nated as shot firers, shall be employed by the company and at its expense, whose duty it shall be to inspect and do all the firing of all blasts, prepared in a practical, workmanlike manner in said mine or mines.

3. The shot firers shall, immediately after the completion of their work, post a notice in a conspicuous place at the mine, in which shall be indicated the number of shots fired; also the number of shots they did not fire, if any, specifying the number of the room and designation of the entry, and giving reasons for not firing the same. In addition they shall also keep a daily permanent record in which shall be entered the number of shots or blasts fired, the number of shots or blasts failing to explode, and the number of shots or blasts that in their judgment were not properly prepared and which they refuse to fire, giving reasons for the same, the record to be in the custody of the mine manager and to be available for inspection at all times by parties interested.

§ 4. The superintendent or mine manager shall not permit the shot firers to do any blasting, exploding of shots, or do any firing whatever until each and every miner and employé is out of the mine except the shot firers, mine superintendent, mine manager and man or men necessarily engaged in charge of the pumps and stables: Provided however, that nothing in this section shall be construed to prohibit the employment in such mine of a reasonably necessary number of men during such time for the purpose of securing the workings in case of fire therein.

§ 5. No miner or other person shall alter or change any drill hole, by increasing its depth, diameter or otherwise, after the same shall have been approved by the shot firer.

§ 6. No shot firer, whether voluntarily, or by command or request of any person, shall fire any unlawful shot, or any shot which in his judgment, exercised as aforesaid, from his inspection thereof. made as aforesaid, shall not be a workmanlike, proper and practical shot.

7. No person or persons shall order, command or induce by threats, or otherwise, any shot firer to fire any unlawful shot, or any shot which in his judgment, after due inspection, shall not be a workmanlike, proper and practical shot.

§ 8. Any wilful neglect, refusal or failure to do the things required to be done by any section, clause' or provision of this Act on the part of the person or persons herein required to do them, or any violation of any of the provisions or requirements hereof, or any attempt to obstruct or interfere with any person in the discharge of the duties herein imposed upon them, or any refusal to comply with the provisions of this Act, shall be deemed a misdemeanor, punishable by a fine not less than one hundred dollars and not to exceed two hundred dollars, or by imprisonment in the county jail for a period not exceeding three months, or both, at the discretion of the court: Provided, that whoever shall discover that any section of this Act, or part thereof, is being neglected or violated shall report

the same to the superintendent of the mines and ask immediate compliance therewith; and in case of continued failure to comply shall, through the State's Attorney, or any other attorney, in case of his failure to act promptly, take the necessary legal steps to enforce compliance herewith, through and by means of the penalties herein prescribed.

AN ACT in regard to negotiable instruments payable in money.

ARTICLE I.-FORM AND INTERPRETATION.

SECTION I. Be it enacted by the People of the State of Illinois, represented in the General Assembly: An instrument payable in money, to be negotiated, must conform to the following requirements:

I. It must be in writing and signed by the maker or drawer.

2.

Must contain an unconditional promise or order to pay a sum certain in money.

3. Must be payable on demand or at a fixed or determinable future time.

. 4. and,

Must be payable to the order of a specified person or to bearer;

5. Where the instrument is addressed to a drawee, he must be named or otherwise indicated therein with reasonable certainty.

§ 2. The sum payable is a sum certain within the meaning of this Act, although it is to be paid:

I. With interest; or

2. By stated installments; or

3. By stated installments, with a provision that upon default in payment of any installment, or of interest the whole shall become due; or

4. With exchange, whether at a fixed rate or at the current rate; or

5. With costs of collection or an attorney's fee, in case payment shall not be made at maturity.

§ 3. An unqualified order or promise to pay is unconditional within the meaning of this Act, though coupled with:

I. An indication of a particular fund out of which reimbursement is to be made, or a particular account to be debited with the amount; or 2. A statement of the transaction which gives rise to the instrument. But an order or promise to pay out of a particular fund is not unconditional.

§ 4. An instrument is payable at a determinable future time, within the meaning of this Act, which is expressed to be payable:

1. At a fixed period after date or sight; or

I.

2. On or before a fixed or determinable future time specified therein; or

3. On or at a fixed period after the occurrence of a specified event, which is certain to happen, though the time of happening be uncertain. An instrument payable upon a contingency is not negotiable, and the happening of the event does not cure the defect.

§ 5. An instrument which contains an order or promise to do an act in addition to the payment of money is not negotiable under this Act. But the negotiable character of an instrument otherwise negotiable is not affected by a provision which:

I.

Authorizes the sale of collateral securities in case the instrument be not paid at maturity; or

2. Authorizes a confession of judgment; or

3. Waives the benefit of any law intended for the advantage or protection of the obligator; or

Gives the holder an election to require something to be done in lieu of payment of money.

But nothing in this section shall validate any provision or stipulation otherwise illegal or authorize the waiver of exemptions from execution. § 6. The validity and negotiable character of an instrument are not affected by the fact that:

I. It is not dated; or

2.

Does not specify the value given, or that any value has been given therefor; or

3. Does not specify the place where it is drawn or the place where it is payable; or

5. Is payable in currency or current funds; or designates a particular kind of current money in which payment is to be made.

§ 7. An instrument is payable on demand:

I. Where it is expressed to be payable on demand, or at sight, or on presentation; or

2. In which no time for payment is expressed.

Where an instrument is issued, accepted or indorsed when overdue, it is, as regards the person so issuing, accepting or indorsing it, payable on demand.

8. The instrument is payable to order where it is drawn payable to the order of a specified person or to him or his order. It may be drawn payable to the order of:

A payee who is not maker, drawer or drawee; or

The drawer or maker; or

The drawee; or

I.

2.

3.

One or more of several payees; or

6. The holder of an office for the time being.

7.

An instrument payable to the estate of a deceased person shall be deemed payable to the order of the administrator or executor of his

estate.

Where the instrument is payable to order, the payee must be named or otherwise indicated therein with reasonable certainty.

9. The instrument is payable to bearer:

When it is expressed to be so payable; or

2. When it is payable to a person named therein or bearer; or 3. When it is payable to the order of a person known by the drawer or maker to be fictitious or non-existent or of a living person not intended to have any interest in it; or

4.

When the name of the payee does not purport to be the name of any person; or

5. When although originally payable to order, it is indorsed in blank by the payee or a subsequent endorsee.

§ 10. The negotiable instrument need not follow the language of this Act, but any terms are sufficient which clearly indicate an intention to conform to the requirements thereof.

§ 11. When. the instrument or an acceptance or any indorsement thereon is dated, such date is deemed prima facie to be the true date of the making, drawing, acceptance or indorsement, as the case may be.

§ 12. The instrument is not invalid for the reason only that it is ante-dated or post-dated, provided this is not done for an illegal or fraudulent purpose. The person to whom an instrument so dated is delivered acquires the title thereto as of the date of delivery.

§ 13. When an instrument expressed to be payable at a fixed period after date is issued undated, or where the acceptance of an instrument payable at a fixed period after sight is undated, any holder may insert therein the true date of issue or acceptance, and the instrument shall be payable accordingly. The insertion of a wrong date does not avoid the instrument in the hands of a subsequent holder in due course, but as to him, the date so inserted is to be regarded as the true date.

§ 14. Where the instrument is wanting in any material particular, the person in possession thereof has a prima facie authority to complete it by filling up the blanks therein. And a signature on a blank paper delivered by the person making the signature in order that the paper may be converted into a negotiable instrument operates as a prima facie authority to fill it up as such for any amount. In order, however, that any such instrument when completed may be enforced against any person who became a party thereto prior to its completion, it must be filled up strictly in accordance with the authority given and within a

reasonable time. But if any such instrument, after completion, is issued or negotiated to a holder in due course it is valid and effectual for all purposes in his hands, and he may enforce it as if it had been filled up strictly in accordance with the authority given and within a reasonable time.

8 15. Where an incomplete instrument has not been delivered it will not, if completed and negotiated, without authority, be a valid contract in the hands of any holder, as against any person whose signature was placed thereon before delivery.

§ 16. Every contract on a negotiable instrument is incomplete and revocable until delivery of the instrument for the purpose of giving effect thereto. As between immediate parties, and as regards a remote party other than a holder in due course, the delivery, in order to be effectual, must be made either by or under the authority of the party making, drawing, accepting or indorsing, as the case may be; and in such case the delivery may be shown to have been conditional or for a special purpose only, and not for the purpose of transferring the property in the instrument. But where the instrument is in the hands of a holder in due course, a valid delivery thereof by all parties prior to him so as to make them liable to him, is conclusively presumed. And where the instrument is no longer in the possession of a party whose signature appears thereon, a valid and intentional delivery by him is presumed until the contrary is proved.

§ 17. Where the language of the instrument is ambiguous, or there are omissions therein the following rules of construction apply:

I. Where the sum payable is expressed in words and also in figures and there is a discrepancy between the two, the sum denoted by the words is the sum payable; but if the words are ambiguous or uncertain, reference may be had to the figures to fix the amount.

2. Where the instrument provides for the payment of interest, without specifying the date from which interest is to run, the interest runs from the date of the instrument, and if the instrument is undated, from the issue thereof.

Where the instrument is not dated, it will be considered to be dated as of the time it was issued.

4. Where there is conflict between the written and printed provisions of the instrument, the written provisions prevail.

5. Where the instrument is so ambiguous that there is doubt whether it is a bill or a note, the holder may treat it as either, at his election.

6. Where a signature is so placed upon the instrument that it is not clear in what capacity the person making the same intended to sign, he is to be deemed an indorser.

7. Where an instrument containing the words "I promise to pay" is signed by two or more persons, they are deemed to be jointly and severally liable thereon.

§ 18. No person is liable on the instrument whose signature does not appear thereon, except as herein otherwise expressly provided. But one who signs in a trade or assumed name will be liable to the same extent as if he had signed his own name.