The Dallas daily herald. [volume] (Dallas, Tex.) 1873-1887, 1881-09-01
THE SOCIAL AND ECONOMIC CoNDI-
TON OF TEXAS.

Texas government underwent many and
rapid changes before its territory became q
member of this stable country. Up to the
year ISL, Texas was a part of Mexico I'M
der the dominion OF Spanish viceroys. In
that year Mexico renowned her allegiance
to Spain and established a regency. After
one years trial the regency was changed to
an imperial government. Then the emperor
was deposed, and IN lS23 n republican form
| OF government was Instituted. This only
lasted one year, when it was changed for a
ledera! system modelled after that OF the
United States. This lasted ten years, and
in 1888 Santa Anra established a military
1espotism. ARer three years Of turbulence
under the federal flag ofMexico, she declared
her independence, and in 1886 Texas be-
came an independent republic-and in 1916
was voluntarily annexed to the United
states. Her population at that time could
not have exceeded 10000. BY the treaty OF
annexation Texas retained all her public
domain. She sold that which now consti-
tutes part of New Mexico to the United
states for 100000. With this she paid
capitol-deaf and dumb-blind and lunatio
asylums, and endowed her public schools
with the remainder.
HOW LAND TITLES ORIGINATE.
AS already stated, Texas reserved, by the
treaty Of annexation, all her public domain,
amounting to 26S6A square miles, III ,967,-
$50 acres. Thus it was that while she was
the youngest of states she was the most
wealthy.
From the earliest days of the republic it
has ever been the policy of Texas to use her
public lands for the encouragement o. inn
migration, the endowment Oh her school
ha nil of Int al
ments within the state At one time she
gave to each immigrant, the head OF II lam
ny, as much as league and labor of land,
4,6O5); single man third of league.
These were called headlights. She also
gave bounty warrants to men who Joined
her array, or to men who would mark out
wagon roads, or build mills, bridges, etc.
After annexation she passed a law, giving,
as subsidy, sixteen sections for every mile
OF railroad built upon certain lines, and in
accordance with their charters Also for
removing distractions, and thus making
nayigable certain rivers She has also given
large grants to the several counties, the
deaf and dumb, the insane and the blind
asylums, as also to the colleges and the uni
yersitios. All grants Of lands are made by
direct act of the legislature, and, when
coupled with conditions, as in the case of
railroads, and the conditions complied with
office, located at the capital Of the state, is
sues land warrant, which says upon its
Taco lin substance), "That ii is, by vir-
tue OF this warrant, entitled to $40 acres of
land, to be taken from any of the unappro-
priated land,of the state of Texas, the same TO
be surveyed according to law" and this
land warrant, or land certificate, as II |, us
nally called, Is the foundation of all the Il.
ties in the state.
Zach conntv hoo N io,oI l..I ,.nn.s in
surveyor, who IL bonded officer Of the
state. He keeps an accurate map of every
survey eyer. made in his county, and q
book in which every set Of field notes (metes
and bounds) arc duly recorded. A party
holding land warrant and wishing to 10.
cate the same, would apply to one OF these
county surveyors, and by examining his man
can soon tell how much II any vacant land
still remains in that county; If there was
none, or Il IL did not suit he would mass
from county to county, until satisfactory
tract could be had, and when had, he would
turn over his warrant TO the surveyor, who
would file II In his book, and survey of the
quantity \ called for. After the survey Is
made, and the field notes recorded they are
sent, together with the warrant, TO the gen.
eral land office, and n patent is issued,
signed by the commissioner, and by the
the complete title.
., OF late years the legislature In granting
this land subsidy to railroads and for the
Improvement of rivers made IL obligatory
upon them or their assigns TO take their
lands In alternate sections, surveying ono
for themselves and one for the state, and
plotting both upon the county map. The
alternate section thus surveyed for the state
at once becomes school land, and is for sale
N tracts Of not less than 100 acres nor more
Than one section. OF arabic and three sec.
tons OF pasture land at the appraised value
Oh eommissioners, but at not less than 81
only pay down one-lsnlh lilo part and the