The Austin weekly statesman. (Austin, Tex.) 1883-1898, 1886-07-22

cOlored, 1872.
Total number of children, 1,522.
Total number last year, 1,495.
The total scholastic population of the
state, according to returns from all but
nine counties and the towns of Marshal,
Wichita, Ysleta, and Ranger, the popula-
ton of which is estimated, is as follows;
In the counties, Alb, 1913.
In the cities, 80, $50.
The population last year was:
In the counties, 3S6,l37.
In the cities, 66,54l.
Per cent of increase-a little over per
cent
The board of education held meeting
yesterday and apportiOned the school
fund for the year beginning September l,
1885, giving each child SAB, reduction
of 45 cents from last years per capita APP
portionment.
The scholastic report of Montague
county was received yesterday as follows:
Total white children, 1852. of whom 21O
cannot read.
There are no colored children in the
county.
Total number of children last year,
1912.
The counties of Oldham, Wichita and
Wood, having failed to send I p their scho-
lastic reports, the apportionlnent of the
school fund will be made on the census of
last year.
STATE LAND BOARD.
The receipts of the state land board
yesterday reached about $4,000.
The following special sent from Wealth
erford Wednesday night, appeared in the
telegraph columns of this paper yester-
day moreing:
WEATHERFoRD, July 1.-THE following tele
gram was sent to Hon. 5. w. II. Lanham, member
of congress, at Washington, to-day:
''The protraced drouth in Jack, Parker and other
counties north and vest has caused almost total
failure of crops, and will produce great distress.
1t threatens to depOpulae the country. Families
are leaving by the hundred. Use your efforts to
obtain government aid. Telegraph If we can do
anything further
The above ia signed by the county Judge, sheriff
and other county officers of Jack county. This is
the second appeal That has been made to congress
for aid while Gov. Ireland has been pettioned to
call an extra session of the Legislature. The
alarming extent of destituton in the drouth-
stricken district is not fully realized in Texas, and
1t is feared it will not be until many people have
starved to death
The Weatherford reporter sending it
stated it was telephOned from JacksborO,
and that it was signed by the following
persons:
Signed, II. b. Jones, county judge Jack
county; John d. Raines, sheriff Jack
county; w. l.. Garvin, county treasurer
Jack county; Walter Summerville. county
attorney Jack county; o. Il. Ninlay, dis
trict attorney thirteenth district; B. +.
Williams, Judge thirteenth district.
Inquiry made at the capitol yesterday
failed to confirm the telegram. Governor
Ireland had received no petition, nor had
General King heard word about it, not
withstanding two companies of rangers
are stationed in the section alluded to.
From all The STATESMAN reporter could
learn, the special is a colossal canard sent
out possibly for political effect.
Secretary Lsurence, of the land board,
paid $4,000 into the treasury yesterday,
interest on land purchases. He received
ten or twelve applications to purchase
school lands.
The land board held a session last after
noon, at which the question of extending
time of payment of interest on land
notes was discussed, and the conclusion
reached that the time be not extended.
The interest is DE on the first of next
month.
EXECUTIVE DEPARTMENT.
Governor Ireland yesterday wrote Hon.
j. ii. Calhoun, of Eastland, Texas, as fol-
lows, i'll answer to a letter received from
him:
EXECUTIVE OFFICE,
AUSTIN, Tex, July II, 1856. !
Hon i. II. Calhoun, Eastland Texas:
DEAR SIR have your letter detailing
the distressed condition of the people of
your and other counties, on account of
the prolonged drouth, and asking me if
anything can be done to aid the settlers
from losing their lands by forfeiture from
non payment of interest
greatly regret the situation in your
part of the state. If by any expression
of mine settler should be misled or
thrown off his guard and lose his property,
| should reprOach myself for it. You, be-
ing lawyer. will remember the provisions
of the consti ution; you will also remem-
Der the bills passed by the legislature on
this subject. Being anxious to do all l
could for our people out on the border. |
approved these bills, because l did not
think they were inhibited by the consti-
luNlpi' MY NINN MdS' Nlidi IL lut lOTltlluTe
had already taken place, or been incurred,
that the Legislature could not grant
the relief, but if no forfeiture had been
incurred, and | did not believe
that an extension of time for payment of
interest was such relief, as was contem-
plated by the constitution, when speaking
on that subject. = X =
1 cannot say what may be the action of
the land board, and it is doubtful whether
the board will be disposed to do anything
Again, in view of the difficulties surround
ing the matter, it would be questionable
whether the settler should accept indulgen-
cies if rendered TO him, unless he makes
up his mind to probably lose his property
l write you candidly, because it would be
criminal in me to hold out false hopes to
those people.
1 will, however, lay the letter before
the land board.
On the subject of bread, the last ques-
ton contained in your letter, | regret
that you do not suggest some mode by
which | could aid them. 1t has not been
suggested TO me that the situation was
such as to demand or justify called ses-
sion of the legislature, or if it was called
what it could or would likely do. 1t Is
now about five months before the regular
Sc sion will take place. For the present
the only thing | see that is practical is an