The weekly democratic statesman. [volume] (Austin, Tex.) 1871-1883, 1878-04-18

Northern Texas, who has lived there
for many years and taken q great in
terest in the agricultural development
of the country, and expresses great
surprise at q discovery. he has made
while travelling through this section.
BE says wheve wheat is grown in West
ern Texas he finds that the quality is
equal, If not superior, to that grown in
his own section, while the average pro-
duction to the acre is much greater.
The fact Is, it is being rapidly develop
ed that the section of the State marked
on some of the maps as the grazing
district, is the richest agricultural dis
trict in the State also, il not in the
United States"
The Waco Star, which has just APP
peared scintillating above the horizon,
says that on the fifteenth day of March,
1876, gentleman, Mr.. McCarty, of
Columbus, Georgia, was foully muir
dered and robbed in Milan county by
unknown parties. At the time of the
commission of the murder Mr.. McCar-
ty had $500 on his person, which, be-
ing known, was doubtless the occasion
of his death. On the fourth instant
his body was disinterred by Mr.. Geo.
N. Baker for the purpose of being TAX
en- to his friends in Georgia. Those
engaged in the removal of the body
were greatly surprised at the excessive
weight of the coffin and contents, and
at once proceeded to ascertain the
cause. When the body was brought
to view what was their establishment
to find that it had been turned into
stone of milky whiteness. The body
showed not the slightest trace of de-
composition, nor any change In its ap-
pearance since its Interment, with one
exception-the whiskers, during the
process of petrifsction, had grown to
an enormous length, and the hair on
his head showed a similar growth.
The body has been expressed to Geor-
gia. The Star says that the account
as given above of this strange freak of
nature is true in every particular.
For the fiscal year ending August
80, 1877, there were issued land GER
tificates to the different railroads in
Texas, as follows: 121S'certlfcates to
International and Great Northern Rail-
road Company for 779, $50 acres; none
to State; 1891 certificates to Texas and
Pacific Railroad Company for 1, GA, 240
acres; S81 certificates to Galveston,
Harrisburg and San Antonio Railroad
Company for 500, $40 acres; $50 GER
tificates to East Line and Red River
Railroad Company for 343, 04O acres !;
24S certificates to Galveston, B. and
G. Narrow Gauge Railroad Company
for 15S, 720 acres: 29S certificates to
Tyler Tap Railroad Company for 19O,-
720 acres; $50 certificates to Texas and
Western Narrow Gauge Railroad Com
pany for 225, $50 acres; 1872 certificates
to Gulf, Colorado and Santa Fe Rail-
road Company for 1872, $50 acres; 100
certificates to Corpus Christi, San
Diego and Rio Grande Railroad Com
pany for 102, 400 acres; 24O certificates
to Henderson and Overton Branch
Railroad Company for 153,600 acres !;
1874 certificates to Dallas and Wichita
Railroad Company for 49, acres.
The same number of certificates were
issued to the school fund in each case.
Making IN the aggregate 1900 certifi-
Gates with 4, 672, 900 acres to the rail-
roads and 3, 892, 4S0 for the State.