The Dallas daily herald. [volume] (Dallas, Tex.) 1873-1887, 1881-09-01
PUBLIC INSTITUTIONS.
THE ASYLURS And ptNiTENIlsRlES.
The Public Lands of the State-Thc Taxes
and Financial Condition Generally.
The Agricultural and Mechanical College
Normal Scholastic University
of the State, Etc, Etc.

The state government of Texas is admin.
istered by governor, lieutenant governor.
treasurer, comptroller of public accounts,
attorney general and commissioner of the
general land Office. 1t is not our purpose
to enter into detailed account of the
machinery of the state government but
merely mention these officers as preliminary
to what we have to say of the public insttu-
tons of the state, The functions of the
governor and lieutenant governor are the
same in character as those of every
other state. Our comptroller of
public accounts is nothing more nor less
than the boollkeeper ofthe state. He has
charge and control of the taxes, interpreting
the tax laws where there may be doubt or
questions raised, and he receives all state
taxes from the various tax collectors, save
that the railroad companies pay their taxes
direct to him. He turns all moneys received
by him over to the treasurer, and all moneys
paid out are ON warrants from him to the
latter, so that one is balance and check to
and evidence against the other. The treas
urer is simply the custodian of the states
money, receiving none from any source
save the comptroller and paying none out
except under appropriation and on warrant
from the comotroller, The duties of the at
torney general are simply advirory with
the governor and the heads of the
departments in the construction of law, but
he has an assistant who represents the state
in all criminal matters taken on appeal
to the court of appeals, the highest tribunal
tlap 'l,a, ttg .,,,,1.
Sistant represent the state i'll all civil mat
tiers which the state may be party either
as plaintiff or defendant. The duties of the
commissioner of the general land office are
multitudnous and complicated. With the
vast area of public land owned by Texas.
this is necessarily the case. All patents for
for public land either to indi-
yiduals or corporations are issued by him
and he keeps an accurate record of all sur
mere general isea of what his
duties are sufficient for the purposes of
this article, for if we should enter into
details of what he has to do and the modus
operandi thereof, it would require more
space than we have to spare and be of no
material benefit to the readers ofthis ppper.
The state has blind, a deaf and dumb, and
an insane asylum, all situated at Austin,
and two penitentiaries for the coniine-
vile, in Walker county, and the other at
Rusk in Cherokee county. The blind asy-
lum under the superintendent and man
agement of DR.. Frank Rainey, who has now
been in control over seven years is hand
some, commodious structure, fortunately of
ample capacity for the demands that
are made upon it. Its corps of teachers are
not only well educated, but are experts in
the art of imparting information to the
blind, and there is no institution of learning
in the state where pupils pro
gress more rapidly, or are
more thoroughly instructed as they pro
gress. The course of study is complete and
comprehensive, music perhaps being made
more a specially of than any other branch;
and neutrality-suspicious. thorough must
Cans, fully capacltated TO become instruc-
tors thereof. The pupils, boys and girls, are
taught such tlddesas may be useful to them
i'll alter life rs Il means of livelihood. DR..
Haincy and his family live in
the asylum and the inmates
are as members of his family receiving all
the care, attention, guidance, counsel and
affection that they would if they were in
deed the children of himself and his good
wife. One aim of the superintendent as he
instils the principles of morality and truth
and virtue into the minds of his pupils is to
make life cheerful and happy to them and
cause them to forget their misfortune in
gladness and contentment. To this end he
has frequent concerts and social gatherings
at the asylum in which the pupils minglc
and take part and thus they learn to feel
themselves identified with the world and
all W no are in il and equal participants in
the innocent amusements and pleasures
thereof There is skillful oculist Connected
with the asylum who makes careful study
of each case, and, where relief is possible |
uses all his art to effect cure, and by this
means many pupils are restored to their
sight who would otherwise have to continue
in darkness through life The blind, deaf
and dumb and lunatic asylums have set
apart to them by the state i07 ,5l5 acres of
land, which are lscatcd in Callahan, Co
manche, Eastland, JoRs, ShOckclford, Ste
yens, Taylor and ToN Green counties.
These counties are all wtM populated, ex-
ccpt Jones, Taylor and Tcsn Green, Gala
han being the least populated of the
Others. of this amount l02,6i2 acres
were set apart for the blind
asylum. As these lands are sold the money
is invested in bonds either of the state or of
the United States and becomes a perma
nent investment, only the interest being
used. The state has been liberal in proyid-
ing pianos, organs, brass and string instr".
ments, sewing machines, etc. Nv" .ppult
of the institution costs the s,U'c nuw only
about S2O,0D year, and as the lands are
sofa OH anu lnC money invested increasing
the interest fund, the cost of support will
be decreased. There have been sold only so
far, some $1,000 worth of blind asylum
land, and Us the bulk of its endowment
lies in populated counties to which immi.
grants are going, these lands ARE increased
In value. The railroad companies furnish
transportation ofpupils to and fro between
their homes and the asylum free of charge.
generosity established by that first-class
railroad man and gentleman, Colonel II. NJ. |
HoXic, now general manager of the Texas ,y |
Pacific, Missouri Pacific and the Intcrnn.
tional d Great Northern railroads Every.
thing is free vt the asylum aud pupils are
admitted at any time. The
DEAF AND DUNN
asylum is across the Colorado river from
Austin, about two miles from the heart of
the city. II is built upon the top of one of
the hills which surround Austin, and more !
charming landscape scene than is visible !
from its windows aud portiCocs does not OK. !
list anywhere. The building is spacious and |
ornate with lovely grounds and fields at |
tachcd, whsu all the vegetables, fruits and !
field products necessary for the institution, I
and pastumgc for the cows that supply milk |
and butter grow IN proMsinn. Everything |
thatcnn be raised for table Use is found ON
fairgrounds. The institution is under the
superintcndencc of Col, John s. Ford, one
of the veteran soldiers uf Texas q gentle
man In the vigor of his manly and mental
strength, an accomplished scholar, u learned
and Sktlim uhVgiCinu. and mn ntipnt NJ mn