The Dallas weekly herald. [volume] (Dallas, Tex.) 1873-1885, 1882-08-17
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M Interesting Inierview with mrjor
JOHN Henry Brown, Who Has Jast iis-
turned from titii section.
A Herald roportercalod on Major John
Henry Brown at his residence, corner Of
Pearl and Live Oak streets yesterday, to got
some information regarding the survey Of
school lands, of which he Is state commits
sioner. He stated that he was just recov-
cring from slight Illness oCCasloned per-
haps by TOO free indulgence in water
melon. "You gee," said he, IL got back
rather late In the watermelon season." In
his talk the major said in substance: The
unor2anized county school lands consist of
800 leagues, or nearly 100000 acres, and
are located as follows: Two hundred and
forty-four leagues situated practically in Il
contiguous body in the counties of Hook
ley, Cochran, Bailey and Lamb, on the up
per waters of the double mountain fork of
The Drazos river and between that and
the line of New Mexico; in the
ylcinities of the lakes commonly known as
the Yellow House, or illusion lakes; Silver,
or Quenado (ashes) lake; Monument lake,
or Iejonchico little Badger; Cayote lake;
Las Uoronados Improperly called Rich
lakc) There are various other lakes, some
of which are strongly impregnated with
soda, and Others with salt. The lakes
named are composed of saline, soda some
times intermiXed with gypsum, and the
water is unfit for use but at each one there
is an abundant supply OF fresh-water
springs and wells three TO four feet deep.
These lakes vary in size from twenty 10
800 acres. They sometimes go dry. and the
crystalization that forms on the
crust of the earth resembles q frozen river
with snow on 1t. The double mountain,
fork of the Brazos, which was covered
by the surveys for distance of thirty
miles, Is not a running stream in that part
of the country, but is a drain in the centre
of the valley with lakes and springs of
pure, fresh water every few miles, and
along its whole course such wafer can be
obtained in great abundance by digging
from two to six feet.
Generally speaking, the whole 2i4 leagues
may be classed as choice grazing lands, the
larger portion of it being covered with
curly mesquite grass. The other rart
being more or less sandy, and covered with
bunch, blue stem, gamma and other grasses.
A large portion of the land is rich aud well
adapted to agricultural purposes, aud is Of
stead of being level plain, as is generally
imagined, is indented with innumerable
ball shaped basins or wet weather ponds
without any surface outlet to any other
water courses. All the rain that falls flows
into these basins, some OF which afford
during the last ten years.
this being the second season, they have
been entirely dry. With but little labor
and expense they can be converted into
lasting ponds of pure water. The other
fifty-six leagues are located in a connected
body on the head sources of the North
Concho, in the counties Of Martin, Andrews,
five to si1ty-five miles of the Texas Il Pa
cihc railroad. This is a fine stock country,
but in which there is a larger proportion OF
the sandy land than in that
first mentioned. Throughout both
sections there is no reason to
doubt that by means OF tanks, shallow wells
with wind. mills, ineIhaustiDle water in
any desirable quantities can be obtained.
Major Brown says that Mr.. Il. NJ, Moore,
the contractor has surveyed the land with
the strictpst fidelity, not only by actual and
careful measurement on the ground, but
by the erection OF permanent mound cor
ners wherever required by law, and not
only so, but by putting up at least 30
more mounds than the law required ana
by connecting his work with the es-
ttbl!shed corners of the state cap
iRbl leagues and by proper bearings
with known and prominent land marks,
such rs the lakes ana springs referred to, so
shat any sojourner in years to come can
take the field notes of this Worl, and find
any corner established on it. There is
sturdy growth of sheep aud stoch-Gumers,
and here aai there slisht attempts are be
ing made towards agriculture
MOTOR Brown viii make Lis report 70
tho governor in q few days.
The state holds this land for the uuorge-
uizei c9uuties. The leagues are numbered
from to 500. The Erst county applying
takpa tie first taur l9agu's. The secoud
county takes ne sccouG four leagues to wit:
No 3, 6, Z and g and so IN. Since the pas