The weekly democratic statesman. [volume] (Austin, Tex.) 1871-1883, 1873-12-25


Indeed the population increased and Texas
fourfshed under this benign legislation Of
the early Solons Of the Republic.
The act Of January 4, 1889, granted to
heads Of families who might immigrate be-
fore January I, 1910, $40 acres, and to SIN
Gle men Of the age Of seventeen and up-
/ wards. $50 acres. conditioned on pcrma-
tneut residence Of three years and performing
al the duties Of citizens for that term.
Seeing the splendid and bcnehcent effect
Of these hsadright grants, the great and good
men who composed fhe Congress Of Texas
on the sixteenth Of January, 1913, extended
the time Of these grants 70 immigrants from
tho first Of January, 1910, 70 the first Of
January, 1912.
The law Of December IA, 1887. creating
the General Land Office, also provided for
the election, BY joirt vote Of both houses
Of Congress, Of a Board Qf Lind Commits
si0ners for each county, composed Of Pres
ident and two associates, for the purpose Of
investigating all claims on the government
for headlights to lands. and granting GER
tifieates to all persons by law entitled to
them.
This law was superseded by the oct Of
January 90, 1882 which made the chief
justices of counties, the associate justices,
| aiAAA lit lUuAAtN AAIllANf hNlAAH VI AAAA NAAA-
missiOncrs for their respective counties, sub
ject to the same laws prescribed for the ac-
ton Of the former boards.
By the act Of May -, 1916, county courts
were invested with all the powers of land
commissioners.
The acts Of January 10, 1871, and January
10, 1S43, extended the authority Of the
chief justice and associate Justices to issue
certificates Of headlight to emigrants.
The act OF February z, 1853, provided
that the functions Of the various boards Of
land commissioners should cease December
81, 1853, but they were again revived by
the act Of February 4, 1854, and by the law
of January 8. 1862 the county courts were
required to take proofs and forward former
reports on unconditional certificates, where
from neglect OF other causes, they had not
been entered and reported to the General
Land Office.
An appeal was allowed from the county
court as it had been from the boards of land
commissioners to the district court, hence
many headlight certificates were issued by
the district courts Of the various counties
on appeal, as well as under the act OF Feb
ruarY 4, 1641, which gave them original
Jurisdiction for hearing cases and granting
headlight certificates to all persons by law
them or who held certificates not recon-
Holded by the board of land commissioners
appointed to detect fraudulent certificates.
The acts Of August 1, 1856, January 10,
1853, February Is, 1858, and February q,
1860, gave the Commissioner Of Land
Claims the power to grant certificates to all
persons entitled to them by law, who had
not received them.
The old Texans often bo6ght and sold
their homes, lands and land certificates and
from the value of the latter, wicked men
who delight in evil deeds forged or caused
the issuance of fraudulent certificates, and
sold or located them. When detected, these
rascals expiated their crimes by serving
in the penitentiary for time not less than
two or more than five years. In order 70
checkmate these villains, the Tra0eliH9
Boards of Land Commissioners to detect
fraudulent land certificates were created
January 20, 1910, whose duty it was to.in-
spect the records of the various county
boards of land commissioners, and from
satisfactory evidence ascertain and report
ell genuine certificates to the General Land
Office This was done and all the old gen
uine certificates and patented lands are now
contained in printed books taken from the
records OF the General Land Office, includ-
ing titles issued by the governments of
Spain and Mexico, headlights issued by the
district and supreme courts, by special
laws, by The commissioner of claims, and
hounsy and donation wsTTants issued by
the secretary of war and adjutant general.
BY laws passed December 6 and 10, 1886,
June 0, December 3, a1d Il, 1887, land
scrip was issued for hundreds of thousands
of acres of land, and patents authorized TO
be issued for the same.
An act of January 90, 1889, granted three
leagues of land 10 each county for che pur-
pose OF establishing primary school OF
academy in every county in the Republic.
This act was repealed illegally by che pres
ent Constitution of the State.
By acts OF January % 1916, February 10,
1852, and February l. 1893, prescriptions
of 500 acres were granted to actual set.lers
on the public domain, who had resided on
and cultivated the same for three years.
The 800 acres were reduced, by act of
February Is. 1861, to 100 acres, which, by
the law of August 10, 1870. is still granted
to heads of families, and so acres to SINGLE
men twenty one years old, upon condition
that they select, locate and occupy the same
for three years.
By law, lands were granted to cOlonists
introduced by Peters, Castro, Fisher & Mil
, Ter, $40 acres to heads of families and 800
acres to single men.
The act Of December 10, 1868, encouraged
the erection of manufacturing establish
ments of iron, cotton, wool, firearms, nitre,
sulphur, powder, paper, salt, oil, ETC.,
granting 800 acres of land for every $1,000
so invested.
For the encouragement Of railroads to aid
. and facilitate the development of the vast
resources of Texes lying dormant in her i'm
mense forests and pIairies, the Legislatures
of 1854 and 1856 granted 10, $40 acres OF
land per mile and loaned $4,000 per mile, in
money, at six per cent interest per anuum,
for every mile Of railroad to be constructed
in the State.
Since then grants of lands to railroad com
, panies have been increased to 90 sections OF
!, i 12, 500 acres per mile.
BY the act Of the fourteenth of December,
1887, each surveyor was required, as soon
as practicable, to make out or procure q
map Of his county, on which plats of all the
| granted lands in each county should be made
SO as to make a fair showing OF Che same.
The acts Of February 4 and 8, 1910, and May
, II, 1916, more completely enforced this pro-
vision. Titles to land in Texas also emanatC
from sheriifs aud tax collectors.
Unpaid judgments and taxes are liens
upon the lands Of persons owing them, but
judgment to bind land outside Of tho
county wherc the judgment is obtained must
be recorded in the county where the land
lies If IN a State court, but il a United
States court it binds only within the juus
diction Of the court. However, judgment
liens become dormant unless executions Is
. sue within twelve months from the date o.
judgments
: So, notwithstanding, the amount Of titled
land and the various tenures by which it il
held. the records of the district courts Of tn,
different counties of the State, wherein
deeds Of all kinds to land are required q
, be recorded in order to make liens or titlel
: -.f1 tho rnro,1a If the United Siate.