Montgomery County sentinel. [volume] (Rockville, Md.) 1855-1974, 1885-12-18
Progress of Texas.

In brief article in the last number Of the
North American Review, Governor Ireland,
OF Texas, who some months ago wrote a
letter in which he discouraged immigration
TO that State for fear that If continued to
any large extent the people would be eel
bowling each other into the seas to find
standing room," gives glowing account of
its present condition and the inducements
1t offers to settlers. Impoverished by the
war, losing, in the value Of slaves alone, a
hundred and thirty millions of dollars, and
for nine years afterwards placed under the
oppressive rule of hostile party, the res.
toration of Texas in 1874 to the control Of
her own people was the beginning Of her
new career of unexampled prosperity
Covering territory "of two hundred and
| seventy-four thousand square miles, larger
than New England, New York. Pennsyl-
vania, Maryland and Ohio combined, she
can support" says Gov. Ireland, "a popu-
lation equal to the present population of the
United States, and yet not crowd her peo-
pie" Her population, which in 1886 num-
bered about fifty thousand, has increased
until it is now two and a-half millions. In
1870, the assessed value of its property was
| little less than one hundred and fifty mil
lions of dollars. 1t is now six hundred and
three millions, and its tax rate only twenty
| five cents on the hundred dollars, one-half
of which is for the public schools. Each
county had, under the old laws, twenty
thousand acres granted and set apart for a
| perpetual school fund; two hundred and
| twenty thousand acres more were granted
| for university. Since then the State has
| donated to railroads alternate sections of
land amounting in the aggregate to thirty
two millions of acres, and has coupled with
this donation an equal area for the school
fund. These additional thirty-two millions
of acres devoted to school purposes are es-
timated to be worth sixty-four millions of
dollars. The schools have already realized
from their lands seven millions of dollars,
yielding two and a-quarter millions Of dol
lars this year as an available school fund,
which, irrespective of taxation, allows each
child in the State five dollars for six months
tuition. Every shortly" the Governor says,
the people will be relieved from paying
any school tax at ALL" To show how the
taxable value OF the property of the State
reaches six hundred and three millions
of dollars, the Governor put the assessed
value of the land at two hundred and forty
seven millions, exclusive of eighty-six mil
lions for town lots, of cattle at eighty-one
millions; horses, thirty-two millions; sheep
nine millions hogs, two millions railroad
property, forty millions; merchandise, TWEEN
ty-nine millions, and the State has money
in hand amounting to twelve and a-half
millions. The live stock grazed in the State
he estimates at twelve million head. More
over, he says, mot one-flfth of the State is
yet occupied and utilized" 1t may be ad-
ded that settlers with good constitutions and
a plenty of money become acclimated and
prosperous in few years. The dengue
fever is the first dread of the adventurer,
but, with care, he may escape it.