The Dallas daily herald. [volume] (Dallas, Tex.) 1873-1887, 1883-03-22
MR.. SHANNoN'S BILL.

Land Bili, Designed TO Remedy many Oh
the Evils Complained of-introduosd In
the senate March n, iss3-Referrea and
Ordered Printed.
A bill /, be entitled an act Supplementary TO
and amendalofy of an act entitled an ACT 10
provide for the sale of alternate secuohs 81
lands In organized aud unorganllen counties
~ surveyed by railroad companies aLi othvr
works OF internal improvements ana set apart
Tor the benefit of the common school fund; %
provide for the investment OF the piogeeus
thereof aud to repeal all laws In conflict there
with {" and that sections one, two, three, fouf
i've, six. seven and eight OF chapter twenty
eight OF the laws Of the special session OF the
Legislature OF the state of Texas, approved
= July & 1879" approved April q, 1851, aud au
act amendalory thereof, approved May 9, ISL
The following Is the text OF the bili,whloh
was introduced in the senate by Mr.. shan
non on March IL, 1885, aud referred to COM
nittee on public land, and lOo copies
ordered printed:
SECTION /. BE il enacted by the legisla-
ture of the state OF Texas: That the above
recited acts be 30 amended AS TO hereafter
read rs follows.
That all the alternate sections OF land In
the state OF Texas, heretofore surveyed, or
which may hereafter be surveyed, ny any
railroad company or other WORK Of internal
Improvement, and set apart for the benefit
OF common schools, shalt be brought into
market and disposed Of In the manner her B.
iu.aiter provided.
Sec. Q. The county surveyor of the county
Ia which said lands are located, or II the
county be unorgani2ei, the district SUI
veyor in whose district such land Is located,
ahall view and appraise the same under oath,
and make return of the same TO the county
commissioners court OF the county IN
which his office is kept, which court shall
examine, approve or disapprovc the same,
and NAV take other evidence to ascertain
the true value OF the land, aud in case
OF dsapproval said court shall
fx value thereto ana the
valuation OF said land in no case shall be
less than three dollars per acre for surveys
having permanent water on them, or h0r-
dering on them, nor LEGS than one dollar
and fifty cents per acre for other school
lands. The surveyors acting as appraisers
OF land shall each receive two dollars per
section, and in no case to exceed two hun
dred dollars Tor the appraisement OF all the
lahds in any one county, to be paid out OF
the proceeds Of the first sale OF the land
under the provisions of this act ANY per-
sons having improvements upon any of
such land, prior 10 the taking effect OF this
act, shall have the preference IN the pur-
chase thereof, for the period OF ak months
next after the value thereof Ia fixed, at the
valuation exclusive OF the value OF such i'm
provement; provided, that no appraisement
OF q surveyor of any section of land stu
ated in any unorgani2ed county shall
he regarded until he shall have
filed an affidavit stating that he knows the
locality OF said section, and that he pei m
ally inspected the same, stating when said
inspection was made.
SEC. 3, That as soon as the appraise-
ment IL completed the county commissions
ers court shall prepare tabulated reports of
their action, setting forth the following, to-
wit; Number Of survey, block, quantity
IN each survey, the name Of company or in
dividusl to whom the certificate was
granted, price per acre for each section, or
aqnartcr thereof if difference exists, value
OF Improvements, remarks giving general
description Of soil, water and timber. One
copy OF the above report shall be filed In
Tho office of the county or district surveyor,
and shall constitute m arobivc in his Office;
one copy shall be forwarded TO the commits
nioner Of general land office, and one copy
TO the treasurer Of the state,
Bee. 4. That upon the receipt OF the above
report by the commissioner of the general
land Office he shall examine the same, and
II made In conformity with this act, and II
'h his bHliiiou iit thNltiii uit pup
erly valued, he shall approve the same, aud
shall notify the county or district surveyor
OF the fact and until he receives such notice
for at least thirty days thereafter, the sur
yeyor shall not entertain any proposition
Tor the purchase of said land provided,
that II the commissioner OF the general
land Office believes, or has reason TO believe,
that the land is valued too low,
or that the proper description has not been
given OF the soil timber or water, or that
tae land has increased In value since APP
praisenent, he may and lit shall be his duty
10 require supplemental report containing
auqitional Information, or he may send
soVc one from hia Office; or, II none of his
employees can be spared, or IRE not qualified
Tor the service, he may appoint some sutn
able person TO visit such county concerning
which the report is unsatisfactory, who
shall make areport, such rs Is required by
the county commissioners court; for
which he, the person sont, ii not u regular
employe, shall be paid salary, for the
time employed, not greater than that of the
Chief clerk OF the land office. IRON the in
formation acquired from every source.
the commissioner OF the general lana
Office shall correct the report trans
United by the county commissioners
court and forward copy of such
corrected tabulated report to the county or
district surveyor of the proper county, to
DO by him kept as an archive of his Office,
ana forward duplicate copy to the treas
urer OF the state. ana retain copy In the
general land office rs an archiye,
SEQ. o. That as soon as the surveyor shall
receive the notice provided for In section
aoi this net, he shall publish the same for
~ least four weeks in some newspaper rub
isheu IN the county or district In which
aGch land IL located, or II there BIO no news.
paper published in said county or district
then by posting the same In at least three
public places In said county or district
That after such publication or posting
III the case may be, has been com
pieted, as provided for IN this section, and
not before, he shall be authorized to re.
cciye applications for the purchase of said
iands, IN any quantity not less than one
hunureu anu sixty acres, except fractions
o. less than one hundred and sixty acres
Mst may now exist IL said counties: pro-
vucu, that no person shall be allowed Ia
purchase more than ono section of six bun.
dred and forty acres Of said land when the
same is classed as arabic land suitable for
farming purposes; but when the same is
olassed rs land suitable only tor grazing
purposes, 1t shall be sold in quantities 10
suit the purchaser, but no person shall be
permitted to purchase less than ono
hundred and sixty acres nor more
Than three sections of six hundred
and forty acres within five miles oi
the geographical center of any county, nor
more than seven sections az any other
place; and provided, further, that no person
shall purchase more than ono section upon
any water 'front.' and that no corporation
nhall DO permitted to purchase more than
one section IN any ono county under the
provisions of this act.
Sec. q, That any person desiring 10 pur.
chase any OF the above lands shall make nm.
plication IN writing to the county or dis.
ulct surveyor, designating the number of
survey, block, name of company or indi.
viduai TO whom was issued the certificates.
by virtue OF which such survey was made,
tue quantity wished to DO purchased, and,
IL less than n whole section, the particular
part Of such section; provided, that no
fraction Of less than one hundred
sixty acres shall DO left by any
such selection, and that no fac.
uonal section of less than three hundred
aud twenty acres shall DO divided; and
provided further that no application for
The purchase OF land under the provisions
OF this act shall be received by the sur.
vQynr unleSq anid annlioatinu Il. a,,.,,