The weekly democratic statesman. [volume] (Austin, Tex.) 1871-1883, 1882-03-16

and Santa Fe railway company are
entitled to 1922 land certificates of
$40 acres each, for 81 miles and 1880
feet of additional road completed
from Kopperl to Fort Worth.
..COl. j. w. Robertson was appoint.
ed by the governor yesterday special
judge to try the case of Rector M.
Thompson V. G.. w. Bates, Judge
Walker being disqualified. His
commission was issued by the sec
rotary of state. A commission was
also issued to Alexander M. Coppin
appointed by the governor branch
pilot at Pass CavallO.
COMPTROLLER S OFFICE.
Yesterday notifications from the
comptroller's Office were mailed to
all the railway, steamboat and stage
passenger companies to settle their
quarterly tax, for which many are
delinquent, under penalty of suit
being instituted. This tax is in the
nature of an occupation tax, at the
rate OF one per cent. tax on their
gross receipts from passengers.
Also telegraph companies were
notified to pay tax due of one cent
on each full rate message, and one
half of one cent on night dispatches.
The Western Union telegraph COM
pany paid tax for one month in Sep
TENDER, 1879, but since that date has
refused payment of the tax. Judg-
ment was obtained on annual
tax due, but the case was appealed
to the supreme court of the United
States, and it is not probable that
any other payment will be made
until the court of final resort settles
the question of the liability of the
company 10 pay the tax.
In case of default of these COM
panies and corporations to settle the
tax due, the attorney general will be
notified and suits instituted for re-
covery of the tax.
As much has been said about the
accounts of United States Marshal
Russell, made with the state of
Texas during his term of office as
tax collector of Harrison county,
the STATESMAN made inquiries at
the comptroller's office yesterday,
with the following result: Mar
shall Russell was tax collector of
Harrison county from the year 1873
to 1878. He voluntarily resigned
the position on December Is, 1877,
and at this time he was owing the
state ST., 975.25, all of which he set
tied with the state by proper credit
papers except $4,000. This latter
sum was satisfactorily settled by
cash payments as follows: August
26, 1873, 81, 939 65; August 26, 1878,
81, 060.35; November &c, 1873, $4,000;
February Is, 1879, $4,000; March II,
1879, $4,000; March Is, 1879, 81, no.
II. SO far as Marshal Russell and
the state are concerned, the affairs
between them have been adjusted,
and the state holds no claim against
him whatever.
GENERAL LAND OFFICE.
Routine business in this Office,
yesterday, was up to the general av-
erage, and all 9bands were busy.
The commissioner made the follow
ing ruling, which will be of interest /:
"On November 10, 1881, "a" set
tied upon 100 acres vacant public
domain, to acquire a homestead.
On November %, 1881, "B" filed
upon same land, under act of July
IA, 1879. On December 8, 1881, GA"
applied in legal form for a survey of
his homestead. The surveyor re-
fused his file on the ground that 'B'
had appropriated the land by his
prior file. The surveyor erred. GA"
by his settlement, without further
step, appropriated the land for thir-
ty days, and the public was charged
with notice of such appropriation.
Ii ga" failed to apply for a
survey within the thirty days
from his settlement, his rights
lapsed and he became asquatter on
vacant public domain. But ga"
made his application on the eighth
of December, 1881, and is entitled
to his survey, and abs" file so far as
it conflicts with GAS" is void.
INSURANCE AND STATISTICS.
In this office yesterday Commits
sioner Spaight received application
to do business IN this state, from
the Argentine insurance company
of Denver, Colorado.
The California insurance COM
pany, assets $S56,517,was authorized
to do business in this state.
LUNATIC ASYLUM REPORT.
From the advanced sheets of the
report of the board of managers OF
the lunatic asylum the STATESMAN
is permitted TO Gull the following
interesting facts from the statistics
supplied by DR.. Graham, the able
and courteous superintendent of the
asylum
At the beginning of the fiscal year
October l, 1880, there were present
500 patients, 211 of whom were males
and 158 females. There. were adj
mitted during the year 140, of whom
82 were male. The whole number
under treatment was 500, of whom
81 males and 81 females were dis.
charged. Of these q. males and Il
females were restored ; 20 males and
ID females improved 5 males and
females stationary. During the
year 2 were furloughed and
never returned = 2 escaped, anC
80 died, of whom So were males
A large proportion of patients
admitted during the year were
chronic and probably incurablt
cases.
1t will be seen that there was con
siderable mortality percentage, bui
taking all things into consideration
there has been sufficient reason fol
it. A careful examination will show
! that "a deaths were from nervous