The Austin weekly statesman. (Austin, Tex.) 1883-1898, 1885-11-12

-:.SJXSoAAs PENJTENTIARIEs.
From MS1s taasassals, q: 1T. report. as
of the tn q. stAn-
tiaries, it is learned that on SepCeH
LIST, there were on hand 2,765 convicts,
and on October 1st, 2,708, distributed
as follows: 1852 on farms; 267 on
railroads; 502 at Huntsville, and 4S7
at Rusk.
GRASS COMMISSIONER.
Mr.. J. ID. Stephens, one of the free
grass commissioners returned yeSter-
day form his tour of Investigations in
Mitchell, Scurry, Borden, Dawson,
Howard, Martin, Midland Tom Green,
Crockett and Val Verde counties. AS
the commissioners, written reports
are sealed books to the reporters, q
representative of THE STATESMAN
took occasion to interview Mr.. Steph-
ems, and elected from him the follow
ing interesting statements:
MITCHELL COUNTY.
The school lands in this county
have been largely bought up under
the seven sections act, and are held
for speculation. There have been
some violations of the land enclosure
law; not so many, however, as in some
other counties which he visited. Some
of these lands are under controversy
between the state and railroad claim
ants.
SCURRY COUNTY.
In Scurry the lands are generally
| fine, with good grass, and good for ags
Iiculture. There are large bodies of
such lands in the county. The peo-
pie are very anxious to have the coun-
ty settled. There are a great many
| cattle in it on free grass. All the best
lands are leased. Some of the lands
are being used by parties who have
enclosed and are not paying for it,
One man, with quite large herd of
cattle, said he had paid but $50 taxes
in seven years. Only about half the
| cattle in the county are assessed. On
| the other half no taxes are paid, the
| cattle not being rendered to the asses
sor. The lands are generally well
watered.
BORDEN COUNTY,
This fine county is nearly all under
fence, principally by one firm-the
Magnolia Land and Cattle company.
| Only three or four other parties occu-
py the balance of the county. 1t is a
| magnificent body of land and general
ly well watered. There are no settlers
in the county except few cattle own
ers. There are not many sheep in the
county.
DAWSON COUNTY,
is another fine county and is control
lied by G. G. Slaughter. There are Nc
l)others having any interest in the
lcounty, except few sheep men. Mr.
rug hteeeff has a great portion of his
!. ranges fenced. He joins the Magno-
klia company and his outside
lines extend around about
one hundred miles. The lands
are choice "Llano Estacado" (staked
plains), affording fine range, Good
water is had by digging 40, or 60 feet
Slaughter's cattle are watered by
means of wind-mills. He has thirty
or forty thousand head of cattle in
the county. There are but few sheer
men. The county is generally devoid
| of timber, but the soil is rich and
loose, suited for agriculture.
REFUSE TO LEASE.
Some parties refuse to lease the
lands they are occupying in Borden
Scurry and Dawson counties. This
is simply because they think they
can't be forced to lease them. Slaugh.
ter has leased about two hundred sec
lions in Dawson and Howard coun'
ties, but he uses all the outside lands
for free range for his cattle.
HOWARD COUNTY.
This is another county of fine lands
through which the Texas s. Pacific
railway passes. A good portion, per
haps one-half, is under fence. There
are a great many sheep in the county
Some of the sheep men have LEASED
lands, but many have not. There is q
strong free grass element in this coun
ty, the prevailing sentiment being
against any change from the old way
of doing business.
| Surveyors, Mr.. Stephens says, art
often agents for these big cattle men
The people elect them and the survey
ors are with them by community o.
interests. Mr.. Slaughter's agent il
said to be surveyor OF Howard county
MARTIN COUNTY,
which is embraced in the plains anC
is traversed by the Texas Pacific, is {
splendid body of land. There is very
little land leased in the county. The
cattle ranges have been purchased un
| uCI GklC OOVOn OCCG1Ou0 dCOs 4hOJ al Z
generally held for speculation, and by
parties whose residences are not gen
orally known and who don't want tt
sell. The lands are bought up along
the railroad in this way, so that set
Elements can't be effected without
great difficulties, on account of par
ties being deprived of desired advan
tages. A great many have taken thu
| Goth opd toilod 70 oOyn vIxy ruit }
1t, and we can't find where they are
There Is
GERMAN COLONY
there, working hard to get the coun
try settled, but encounter purchaser
under the actual settlers oath whC
have agreed to settle but tail to do so
though holding the lands by keeping
up the payments. This is a fraud up
on the state and initiates against act
ual settlements. It retards progress:
and is largely the result of the sever
sections law, which was simply de
vice to secure large bodies of land up
on convenient terms, the same a!
single sections.
| MIDLAND COUNTY.
This is also a fine county. lately
formed out of Tom Green, with goo(
settlements already around the county
seat. This embraces about IN
sections, all fenced. Their,
is conflict between actua
settlers, or farmers and stockmen as
to the classification of the land in
Midland. The stockmen say they ar,
only fit for grazing, while the actua
settlers say they are good for farming
There is great deal of free grazinf
in the county There are great
many sheep which are principal occu
pants of the public lands. Water il
easily gotten by digging, say to &
depth of fifteen to fifty feet and is dis
pensed by pumps and wind mills.
. TOM GREEN COUNTY,
Mr.. stephens contends, should bt
divided into eight or ten counties
The east half of the county Is nearly
all under fence, the pastures being o
NJ all sizes and in all conceivable shapas