18 Third Annual Report of the 



hydraulic developments in the forest preserve. The resolution 

 was in the following form: 



" That section seven of article VII of the Constitution be 

 amended to read as follows: 



" ' Forest preserve, section 7. The lands of the State, now 

 owned or hereafter acquired constituting the forest preserve as 

 now fixed by law, shall be forever kept as wild forest lands. They 

 shall not be leased, sold or exchanged, or be taken by any corpora- 

 tion, public or private, nor shall the timber thereon be sold, re- 

 moved or destroyed. * But the Legislature may by general laws 

 provide for the use of not exceeding three percentum of such 

 lands for the construction and maintenance of reservoirs for mu- 

 nicipal water supply, for the canals of the State and to regulate 

 the flow of streams. Such reservoirs shall be constructed, owned 

 and controlled by the State, but such work shall not be undertaken 

 until after the boundaries and high flow lines thereof shall have 

 been accurately surveyed and fixed, and after public notice, hear- 

 ing and determination that such lands are required for such public 

 use. The expense of any such improvements shall be apportioned 

 on the public and private property and municipalities benefited to 

 the extent of the benefits received. Any such reservoir shall always 

 be operated by the State, and the Legislature shall provide for a 

 charge upon the property and municipalities benefited for a rea- 

 sonable return to the State upon the value of the rights and prop- 

 erty of the State used and the services of the State rendered, which 

 shall be fixed for terms of not exceeding ten years and be read- 

 justable at the end of any term. Unsanitary conditions shall not 

 be created or continued by any such public works. A violation 

 of any of the provisions of this section may be restrained at the 

 suit of the people or with the consent of the supreme court in 

 appellate division, on notice to the attorney-general at the suit of 

 any citizen.' " 



It will be observed that the purpose of this amendment was 

 to authorize the use of a small percentage of the State lands for 

 storage reservoir purposes. It is generally conceded that the 

 regulation of the stream flow of our numerous rivers will greatly 

 inure to the benefit of the State and to its citizens. 



* That portion of the above section printed in italics is new. 



