The weekly democratic statesman. [volume] (Austin, Tex.) 1871-1883, 1878-01-24

for other years prior to 1877, the as
SCISSORS will receive such rendinons and
place the property on supplemental as
sessment rolls, which rolls must dis
tlnctiy show the years for which the
assessments were made.
Daring the late storm in Shackle-
ford county, and when the snow lay
upon the ground TO the depth of one
/ foot, a man by the name of John Done
gan was out hunting on the prairie,
and in his travels encountered herd
of buffalo, consisting of one hundred
/ grown ones and about forty calves, all
of which he drove to a natural corral,
in the bend of the river, lone and on
foot, after seven days hard work; and
after securing them in this new posi-
| ton he went to town, q short distance,
and sold the whole lot TO Mr.. John
Swartz, of the Planters Hotel, for five
hundred dollars.
The Goliad Guard says the veteran,
Capt. John F. Pettus, who lately died
in Goliad county, came to Texas with
the original three hundred of Steven
/ F. Austin's colony when a lad, and be
has since been identified with the his
tory of the State. He notably partIci-
pated IN all the struggles which re-
suited in Texan independence, COM
mencing as second lieutenant with
Captain Iork's company; he was with
the foremost in the battle of Concep-
cion, storming the Alamo, and the
battle. Of San Jacinto. AS a veteran
OF that achievement, his name is on
the public records, and his memory
will be greatiy:cherished by Texas.
Mr.. w. X. Sullivan, of the Chicago
Journal, writes statistical, chronology
cal and historical facts about Texas
and draws some reasonable theories.
He says Texas Is irretrievably Demo
cratic, but as the Bourbon element is
wotullY in the minority argues that
there Is not much cause for regret in
the circumstance. People wit. ener-
gy, and, say, ten thousand dollars,
may go to Texas, but impecunious or
lazy people hau better stay at home
He saw some Republicans here, and,
strange to say, they vote as they please
and are not maltreated. He SAYS we
have as much law and order here as in
any of the States, and no more than
our fair proportion of the reverse.
The Pittsburg Magnet says: "Among
the most thriving places in Texas, is
Avenger Station, on the East Line
Railroad, fifteen miles west of Jeffer-
son. 1t is in the midst of prosper
Gus country, and is surrounded by an
immense pinery. DR.. II. J. Avenger,
for whom the place is named, is the
principal business man of the place.
He is among the favorite few who has
found prosperity in every enterprise to
which he has placed his hand. He
was immensely popular as physician,
successful as farmer, triumphed in
the only political contest of his life,
and now as a merchant, he carries on a
business that would make his brothers
of larger cities envious. With the as
sistance of his neIghbors, he has built
and furnished one of the most beauti-
full churches in Texas"
A Texas herder's outfit consists of
two donkeys, for carrying supplies, a
tent, cooking utensils, csnteen made
of tin, and holding five gallons of
water a small Mexican pony, two or
three dogs, and tobacco. Shepherds
receive from SO to SIS per month and
board, and overseers from $25 to $50.
Two men and three dogs can readily
take care of 5000 sheep. Thousands
Of sheep roam at will over the vast
plains, feeding as they &C, never sleep
ing two nights in one place. except
| ing at the home stations. At night
these immense herds gather closely
around the camp of the shepherds,
and sleep peacefully, guarded by we'll
trained Scotch doge, who exhibit a
wonderful sagacity and prowess in
their midnight vigIls, holding al bay
the fiercest wolf until by their furious
barking they awaken their masters.
An area of from ten to twenty miles
will be grazed by an ordinary herd on
single day.
Texas gives for the purpose of con-
shutting a permanent school fund, all
the alternate sections of land reserved
out of grants heretofore made. or that
may hereafter be made to railroads,
ETC., also, one-half the public domain
of the State, and all money that may
come to the State from any portion of
the same. 1t also sets apart annually,
not more than one-fourth of the gener- |
al revenue of the State, and pUll-tax
of one dollar upon each male inhabi- |
tant, between the ages of tweuty-one
and sixty years, for the benefit of the |
public schools. In August 1876, the
permanet school fund amounted to |
$50, S47.91 currency, and So, O30. 952 90
In bonds. In addition to this, the |
school fund has about eight millions |
of acres of alternate sections of land |
located by railroad and other COM |
psn1es, and over thirty millions of
acres under the clause, "half of the |
public domain of the State" which at |
the minimum price at which il is a. |
lowed to be sold. viz: $3.50 per acre,
would realize So, 000,0 900.
The Commercial, in commenting up
on the indiscriminate pardoning of |
criminals by Governor Hubbard, SAYS:
The governor of State OUGHT to |
know that there is nothing in the
world so cheap as a petition. To IL
lustrate this truth, wag In the Illinois |
Legislature few years ago made the
boast that he could get majority of the |
members of the Legislature to sign a
petition to hang certain brother men,
Der. He succeeded in getting the sig
natures not only of all the members
and the Governor and State officers,
but of the individual member himself.
We doubt not that thousands of names |
could be secured to petition to hang
the Governor himself, or any other
honorable man in the State. Petitions,
therefore, are of but little value in the
determination of such important ques-
tions as those relating to the pardon
of criminals. At the same time we
do not feel disposed to join in an In
discriminate censure of the Governor
for mistakes in the exercise of the
pardoniDg power. 1t has always
seemed to Us to important q power
10 place in his hands without careful
restrictions. Catching criminals on
these wide prairles and in these wild
woods is such a difficult task, and Sc
curing their conviction after they are
arrested (unless they are horse thieves
is so much more difficult, that they
should not be carelessly turned loose.
THE IMMENSELY OF SPACE. a re.
cent lecture delivered in Edinburgh on
1.-The Stars" Professor Grant gave g
graphic idea of the immensely of space.
He said railway train travelisg night