Rock Island daily Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1886-1893, 1891-07-02
THE SPARROW BOUNTY.
The Erroneous Impression as to
when the state Pays for the English
Pests-The Law as it Stands


Pests-The Law as it stands.
AS an impression has got abroad among
the youth Of Rock Island that the pay.
ment of the 2-cent bounty for killing Eng
fish sparrows took effect July 1, we pub
lish the law below that all may under>
stand for themselves just what its pro
visions are. II will be seen that while
this law, as all others passed by the legis-
lature that do not have an emergency
clause, went into effect Yesterday, its pro-
visions cannot he taken advantage of uu-
til next December; as it is only upon
sparrows killed in December, January and
February of each year that the ? cent
bounty is to be paid. This will seriously
curtail the revenues of good many ex.
pectant youth, but it is the law-"so
nominated in the bond"-and they will
have to submit. There is a fine also for
the attempt to collect bounty on the
heads of any other birds except the Eng
fish sparrow that will be very apt to re-
duce the profits of some Of the boys if
they are not careful. But here is the law.
Read it for yourselves:
Section l. Be it Ell acted by the people
of the state of Illinois, represented in the
general assembly, thai every person being
an inhabitant of this state, who shall kill
an English sparrow in any county not
under township Organization, or in any
organized township, village or city in this
state during the months of December,
January and February, shall be entitled
to receive bounty OF two cents for each
sparrow thus killed, to be allowed and
paid II the manner hereinafter provided
Sec. ,. Every person applying for such
bounty shall take such sparrow, or the
head thereof, in lots Of not less than 10,
to the county clerk in counties not under
township organization or to the clerk of
the township, village or city within which
such sparrow shall have been killed, who
shall tnereupon decide upon such appli
cation, and il satisfied of the correctness
of such claim, shall issue certificate
stating the amount of bounty to which
such applicant is entitled. and deliver the
same TO said applicant, and shall destroy
the heads of such sparrows.
Sec. 3 Such certificate may be pres
sented by the claimant or his agent to the
county clerk of the county in which such
sparrow or sparrows have been killed.
who shall thereon draw warrant for the
amount on the treasurer of said county,
ard said treasurer shall, upon preaenta>
ton of said warrant. pay the same from
the general or contingent fund of said
county.
Sec 4. If any person, in applying to
the clerk of-couuties not under township
organic alton, or to the clerk of any town
ship, village orNcity for the certificate
stating the amount of bounty to which
he may be entitled under this act shall
have in his possession OF present to such
clerk the head or heads of any bird or
birds other than the English sparrow,
such person shall be deemed guilty of q
misdemesnor. and upon conviction there
of shall be fined So for each head of such
bird other than the English sparrow so
being in his possession or presented to
the clerk. And it shsll be the duty OF
the clerk to whom such application is
made upon finding the head of any bird
other than the English sparrow among the
heads presented to him, to contiscate the
heads so presented and preserve them to
be used as evidence against the person
applying for the bounty, and refuse to
issue the certificate.
Sec 5 1t is hereby mad the duty of
the director of the state labratory OF ma
tural history, to prepare, as soon after
this act shall take effect rs practicable. q
bulletin of information for the use of the
clerks of county, townships, villages and
cities in this state, 10 enable them to dis
tiDguish the heads of the English spar
row from those of other birds, and which
said bulletins shall be delivered to said
clerks free of charge.
Sec. 6. If any clerk of any county not
under township organZ alton, clerk of
any township. village or city shall know
ingly issue any certificate for the pay
ment of the bounty provided for in this
act for the killing of any bird other than
the English sparrow, such clerk shall be
deemed guilty of a nisdemeanor, and
upon conviction thereof shall be fined not
less than SIC