San Marcos free press. [volume] (San Marcos, Tex.) 1877-1892, 1883-02-15
FROM AUSTIN.
Legislative and General Notes.

Legislative and General Notes.
AUSTIN, Feb. 18th, 1888.
Ed. FREE PREss:-The House commenced
It's weeks labor by passing the Asylum Bill
which provides for the purchase of a site,
and the establishment, location and con.
struction of branchAsylum in North Texas
for tho cure and treatment Of the insane,
and to make an appropriation therefor.
The Governor appoints commission of
three persons to determine the place in
North Texas in which it is to be situated.
Said board to select grounds containing at
least two hundred acres of land upon which
there shall be built buildings sufficient to
accommodate five hundred inmates, said build
ings to contain all the modern improve
ments and to cost two hundred thousand
dollars.
Committee on Public Lands: An act to
provide for leasing the common school lands
of the state of Texas: Be it enacted by the
Legislature of the State of Texas: That the
state board of education shall have the
power and it shall be it's duty to lease the
surveyed sections of land belonging to the
common school fund of the state, that may
not at the time be sold, for not less than
three cents per acre and for terms not ex-
ceeding ten years. Lands chiefly valuable
for timber shall not be leased. The rental
shall be paid annually in advance. The
said board shall have power to make such
rules and regulations, and employ such as
sistance as may be necessary to efficiently
execute the powers and duties herein i'm
posed on it. Agricultural lands shall be
leased with reservation that they may be
sold and delivered up at any time.
Senate Bill 81: An act requiring the
printing and publication of five thousand
copies of the general laws of the 10th and
18th Legislatures. and the general laws of
the called session of the 18th Legislature.
Senate Bill 1879: An act to provide for the
permanent endowment, in land or its pro-
ceeds, of the University of Texas and its
branches, including the branch for the in
struction of Colored youths.
Judiciary Committee No. 2: An act to.
amend the penal code SO as to provide for
the punishment of those who Intentionally
pull the cord of railway train while the
same is in motion.
The Committee on Public printing: Con-
dennis the action of Comptroller Brown
for not having ready his annual report
which is necessary as a basis for estimates
and calculations in making appropriations
and fixing the rate of taxation.
Taylor of Red River:-An act to make
telegraph corporations and individuals own
ing or operating telegraph lines in the
state, common carriers.
Thompson of Bexar:-An act to create
and organize criminal district court for the
County of Beyar to define the powers and
describe the duties thereof.
Chenoweth of Fannin Am act for the
relief of the heirs of John w. Thompson,
who fell at the storming of the Alamo, on
the 9th of March, 1886.
The Joint committee appointed by the
two Houses to visit the penitentiaries at
Huntsville and Rusk have returned from
their tour of ms pection and in an extended
report, report favorable in every particular
except the treatment of the convicts on the
wynoe farm near Huntsville. There are
1124 convicts assigned to the Rusk peniten-
tiary, under the management of Morrow,
Handy & Co., of which number 344 are
within the walls, the remainder being at
work on farms and railroads. 1924 convicts
are assigned toHuntsville under the manage.
ment of Cunningham and Ellis, of these
there are 400 within the walls, the remain.
der are at work on farms and railroads.
The opinion prevails here that the lease
entered into by Gov. Roberts, penetentiary
Board viii not be approved by the Legisla'
ture. The lease is for Is years. each peni
Tertiary at 10000 a year. The one al
Huntsville to Cunningham & Ellis and the
one at Rusk to Morrow, Handy & Co.
1t IS thought the lease viii be more than
doubled, while some assert that the two
penitentiaries should bring the State $780,.
600 year
However, the responsibility the Legisla-