The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1889-02-13
A GOOD OMEN IN SABLE PLUMAGE.
Meaning OF the Crows Appearance
in Legislative Halls.
He Always Comes When the Capital
Is to be Moved.
a Day Of Railroad Bills at the state
House!
Especial to the Press.i


crow In the legislative halls at Augusta must
be admitted to be an omen Of great portept.
The archives of the State show that one
other time when this bird of sable plumage
appeared within the walls of the Capitol
was during those eventful years when the
State government was about removing to a
new seat 1t was in 1880 that the crow, on a
former time. uttered his doleful plant in
the walls Of the State House, and that was
at the time when the seat of governmen t
was being established at Augusta. The re-
appearance OF the bird in raven plumage in
the halls of legislation at this time can au-
CUR but one thing-that the State govern
ment is about to move back to its old, his
toric seat.
1t was by the legislature of 1880 that the
following law was passed.
Be IL enacted, etc.:
That from and after the passage of this act, any
person who may deliver TO the treasurer Of any
Crows, dead or alive, shall be entitled to receive
from said treasurer the sum Of eight cents for
each crow so delivered, to be paid out of the
treasurers Of the several towns and plantations
may keep an account of the money by them paid
out, by virtue of this act, and prest mt The same,
lature for allowance, and the legislature. upon
being satisfied OF the correctness of such account
shall allow the same, and authorize the payment
thereof
[Approved March 6, 1897
The news of the bounty does not seem to
have been noisea abroad over the State very
soon. for in 1881 the record shows but S5.6s
paid to the treasurer of Dixfield town for
money paid out by him for 81 dead crows.
But the next year, 1882, we find among the
military accounts" this item. paid bounty
on crows $21S7.34." This entry might i'm
ply that the militia were called out to put
down the crows, but as the old men do not
seem to remember any such campaign it is
probable that the old bookkeepers put the
crow bounty into the military bill either
because powder and shot were involved or
because the hunting of crows was supposed
TO be valuable preparation for war. In
1888 there seems to have been paid out ST.
22S.Oo; and in 1884, $2,s34. In 1884 sixty
crows were paid for in Portland.
The crow law was repealed in 1884, not
having amounted to much either so far as
the crows or the treasury were concerned.
At the same time that the crow bounty law
was repealed the law granting bounty on
bears, wolves, wildcats and l0upcerviers.
There seems to have been more need of this
than Of the crow law, for 1884 a bear was
killed In Hallowell, probably in sight of the
Capitol. In Dover, now represented by the
gallant Col. PeakeS, there were killed that
year II bears, loupcerviers and wildcats.
A wildcat was also killed in Scarboro that
year.
In the Senate this forenoon the crow bill
went through without word of protest. Un-
less arrested on its passage to be enacted,
which does not seem probable, 1t will be-
come law.
The Portland and Rochester.
In the House this forenoon Mr.. Looney
presented an amendment to the Portland &
Rochester enabling bill which was adopted,
and the bill as amended passed to be en-
crossed. This amendment, it is understood,
makes the bill satisfactory to the citizens
who protested against it In its old form. The
amendment in regard to a two-thirds vote
asked at the last hearing, is not included in
this amendment. which is to amend section
two by striking out all of it and substituting
the following:
Section 2-The qualified voters of said city
shall be called upon 10 give in their votes upon
the question of any extension which may be pro-
posed by said Portland & Rochester. railroad, or
section at The meetings in the several wards
thereof, duly warned by the Mayor and Alder
men, to be held on the day of the municipal cleo
ton, which shall be held not less than IA Us
next after said Portland s. Rochester railroad, or
its officers, shall file In writing with tn, clerk of
said city Of Portland, full and complete descrip-
tion Of any such intended ension, stating there
la in definite terms the Initial and terminal points
OF said location and the courses and distances be-
TWEEN said points by which said location shall be
fixed and determined. Such question shall be
determined in the following manner. that is TO
say: Each vOt-r in favor of such proposed exten-
sion, shall express snch preference by a ballot
bearing the word "yes;' and each
voter opposed thereto, by ballot bearing the
separate ballot boxes, in the manner provided
by law for the submission of a constitutional
amendment. And. thertupOn, the same proceed
ngs shall be had respecting the sorting counting,
declaring and recording the returns of said votes,
Is provided by law at the election of the mayor
of said city. And the board of mayor and aldermen
shall, within three days after such meetings, meet
icers and, If it appears that majority of all the
votes given on the question Of 5 uch proposed ex-
tension bearing tn word "YeS,"t and are In favor
thereof, the city clerk shall make a record of the
fact and thereupon, by force of such vote and
record. said Portland Il Rochester Railroad shall
be authorized to locate such extension not to ex-
ceed four rods in W dth, in the manner set forth
of the city of Portland, and to construct, main
tain and use the,same upon terms and conditions
approved from time TO time by the Mayor and
Aldermen of the city of Portland, provided said
extension shall be completed within three years
from the municipal election at which said pro.
posed location shall be approved by vote of the
citizens OF said city of Portland.