The Davenport daily gazette. [volume] (Davenport, Iowa) 1856-1869, 1856-12-12

FRIDAY MORNING, BEG. ~, 1856.
Game Law in less.
We are glad to observe netce has been
given. that bill will be intadne ed inta our
Legislature Tor an act to establish Game
Law in this State, simiinr to that III III
nos. We hope this bill, OF soMe bill Prov
ding US with good law 81 this nature, VIII
psss Unless some law be made this win.
ter FOR the protection Of game. il viii soon
measarably disappear irom our Prairies--
Our finest game is already rapidly disaP-
peaing under the foraging attacks OF those
who have no thought OF OF regard TO thesea-
soma Of breeding, but who Tor amusementer
speculation make an indiscriminatc warfare
spon everything that p.umes feathers, and
a. ,imes when the killing Of female bird,
il the destruction of brood. IL Is a notice
able fact in our Iowa cities, that the price Of
game is yearly advancing, and has nov
reached such an altitude, that il is a luxury
In which but the few can indulge, while at
ii ..es, when our markets should be We'll
stocked, game of no kind is 70 lie obtained.
A few years ago we had the finest pfairie
game in abundance. II like Illinois. we had
game laws, We should even with the rapid
settlement of the conatry, have suiiicleney
OF game When butchers meats are 50
high, the protection OF CAR game becomes
matter OF sefiuus interes, 10 the people. III
is not, as many suppose, mere aeeomoda'
ton to those ioad OF sporting IN preserving
Tor their uses the beasts oi the field and ihe
fowls OF the air, that game laws are desired
but il is To secure the increase u game,
SO thai at the proper season We msy have
varieties d pfairie game abundant and
cheap for o,rr tables, aud just as much With
in the reaei, Of the peer Ms our common
meats.
The very iart 81 our neighhor ILLINOIS
having game laws, renders II indispensable
that we should protect our oMn game, by
some similar statute, OF n least tbs game Of
permitted 10 Mil game within that State
borders, during certain seasons 81 the year
make il a business to cross the river aud rot
our prairies They come here JUS, as cur
prairie chickens, grouse, woai-cocS qualls,
&c, are breeding, aud probably ia killing
dozen birds. destroy hundreds which could
have afforded sport Ia our hunters, and
supplied our own tables, during the WINTER
Men and boys iron our Iowa towns hnni the
country over in the early summer, when u
they knew the laws Of nature, or cared Ter
them, they would blush to be seen with a
gun in their hands. We have an honest,
hearty, unqualified contempt, for The iuii
grown man, v he armed with gun viii go
out in pursuit of The setting hras and thes
prond compuuions, Of the Scattered game
Tribe. We feel Ike putting a tea bifd shots
IN the rear Of the person we may meet ga
the prairie with gun, from the time 81 buds
and blossoms 10 The first fail Of the leaf
We are mol particularly sportsman. but We
lave the true sportsman's feelings on this
sub,ect--aBd moreover, we are very fond Of
it for our Table nj rates wilhiu an editors
purse -siofiai hunts Ns entreat aur iraeHds |
in the Legisla,me Ia AZ once pass bill -
protect Iowa game, hoth FROM ioragera
abroad, aud persons 81 more leisure than
discernmrnt al home. Like ali other laws,
we may expect the Game Law to be VIOLA
ted, but il viii still exercise wade and ex-
celient influence.
We make the follow lHg extracts from Tie
Illinois Game Law, 10 Illustrate that kind
OF a Law Is desired
l. II shall be uniaa lui for any person 10
kill, ensnare or trap any dcer, Iawn,
wild turkey, grouse, prairie hen OF chicken,
or quail, between the fifteenth day Of lanu-
ary and first Of August in eacfand every
year.
9. That il shall be unlawful for any per-
son 10 buv, eeii, or have in possession any
Kind Of the above mentioned animals
which shall have been Killed, trapped or Gu
SHARED between days above. and thai the
having or being in possession o. any 81 The
above animals or birds hy any per. or peFs.
betweensait date shall be deemed and ken
ensnared, trapped or killed by The person
having possession Of same ID violation to
provisions Of this act.
3. ANY person who shall 90 upon tho
premises OF any pers or corporation, whether
enclosed or not, with the intention 10 hunt,
or 10 be found hunting, ertrapping or en-
snaring any OF above animals aforesaid at "
within the time aforesaid, he shall be deem
e. F.l he tai
before any J. Of r. of the Co. wherein the
premises may be, BY the owner or person
In possession OF the same in an action 81
trespass, and fined IN any SUN not less than
or more than 20 dalts--to 20 10 the owner
os occupant Of said premises. Progjdea,
however, that a jadgaleflt obtained against
any person for violation Of this act under
the 4th section thereof shall be bar To any
suit under the Sd.
L. Any person who shall millfuily violate
any OF the provisions u this act shall Ioriejr
and pay a fine Of SD for each deer o. iawn
thus killed, enshared. entrsppeh, bought
cold or held in possession, and for any other
wild game, animals 81 fowls, above eBume-
rated--eiiher killed, ensnarcd, eDiragped
bought, sold, &c, the sun OF So shall bc
paid to be sued Tor and recovered befoT.
any j. OF p OF the Coin an action d debt,
or before any court having jurisdiction there
OF, one-half TO 60 to complaint ana one
half TO school trustees of tow nship the
aetisn TO be breugltin name Of SAID county
This act shall be III force from and al
ter its passage.
II might be desirable 10 make the ioiio~-
ing changes from the Illinois law, 80 inr ar
birds are concerned: Woodcoek, bom tn
lst Tuesday in July; sood-duek, from thr
18th Of August; prairie chickens, ir3m the
20th Of August; ruled grouse, from tAe Ist
Tuesday in September; qaail irors the Isl
Tuesday in October--the seas0a TO close %
the 18th OF January.
We hope our brother ioss editors vii
take up this subject, and leid their aid "a
securing this lame Law
Fire al Sterling, LIS.
A Destructive fire occurred at Sterling
Ills, ON last Monday, which consumed tye
stores and several other bulaiRgs, value
stS40,0e0. This IL the fIlii FIRE whirt, uc
A la