The weekly democratic statesman. [volume] (Austin, Tex.) 1871-1883, 1882-03-30

land In the county is ''filed" on and thu
for ninety days withdrawn from market
When the ninety days expire anC
the file lapses, new ones arr
made by the members OF the firm sim
ply exchanging numbers Of the sectionI
and refiling. In this way the lands are
practically controlled by . close corpora
rive, they are forced 10 bug Gle priciis0,
Of purchasing these lands from the state
1 have seen deeds conveying these GILES
where the consideration was from three
hundred TO i've hundred dollars per see
ton, and great numbers where the con
sideration was less. When &c IL remem.
bered that these lands were valued under
oath, as required by law, II demonstrates
the necessity Of some other mode OF plac-
ing price on them, or some other mode
OF selling them. II the sworn valuation
is correct the settler 10 subjected to ex.
tortion, ititis not correct the school fund
Is defrauded.
In another respect the present law IL
sadly defective. When the rolls OF q
county have been examined and ap-
proved by this office, notice of such APP
proval is sent the surveyor IN Q sealed
letter, and he is by that letter, with
out any public notice, authorized
TO receive applications to purchase. In
bulo " ol buO u1b IL us pONCI
to place every valuable section in the
hands of those whom he may select, TO
the exclusion Of the general public.
Another objection TO the present law Ia
found In the fact that it virtually makes
the county surveyor state agent for the
sale OF the lands without providing ade-
quate compensation, and retains no con-
troll over his action, except the negative
and arbitrary power of this office to with.
hAl1 xufNh Nhol L, a. A.
TIMBERED SECTIONS.
Under section OF the act OF April 6,
1881, which authorizes the Commissioner
of the general land office to withhold his
approval OF the valuation Of the lands OF
any county, when he Is satisfied the valu-
alton IL too low, have refused approval
of the rolls, among others, of the counties
in the eastern part Of the state, where
the pineries are situated. Ny reasons
were, first, that the law, while limiting
the amount OF arabic and pasture land
which one purchaser might acquire, fails
TO fix any limit on timber lands. Second
these lands were generally valued at the
minimum price fixed by law, OF one dol
lar per acre for dry sections, and two dol
lars for watered sections. From nearly,
If not quite, all these counties, received
letters from responsible citizens advising
against the approval Of these valuations
These letters, coupled with the anxiety
of certain corporations and syndicates to
purchase at the prices fixed, determined
my action in the matter. In most OF the
counties the surveyor and county COM
have declined to increase the
and In others the increase did
not meet my expectations, and the result
is that this wealth Of pine remains the
property OF the common schools, and
a M nj tho hlrf hMr aaffnn nf tho IonfoIa
ture.
Under the authority OF the section
above quoted appointed che Hon. w.
A. Workman, OF Hopkins county, to visit
these pine counties for the purpose of
and reporting on the timbered
sections. learn that the unusual
of rainfall has 80 swollen the
streams and saturated the soil as to rem
der such an inspection as was desired
impossible and he has returned home.
His report will be forwarded as soon as IL
can be prepared, and will, I hope, be re.
celved before the legislature assem-
Dles. My selection of an agent was
prompted not only by the we'll known
character of Col. Workman, for honesty
and Intelligence, but by the geographical
position of his residence. He had not
lived among the pines until he had learn
ed to despise them, nor In the west to
exaggerated IDEAS OF their value.
1 may have overestimated the value
be the case, no permanent injury can re-
suit, IN view OF the approaching session,
but II my estimate OF their value, present
and prospective is correct, my permitting
their sale at the prices named would
have worked an injury to the school
fund and the entire state which no legis-
lation could repair.
In the discharge of the duties devolved
upon me by the act of 1881, my effort has
been to prevent, so far IS could, while
strictly following the law, the absorption
Of the best school lands at the minimum
price. That 1 have failed in this, In
some instances, l know, but the best was
done which the duties OF the land office
rendered possible.
MINERAL SECTIONS.
Ihave been informed from various re-
liable sources that several sections
Of school land in FL Paso coun-
ty contain good article OF stone coal.
Rumors assert the presence OF coal on
school sections on the lines OF the Texas
Central and the Texas and Pacific rail-
ways. In the great number OF sections
situated in the mountainous and broken
portions of Ell Paso, Preside and Pecos
1t 10 not only possible, but pro-
bable, that In the not distant future, coal
and other more yaluDle minerals may be
In view of these facts and Possibilities
would it not be well to incorporate In
the sales law provision similar to that
In our organic law until 1869,
viz: Reserve to the school fund all the
mineral that may be discovered. The
tiiscovcrer of minerals on q school section
might be allowed to stake on and enter q
mining claim OF say twenty acres as q
the remainder OF the sec
ton TO be sold, or the mines worked tor
D royalty. The want OF some such pro-
vision deters poor men, who are gener-
ally the prospectors, from seeking MIN
known.
THE scooL LAND PROBLEM.
The magnitude Of the interests in
yolved as affecting the school fund, and
the future development Of our state, and
the extensive legal machinery necessary
TO properly control the disposition Of
these lands present problems tor cautious
legislative solution. One Of the first diff
cultles to be met 10 to prevent q conflict
between the interests Of the school fund
and the settlement OF those portions Of
our state where these lands are situated.
Actual settlers demand cheap lands for
homes, on easy terms ; the school fund
demands that the highest price be Sc
cured, and the best rate OF interest pos
sibie consistent with prompt payment.
III these lands are to be disposed Of only
to actual settlers, the sales will be insfg-
nificant compared with the whole
and the great body of them will
benefit only those who, without cost, feed
their herds upon them. II their lease 10
Al
In large bodies, we are confronted
with the danger OF vast landed
which will strangle
our frontier and erect q Chinese wall
against settlement
In view Of these difficulties, the fol-
lowing suggestions are made amply with
the object OF expressing briefly and in
order some OF the changes
which experience demonstrates to be
necessary:
/. That all these lands be placed In
charge OF bonded officer. who shall
with the advice and consent Of . board
to be named, or the board OF education,
discharge the duties In connection with
appraisement and sale now devolved
upon the county surveyor and commits
sioner Of the general land office.
2. That the lands be classed as agrieul-
tural, grazing, timbered and mineral.
3. That the agricultural and grazing
lands be subdivided into watered and un-
watered.
4. That . minimum price be fixed by
law on the last named lands, and that the
purchaser be required TO classify them BY
affidavit whom making application 70 pur
chase, and that sale be void for misrep-
resentation.
5. That sales to actual settlers in 9
specified amount and whose settlement