The Austin weekly statesman. (Austin, Tex.) 1883-1898, 1885-11-05
DEPARTMENT NOTES
Daily DoSngs in and Around the State
Departments.
LAND BOARD.

Daily Doings in and Around the State
Departments.
LAND BOARD.
The receipts yesterday was S3,Ol4.4o
from sales and leases.
The very efficient clerks in this de
partment were busy yesterday, liking
up matters and things for the regular
monthly meeting of the board to-day.
Although Mr.. Gibson, one of Secretary |
LaWrence's sistants, has been down |
with the dengue several days, every |
thing will be in gold shape Tor the
meeting of the board.
Fifty-one section applications
were received by Secretary
Lawrence, including one from l.. L.
Miller for %, COO acres in Greer county
Mr.. w. 4. Class, one of the grass
commissioners, sent out by the state,
has rendered his report to
the board, which Can not
be made public till action by the
board. The territory marked out for
Mr.. Gass included twenty counties in
the extreme top of the Panhandle,
comprising, among others, Wilbarger,
Wichita, Hardeman. Hartly, Dallam,
Wheeler, Hemphill, Randall and II ans,
ford. Though his report belongs for
the present to the tomb of secrets,
Mr.. Class was seen yesterday by re-
porter, and the latter gathered many
Interesting points. Mr.. Gass says we
have all heretofore been mistaken in
our ideas concerning this Panhandle
country; that instead of being a waste
country, fit only for stock and cattle,
much of it, in the extreme northwest,
comprises some splendid and
rich farming l.nds, which
viii, as soon as railroads
penetrate it be settled with u
teeming population. In fact, he
places Wichita. Wilbarger, Hardeman,
Wheeler, Carson, Donnelly, among
the agricultural counties, containing
many fine bodies of farming lands.
Mr.. Gass says that whole country is
under fence, that is the twenty coun-
ties of his distrlct-chiehy English
and Scotch CAPITALISTS.
1t may be interesting, also. here to
note that in the district visited by Mr..
Gass is the field Of operations of the
famous Franklya Cattle company.
The leading member of the firm is t.
New Yorker, said to be worth several
millions, and the ranch managers b
ing the two Grooms--father aud SON
Kentuckians. They own 100000 acres
chiefly in Carson, Roberts, Gray and
Hutchinson counties, to say nothing of
Greer county. They have 1000 acres
in cultivation, and are now testing
these lands with all sorts OF grasses,
grains and vegetables. They have
expended $4,000 in coltrivances for
water, wind mills, etc, and have, IN
different parts of their possessions,
100 artificial lakes and tanks. The
l. on 000 hnnh of n lttln
and are rapidly developing he capa-
bilities of the country as Rapidly as
capital Can do it..
The report Of Mr.. Glse, WIN the
board allows its publication, will be
highly interesting. He has been an
editor, and knows how 10 put up such
matter.
A regular monthly meeting of the
land board was held yesterday, at
which were present Comptroller
Swain, Treasurer Lubbock, Ian
Commissioner Walsh, Attorney-Gene
eral Templeton and Secretary Lau-
renee.
The principal business transacted
is embraced in the following sum-
mary:
The secretary of the board reports
about 100000 acres sold to actual set
tiers during October. The bids to
lease covered about 300 sections. in
Guiding bids of the Continental Land
and Cattle company, for about 100 in
Rives county. ileavlng l0O sections,
mainly in CARA and Kent counties,
and some in Midland and Scurry coun
ties, which latter $50 sections only
were awarded, the Continental COM
pany having withdrawn its bids by
telegram, without assigning any Tea-
son for SENSNn. Among the
leases -LX-.saps of n,nivnrsit5'
the public domain in Greer connty'
leased to l.. T.. Mill T.
Secretary Laurence reported that
the reports Of the grass commissioners
were all in type, except those OF
Messrs. Stevens aad McCultoch,
The attorneys eneral alone voted
against the Greer county lease. He
and Ex-Governor Lubbock had con-
siderable discussion about it.
The report of Commissioner Wal
lace as to timber depredatioDs In Ty.
Ter county, was considered. One party
had proposed to buy section from
which he had cut timber, offering S.
ana acre for it, but did not Offer
to pay for the timber already cut. The
encouragement as member of the
board said: Parties ought to pay fol
the timber already cut and we will
treat with them after wards"
According to the report one man
was not inclined to pay for cut timber
at all, but would, if the board insisted
pay for what logs he had removed from
sections he had left. He objected to
paying for some remaining cut on the
ground.
The commissioner was authorized
to settle for cut timber with several
parties for amounts aggregating about
$500, including one of $500.
The board adjourned to give the
secretary further time to prepare his
work.
During the proceedings Governor
Lubbock enlivened matters with
one of his old time, earn
est speeches in. behalf of the
actual settler. A former ruling
three sections of land to one person
This rule was changed at a meeting
of the board at a time when Gov.
Lubbock happened to be absent. Yes
terday, when an applice ton for a
Intersection purchase was made and
refused, the "old war horse" not
knowing of the change made during
his absence, fired up, and for mo-
ment made things right lively by the
power of his speech. The laugh was
on the ex-governor when he was told
of the change in the rule.
EXECUTIVE DEPARTMENT..
Yesterday Governor Ireland form
allo declined and refused to grant par
don to William Harris, of Brown
county. The only reason urged in his
behalf by his friends was that he had
already been sufficiently punished for
the offence for which he was incarcer-
ated in the state prison. This was as
sault with intent to rape, and for
which he was given five years, dat