicial circuit, with five judges, including the judge of the recorder's court of Chicago, which was continued as the criminal court of Cook County, with the criminal jurisdiction of a circuit court. The superior court of Chicago was also continued as the superior court of Cook County. The general assembly was authorized to increase the number of judges with the increase of population. By these provisions the previously existing courts were continued, with some extension of jurisdiction; and the former statutory superior and recorder's courts were given a constitutional basis, which prevented their abolition or consolidation. With the increasing population of Cook County, additional judges have been authorized from time to time. In 1887, six additional circuit judges were provided; in 1893, three more; and in 1915, six more, making a total of twenty. An act of 1875 authorized additional superior court judges up to nine; in 1893 a further increase was authorized to twelve, in 1911, to eighteen; and in 1917 another increase to twenty. This makes a total of forty judges in these courts. Additional circuit judges have been authorized just before the regular election for such judges, so the entire number is elected at one time. The additional superior court judges have been authorized in other years than that of the regular judicial elections, and in some cases the election of such judges has been designated for November. The superior court judges are thus elected in groups at different times. The Criminal Court of Cook County is held by judges of the Circuit and Superior courts; and no judges of the Criminal Court are elected as such. A Juvenile Court has also been established, as a branch of the Circuit Court, presided over by one of the Circuit judges. Jury Commissioners are appointed by the judges of the several courts of record. By the act of 1877 creating appellate courts, Cook County was created an appellate court district. No additional judges are elected for these courts; but three circuit or superior judges are assigned by the supreme court to duty in each appellate court. By act of 1897, branch appellate courts are authorized, with additional judges to be assigned by the supreme court, when necessary on account of accumulated cases; and 3 such branch courts have been constituted in Cook County. The clerk of the appellate court is elected for a term of six years. Under section 28 of Article VI of the constitution of 1870, all justices of the peace in the city of Chicago were appointed by the Governor, with the advice and consent of the senate, on the recommendation of a majority of the judges of the circuit, superior and Proceedings and Debates I, II, 96, 852, 965, 974, 1012, 1040, 1077, 1145 1163, 1472-1490. county courts; and were removable by summary proceedings in the circuit or superior courts for extortion or other malfeasance. Such justices of the peace, with a very limited jurisdiction and paid by fees, held the only courts for minor cases in Chicago until 1905. These arrangements worked badly. The various justices acted independently without administrative supervision; and their limited jurisdiction forced many cases into the higher courts. After the adoption of the constitutional amendment of 1904 authorizing special legislation for Chicago, including laws relating to municipal courts, a municipal court was established, which took the place of justices of the peace in Chicago. Elective County Officers. The total number of officers elected for Cook County is now 79 as follows: President of the County Board (elected also as a commissioner). States Attorney. 1 Sheriff... County Treasurer. County Clerk and Clerk of County Court.. County Recorder.... Coroner County Superintendent of Schools. County Surveyor... Board of Assessors. Board of Review... Judges of Circuit Court. 15 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 5 3 20 20 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 79 Of these, twenty-seven are elected at the same time, at the November elections in the middle of a Governor's term; and twenty-one judges (20 circuit court and 1 superior court) are elected at the judicial elections in June of every sixth year. As shown in the summary of Cook County appropriations for the year 1919, the total regular staff of the county offices in this county aggregates about 3,000 persons. In addition there is a considerable body of extra employes, especially in connection with the assessment and collection of taxes. The total salary appropriations amount to almost $6,000,000 a year and the total appropriations for the county government, to about $13,500,000. City of Chicago. Under acts of Congress and the state legislature, passed in 1829, the town of Chicago was first laid out and the plat filed on August 4, 1830. On December 4, 1829, the first trustees of the school section were appointed. In 1833 the town was incorporated under the general town law; and several special acts of the legislature relating to the town of Chicago were passed during the next four years. In 1837, Chicago was incorporated as a city by special act of the legislature. The first city charter was prepared by a local committee and approved at a mass meeting of citizens, before it was passed by the legislature. This charter was amended from time to time by more than a score of special acts. In 1851 a second revised charter was enacted, which in turn was frequently amended and supplemented by special acts. A third charter was enacted in 1863; and this also was amended from time to time. In 1875, the city of Chicago voted to adopt the general cities and villages act of 1872; and has been governed under its provisions and later amendments; but special provisions for Chicago have also been passed from time to time by means of classified and optional acts, and since 1904 by special legislation subject to local referendum. Under the first city charter, the city had an area of 10.6 square miles. These limits have been extended from time to time, at first by special acts of the legislature, and since 1870 under the provisions of the cities and villages act for the annexation of territory. Four additions were made before 1870; and by the latter date the city had an area of 35.66 square miles. In 1889, an area of 126.07 square miles was added at one time; including the city of Lake View, the village of Hyde Park, the towns of Lake and Jefferson (embracing several suburban districts) and part of the incorporated town of CicFurther annexations have been made from time to time of small areas, absorbing a number of villages; and the total area of the city is now about 200 square miles. ero. The following table shows the development of the city by an nexations: Territorial Growth of Chicago. Town of Chicago incorporated August, 1833. 1. (To Western Avenue) Act of Feb. 16, 1847. 2. (Fullerton Ave. and 31st St.,) Act of Feb. 12, 1853. 3. (To 39th St., S. and N. W.) Act of Feb. 13, 1863. 4. (To Crawford Ave. W.) Act of Feb. 27, 1869. 5. (North to Fullerton Ave. N. W.) Act of May 16, 1887. 6. (To Cicero Ave. W., Belmont Ave. N. W.) Act of April 29, 1889. 7. Lake View, Jefferson, Hyde Park, Lake and part of Cicero, Election June 29, 1889. 8. Village of Gano, April 1, 1890. 9. South Englewood, May 12, 1890. 10. Villages of Washington Heights and West, Roseland, Nov. 4, 1890. 11. Village of Fernwood, April 7, 1891. 12. Villages of West Ridge and Rogers Park, April 19, 1893. 13. Village of Norwood Park, Nov. 7, 1893. 14. Part of Calumet, Feb. 25, 1895. 15. Part of Cicero, (Austin), April 4, 1899. 20. Part of Niles (re-annexed), April 5, 1915. 21. Part of Town of Stickney, June 7, 1915. 22. Part of Calumet by Act of Legislature, July 1, 1915 (territory surrounded by city after annexation of Morgan Park). 23. Part of Town of Stickney, Nov. 6, 1917. Local districts not noted above absorbed by annexation include: Bowmansville, Brighton, Jefferson, Irving Park, Maplewood and Ravenswood. As a result of these extensions, the city of Chicago now includes the whole area of eight townships, and part of six others, and also that of the former city of Lake View and twenty former villages. By annexation the former city and village governments have been completely absorbed in that of the city of Chicago. The townships wholly within the city retain a nominal existence; but under act of 1901 the town officers in such towns have been abolished, and their powers are exercised by the county board, county clerk and county treasurer. The towns only partly within the city have the usual list of town officers. Organization of City Government. The organization of the city government proper is comparatively simple. The principal elective officers are the mayor and aldermen. The mayor is elected for a four-year term. The council consists of 70 members, two aldermen from each ward, elected for two-year terms, one each year. A special act of 1919, subject to referendum, would reduce the number of aldermen to 50, one to be elected from each of 50 wards; but this act was not adopted on the referendum vote. Other elective officers are the city clerk and city treasurer, elected for two-year terms, in April, at the same time as aldermen; and the chief justice and 30 associate justices of the Municipal Court, and the bailiff and clerk of that court, elected for six-year terms, at the November elections, one-third of the justices being elected every two years. The administrative functions of the city government are exercised through 20 departments, the heads of which are appointed by the mayor with the consent of the council. Subordinate officials and employes are selected, for the most part, under civil service regulations. There are altogether 106 elective city officers. Each voter votes for 38 city officers, for a maximum of five at the city election, and for from ten to thirteen municipal court officers at the November elections. Connected with the city government are several other substantially independent agencies: the Board of Educaiton, the Library Board and the Municipal Tuberculosis Sanitarium. The members of these bodies are appointed by the mayor, subject to confirmation by the council; taxes for their use are levied by the council. But the action of the council in these matters is largely formal and perfunctory; and these bodies are practically free from control by the city government proper. Overlapping authorities. In addition to the various organs of the city government there are a large number of other local governing agencies exercising jurisdiction within the limits of the city. Cook County and the Sanitary District of Chicago cover a larger area than the city; and every resident of the city is also under the jurisdiction of both of these larger districts. Other bodies have authority over only part of the city; but every resident of the city is subject in some degree to one or more of these authorities. Below is a list of the local governing agencies within the limits of the city of Chicago: Cook County Forest Preserve District. Sanitary District of Chicago City of Chicago Board of Education Library Board Municipal Tuberculosis Sanitarium 14 towns (8 of these wholly within the city have no town officers and are almost eliminated). 17 Park Districts, as follows: South Park Commissioners West Chicago Park Commissioners Ridge Avenue Park Commissioners North Shore Park Commissioners Ridge Park Commissioners Irving Park Commissioners Old Portage Park Commissioners Edison Park Commissioners West Pullman Park Commissioners (partly outside of city) |