225 ILCS 435/2

Any person may petition the county board for license to keep a ferry, and if said board shall deem such ferry necessary, it shall order the county clerk to issue a license to such person, upon his paying the fee therefor to be fixed by the board, and giving bonds as provided in this act: Provided, that no person shall be licensed to keep ferry within 1000 feet of any established ferry, so long as such established ferry is competent to do the business, and its owner complies with the provisions of this act, unless the county board shall deem it necessary to establish another ferry for the public good.