The Austin weekly statesman. (Austin, Tex.) 1883-1898, 1883-08-16
THURSDAY, = AUGUST I6, 1883
DEPARTMENT NOTES.
WEDNESDAY.

DEPARTMENT NOTES.
WEDNESDAY.
LAND DEPARTMENT.
There was a meeting of the land
board yesterday.
The following letter to Gov. Ireland
and report of Mr.. Roche, appointed
by the board to examine the survey
or's rolls of the school lands, were
read:
AUSTIN, August g. 1888.
Hon. John Ireland, President State Land
Board, Austin, Texas
Sir-[n compliance with the instruc-
lions of the land board l have care
fully revised the tabulated statements
of valuation of school lands in the
various counties of the state. as made
by the surveyors, approved by the
commissioners court, and returned to
the general land office, under the acts
of April 6, 1881, and May 6, 1882, and
have to report that find the classiii-
cation of the lands embraced in the
accompanying lists us full and com
plete as is likely to be obtained under
any system that may be devised.
Where this is the case it is unwise to
subject the state to the
expense of Redistribution
and intending purchasers to the de-
lays and inconvenience thereby occa-
stoned. Should it be ascertained at
any future time that an error has been
made in the classification of a particu-
lar tract, it is within the power of the
board to compel payment on the basis
of the correct classification.
This power has been exercised by
the commissioner of the general land
Office on several occasions, greatly to
the benefit of the school fund. 1t is
not believed, however, that much, il
any, occasion will arise for dispute as
to correctness of the classification in
the counties selected.
In district No. l are included the
lands heretofore placed on the market,
and to these are added a few surveys
embraced in supplemental reports not
acted on hitherto. District No. 2 in
cludes lands in counties where reports
were never acted on by the commits
siOner of the land office, but were held
by him pending action by the legisla-
ture. In many, If not all of the coun-
school land surveys that have not been
classified nor appraised and those, OF
course, are resumed for classification
under the new law, after due inspec-
ton by some authorized party.
/ have under consideration the rolls
of few other counties in which
school lands were sold under previous
acts, and will report thereon within a
few days. Wherever | think the
statements already filed in the land Of
flee are substantial compliance with
the requirements of the act of April
Ii, 1888, and have no reason to suS-
pect fraud, l shall recommend the
adoption of the classifications as they
stand. l have arrived at my conclu-
sions from an inspection of the tabu-
lated rolls, aided by the maps of the
land Office, and from information de-
rived from letters addressed to Com
missioner Walsh, and referred by him
to me, and from statements made di-
rectlv to me by well informed and
trustworthy parties. From the data
so obtained and for the reasons adj
duced l respectfully recommend the
adoption by the board of the classifi-
cation of the lands embraced in the
accompanying two lists, ana the plac-
ing upon the market said lands under
such rules and regulations as may be
prescribed. The law itself fixes the
minimum valuation, and the system
of competition provided for ought to
insure the best prices attainable. L
submit, also. a third list of counties
in which, in my judgment, a new
classification is necessary.
Respectfully submitted,
FRANK I. ROCHE.
LIST NO. 1.
The classification of the school lands
in the counties named below is recon-
rnended for So 1cntiol by the board for
the folio wing reasons:
l. In many instances it is all that
the law requires,
2. Where it is not precisely what is
required by law it is sufficiently exact
for all practicable purposes.
3. 1t is believed from the best data
obtainable to be correct.
4. In the majority of the counties
named the best of the school lands
appraised have already been sold,
leaving inferior tracts which will be
well sold at the prices fixed by law.
Should the board approve my recon-
mendation, / will examine the rolls
to ascertain whether the numbers OF
surveys and certificates are given cor
rectly and what surveys are in COLI
tiict, so that the copies of the records
may be forwarded to the surveyors of
the respective counties.
Very respectfully,
FRANK l. ROCHE.
The following counties contain the
classified school lands which have
been on the market: An
gelina, Atascosa, Bandera, Bexar,
Brown, Burnet, Coleman, Colorado,
Comal, Comanche, Concho, Eastland,
Hamilton, Jackson, Jasper, Kinney,
loch, Mitchell, Newton, Parker, Polk.
Uvalde, Victoria, Zavalla, and Starr
LIST NO. 2.
The school lands in the counties
named below have never been on the
market to any appreciable extent. A
few acres in some of them may have
been sold under the act of April "a,
1874, but there have been no sales
under subsequent acts except that of
one and one-half section in Wilbarger
county by special act of the
Eighteenth Legislature. The classili-
cation is believed to be as good as can
be obtained. In the case of Jones
county it seems to be all that the most
exacting could require. If approved
the same communication will be
made as stated in list No. 1.
County classification is recon-
mended; lands not heretofore on the
market:
Encinal, Franklin, Hays, Jones,
Karnes, Kimble, San Augustine. Will
barger and Zapata counties.
Respectfully,
FRANK L. ROCHE.
LIST NO. 3.
A classification of the school lands
in the following counties, is recon-
mended because information received