The Dallas daily herald. [volume] (Dallas, Tex.) 1873-1887, 1874-09-10

GENERAL j. b. ROBERTSON, superln-
tendent of the bureau of immigration,
was In the city on Yesterday, and II
was our good fortune TO meet and have
short conversation with him. We
are pleased to learn that the prospects
are that the immigration into Texas
this fall and winter will be largely in
excess of that of any previous season,
General Robertson Is in receipt, daily,
of letters from persons In every
state of the union making in
quiries about transportation TO
this state, and in regard to the state
itself, with view Of removing here.
There is recently II very noticeable
change in the class of persons from
whom letters of inquiry are received.
When General Robertson first took
charge of the bureau the mass of let
ters received were from persons either
of small means or of no means ut all,
who desired information as to what as
sistance would be furnished them 10y
land owners in bringing lands into
cultivation. Recently u very large
portion of the letters received at the
bureau are from parties who have
money TO invest, and who desire in
formation rs to the nature and charac-
ter of the investments offered by
Texas.
The, immediate object of Genera |
Robertson's visit to Dallas was to meet
Colonel Noble, superintendent of the
Texas and Pacific railroad, and procure
statistical information MS to the number
of immigrants brought into the state
over that road during the past year.
This information has already been OBJ
tanned from the Texas Central and
other roads, and will be published
with the superintendant's annual re-
port. While it is strictly correct rs far
as it goes, it will not show the whole
number who have come into the state
during the stated period, rs it will not
include those who did not avail them
selves of the reduced rates of trans
portation provided for emigrants. His
visit here at this time will enable him
to make the acquaintance of the edito-
rial fraternity of the state, and explain
to them what has been done and what
is now being done to populate our
boundless prairies.
Though much has been accomplished
by General Robertson, his operations
have been to great extent crippled by
the very meagre appropriations made
for his bureau. When he entered
upon his duties all the moneys belong
ing to his department had been ex-
hausted by the expenditures of his
predecessor. The legislature last winter
appropriated the sum of 50, 900 to meet
the deficiencies of the fiscal year end
ing September |, 1878, and to carry on
the operations of the bureau for the fis-
cal year just ended. OF this sum, six
thousand dollars was consumed in meet
ing the deficiency of the former year.
The legislature at the same time made
an appropriation of fifteen thousand
dollars for the bureau for the fiscal
year beginning on the first of the pres.
ent month. OF this sum, ten thousand
dollars will be consumed in paying the
salaries of the superintendent and
three agents, in paying office rent and
other incidental expenses, leaving only
five thousand dollars, for the actual
work of the bureau for the next twelve
months. The inadequacy of this pal
try sum Is too apparent to need any
The speedy settlement of
our immense idle territory should
claim the first attention of our legisla-
tors. One hundred thousand dollars
would not be too much to appropriate
annually for the bureau Of immigra-