W. H. Brown to Richard Yates

Chicago Nov. 25, 1861

His Excellency R. Yates

Governor Il.

Sir,

I enclose to you the Circular (on the other page) addressed to the Delegation from the County of Cook, and ask that its subject matter may be embraced in your Proclamation, if you should desire it expedient to call the Legislature together.

I am Sir very respectfully

Your obt Servant

W. H. Brown

Chicago, November 20th, 1861.

To Hons. Wm. B. Ogden, J. Y. Scammon, Wm. H. Brown, Wm. H. Wilmarth, S. W. Willson, and to the Members of the Senate and House of Representatives of the State of Illinois generally:

Gentlemen:--

We, the undersigned, members of the Board of Trade of the city of Chicago, were appointed, a few weeks since, a Committee by said Board, to investigate irregularities in the inspection of Grain, and other matters. Although our labors in this respect are not completed, yet from the evidence already produced, we are perfectly satisfied that abuses of the grossest nature have been perpetrated in the Grain Warehouses of our city, much to the detriment of the interests of both producers and consumers. We have found that the excellent system of inspection of Grain inaugurated a few years since by the Board of Trade, has become worse than useless in consequence of said abuses; and that the interests of the entire State are being sacrificed thereby. We have found that, notwithstanding great pains are taken in inspecting Grain into Warehouses, for the purpose of raising the character of our produce in Eastern Markets---when this same grain is shipped out of the warehouses, it is adulterated and mixed to such an extent that its price is depreciated at the sea-board from two to four cents per bushel below the grain sent from other Lake Michigan Ports, which receive the same grades and qualities.

It has also been ascertained, and indeed it is a notorious fact, that it has become a practice among Warehousemen to loan the Grain stored with them by producers and their representatives, thus endangering the interests of all concerned---the bankers and merchants who advance on it, as well as the owners of the grain themselves.

In view, therefore, of these abuses and irregularities, we think that some legislative enactment is necessary to regulate the warehousing system of this city, whereby such abuses may be prevented in future, and the interests of the producers be protected. And as it is currently reported that an extra session of the Legislature will be called at an early date, we respectfully request you to urge upon Governor Yates the necessity there exists of having inserted in the call for such extra session a clause signifying this as one of the subjects to be legislated on.

(Signed), J. C. Wright,

Asa Dow,

A. E. Neeley,

H. Bacon,

B. P. Hutchinson.

W. H. Brown

Chicago Nov 25/61.

With Circular to Legislature from Cook Co. asking that its subject matter may be embraced in Proclamation &c

File in separate Pigeon hole to be marked, "Legislature."