The Austin weekly statesman. (Austin, Tex.) 1883-1898, 1884-03-20

HOObD IppCh 1hEM.
When the mayor and Mr:Newningwent
to New York they took the bonds
from his control and hypothetical
them to Swenson s. Sons, who adj
Vattoad enough to pay the lien of his
bank for Il G money advance to take
up the old ten per cents due and to
nav the floating indebtedness-the
$1,000 Marrali:.SS-so as to make the
sale of the bonds irss2l. The war
rants had not been paid, AID the
money was On deposit subject to call
by the city. He was asked if he
thought Swenson s. Co., or anybody
else, could negotiate these bonds I'M
less this $1,000 was paid or secured,
and he replied, Certainly not, for
the transaction would be entirely
void." He knew nothing further
about the matter.
Finances Matters, Etc.
The departments yesterday offered
but a meagre account in the way of
items. The appointment of Lueius
Dill as district attorney for The thirty
fifth district in the Panhandle, i'll place
of Temple Houston resigned, was all
u.
Nothing but the dry routine of Office
work was the order of the day. Even
the industrious comptroller as if in an
off in the morning for San An
tonic; and so decidedly dull was
everything generally about the
state offices that the other heads of
the departments found nothing bet
| ter to do than to resolve themselves
| into a board of examiners to inspect
| the work of construction of the new
capitol. There indeed they found the
scene active enough. The big booms
were at work deity handling the
large stones which were being put IN
to place, and were shifting them
around without regard to their avoir-
dupois, to their desired positions in
the foundation of the great Texas
copitol. 1t was comforting picture
to witness the great work of such
appliances. One could but feel aSSur-
ed that the state house is actually be-
ing built; and that eventually in course
| of a few more years of waiting,
and anxious expectancy and develop
mentS of labor the great structure
will rear its majestic proportions into
| a completed "thing of Joy and beauty
forever" How the hearts of the
people will then thrill from the sea 10
the hills at the conten plation of such
magnificent results in return for their
munifcent appropriation of three mil
| lion of acres of land in the Pan Han
die section of the state, (worth when
| donated but fifty cents an acre, but
now held by the contractors for at
| least five times that amount), all in or
der that Texas might have
one of the finest capitols
in the union! But how the thrill of
pleasure as they look upon the grand
enterprise may be changed into throbS
of anguish when they reflect upon the
immense profits which will have been
realized by others at the sacrifice of
SO much of the states public domain.
What Five million dollars worth of
land, they will exclaim, for capitol
that might have been built for
two millions in money. How fool
a bonanza to the contractors. All
they will repeat again and seek to con-
sole themselves with the reflection :
The land grabbels would have gotten
it all for song anyway-the old story
of the shiftless policy of the states
every where in disposiDg OF the lands
of the people. So let us rejoice in the
completion of the capitol as one OF
the browning glories of Texas.
The governor and other state
officers present were evidently
satisfied with the progress of the
work. Indeed there is no ques-
ton that it is now progressing
finely and when it is done the state
will have gained a capitol worthy OF
her, and the three millions OF her lands
will be none the less part of her great
commonwealth, and its owners, her
children. That will be a great salts
faction, no matter how we may view
the transaction.
LAND MATTERS.
1t is limited that the cattlemen who
resist the action of the state land
board in raising the rental of school
lands, will bid for leases of them at
four to five cents per acre, and ii thelI
bids are rejected, will occupy the
lands with their cattle, and enclosing
them will contend that they can't be
req tired to pay over 1872 per section
under the land law, instead of eight
cents per acre, as demanded by the
land board.
1t is stated as in keeping with the
action of the board, that railroad
lands are leased for five years at from
eight to twelve cents on condition
that lease terminates upon sale of the
land at any time. Travis county
school lands, located in Throckmortor
county, are leased at q cents, witt
the understanding at end of the lease
they are to be left provided with gooC
fences and water tanks on each league
} of land. Dallas county school lands
located in Archer county, are leased a
, ten cents; Tarrant county schoo
! lands, located in Wichita county, ar,
leased at twelve cents, and Was hing
ton county school lands, located II
, Tom Green county, are leased at thir
teen and a half cents. These oil
i counties selected their school land
: first, and got the best of them in soil
, bodies, which makes some diffprenc
in the question.
Secretary Woodbridge says he wrot
according to the minutes of the Pre-
: ceedings of the executive committe
3 of the university regents, when he &C
5 dressed the letter to the state Ian
. board, requesting them to lease tn
: university lands at six cents for DIR
3 and twelve cents for watered sections
r FINANCE DEPARTMENT.
The mayor of Sherman has twit
: written to the comptroller that tn
9 city had decided not to levy any mol
e tax to pay the interest and sinkin
fund on the Houston and Texas CeI
trail subsidy bonds, until their valdit
: is established by the courts. I'll
< mayor wants to know who own
g them. Some of them are said to
held by j. S. Eastman, of Grayso
county. The mayor says nothin
II about Texas Pacific railroad subsid
r bonds.
r Some counties have already ldefau
v ted in the payment of interest upC
o the bonds iheld by the state scho
d fund and inquiry from county officia
e show that they are igcorent in son
d cases of the time when interest b
it comes due.
is A Change of Treatment.
n From the Brooklyn Eagle.
y IF you will permit me to say s
3. doctor" remarked the patient, "scien
has in you one of its most persevt
ing disciples" The doctors face e
IA pressed the qualification the comp
- ment gave him, and the patient co
II tinued: