Fort Worth daily gazette. (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1882-1891, 1884-02-20
THE STATE CAPITAL.
A Free. Grass Platform Mapped Ont for
the Republican Party.
Penitentiary Report - Railway Land
Restored to the Public Domain.
The Arson Claims Decided-Notes from
the Departments.

Special 20 the Gazette.
Austin, February l9.-The GAzETTl
reporter has IL from q reliable sourc,
that in the coming Republican stat,
con vention an attempt Will be made u
have embodied in the platform,
clause declaring that grass M well a
air and water is free, and that all un
enclosed land is prblic common
from which none should be restricted
Ii is believed the tendency of legisla
ton. as indi0 ated by the extra session
is toward herd law, and the idea is
10 divide the Democratic party on this
| issue and carry the free-grass element
bodily into the Republican camp.
! This policy is backed from an influen.
tial source, and there is but little
doubt that il will form "a part of the
programme mapped out 10y the Repub.
| lican convention.
The case of the three men charged
with burglarizing Walkers store,
came UP before Judge Walker on
! habeas corpus to-day. He has per.
milted them to be tried one at time
CircumstAntial evidence against them
is very strong, and it il believed they
viii be- held over under heavy bonds
The report for January of Haywood
Brahan, financial agent of the peniten-
tiaries, was recei ed to-day. 1t shows
balance on December 81, 1883. OF
S44 go; receipts during January $50.
662; expenses S25. SOC; balance Febru-
AIRY |. $50 026, Estimated for February
receipts 49, COS; expenses, S27 ,95l Civ.
ing probable balance on the first of
March of t5i.l70.
The land board In session to-day re-
csived and adopted the report of Paul
McComb, surveyor of the Texas &
Pacific land reservation. 1t discloses
mistake in the original survey, 10y
which the railroad secured n strip four
miles wide aud 1876 miles long The
result Is IA return of 500, 900 acres OF
land to the school fund. The railroad
authorities recognize the mistake,
and have expressed n willing
To acquiesce In the report.
The contesting parties, particularly
the Gano Bros Of Dallas are also said
to he pleased with its contents.
The land board also passed on the
Arson, Jones county case, awarding
one-fourth of the land involved to Mar
tin Duval, one.fourth to w. J. Cow
sert and One-half to Mac Bower, all
claimants by the right of actual set
btITs w - illl'Is NV lllt
entire section, received nothing.
Advices from the Mexican border
indicate the prevalence of an unusual
amount of of lawlessness and frequent
depIedatiOns by Mexican banditti, Oc-
casioned, it is supposed, by the partial
removal Of the rangers.
Representatives of large pasture in
terests are here, endeavoting to induce
the land board to change its policy of
refrainiug from the lease of watered
sections of the school lands. 1t l.
urged that ii this is not done. under
The new law cattlemen will bespre
vented from leasing at ALL 1t is well
known that the old policy was adopt
ed 10 force the lease of unwatered :, c.
lions, and it is claimed that this is ac-
complised by the provisions of The new
enactment. The matter WAS presented
to the board to-day, but il r..
fused to rescind its policy.
IL is learned, however, that
the vote was n tie, and that on the ar
rival of AttoTney-General Templeton,
Who is expected tomorrow, the ques-
ton will again come up.
| Treasury receipts $4,000.
The East Texas of Tyler, and HOus-
ton Fire Insurance companies We're
authorized to continue business in the
state for the current year.
The work of hosting the immense
capitol derTicks and other preparations
for laying stone il progressing rapidly