The Austin weekly statesman. (Austin, Tex.) 1883-1898, 1886-01-28
GOVERNMENTAL.
WHAT is GOING ON IN THE
DEPARTMENTS.
AN EPITOME OF WHAT WAS
LEARNED YESTERDAY AT
TIE CAPITOL.
DEPARTMENT OF STATE.

day with the secretary OF state. The cap
ital stock of the company is 100000 In
corporators: A. c. Garcia NJ. Marx and S
ID. Porter.
Also, filed yesterday, the charter of the
Waco Furniture company; capital stock
$25,OOO. Incorporators; A. j. Caruthers
l.. p. Peck and s. w. Slayden.
BY direction of Gov. Ireland the flag
over the capitol was lowered TO half-mast
yesterday, as a mark of respect TO the
memory of Hon. Ashbel Smith, distin-
guished citizen Of Texas, and president of
the board of regents of the State univer-
sity, whose death, at his home, near Hous-
ton, Texas, was reported in yes
terdays dispatches The governor
will probably suggest to the the uniyer-
sity regents that the remains be brought
here for interment in the state Gene
terry.
DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION.
There was a meeting of the board of
edu' alton yesterday, composed of Gov.
Ireland, Comptroller Swain and Secretary
of State Baines, to consider a case APP
pealed TO the board from Dallas county.
The following is the decision of the
county Judge from which the appeal is
taken:
"In this case it is my opinion that the
tax levied by a vote of the payers of
district No 10, in Dallas county, when col
lected becomes part of the public free
school fund, and cannot be used for the
purpose of building school house I'M
less the land upon which the same is sit
uated is decided to the county judge and
his successors in office for school pur-
poses. hold that the money collected
under said tax is, in no event or manner,
a contribution of the citizens of district
No. 10, ms contemplated by section 81.
As the petition in this case shows decd
to this land was executed by Anon Nc
Comas and wife to trustees to be used as
neighborhood school house and
rs n place of religious worship for all re-
ligiOus denominations. This was done
long before the enactment of the present
school law of Texas. The house, which
was formerly upon this land, having been
destroyed by fire, it is asked that out of
the money collected under the tax, levied
upon the taxpayers OF said dis
trict No. 10, ! permit another house TO be |
erected upon the same land, but the trus-
tees, under the deed of Anon McCOmas |
and wife, can not or will not make n
title of the land to the county Judge of
Dallas county and his SUCCESSORS in o flee, |
and refuse TO permit such appropria- |
ton of said money because | believe |
under the law have no power or author
ity to so do.
The trustees desiring TO appeal from
this ruling, make the same that il may
be decided by the superintendent of pub
lie instruction and by the board of public |
education. Respectfully submitted.
Il. &. Bowen,
County judge and ex-oflicio superintend-
emit education Dallas county.
DALLAS, December 30, 1885.
Mr.. Baker, superintendent of public in
struction, approved the decision of Judge |
Bower and the board of education "de-
termined to sustain the decision of |
County Judge Il. G.. Bower, of Dallas |
county. and State Superintendent of Ed |
ucation b. Nj. Baker, i'll the matter of the
appeal of the trustees of district No. 10,
Dallas county, FROM the decision of said
officers"
STATE LAND BOARD.
With the exception of meeting of the
State Land board in executive session
yesterday, there was nothing of special
interest at the state house. One object of
the meeting was to hear Dr. Waggoner, of
the state university, in reference to the
university lands, bat it is supposed the
board had other matters under discussion.
Not unlikely the question of discontinue
ing the work of the grass commissioners
was considered. Executive sessions, by
the way seem to be the prevailing method
for disposing of public business, nova
days.
What DIR, Waggoner is said to desire is
the authority of the board to bave maps
of the university lands lithograp Pied for
distribution, and the lands advertised by
the university regents for lease, under the
regulations of the board. The board will
probably refer the matter to the regents
for their action, "a there can hardly be
any objection to the board having the CO.
operation of the regents.
The state land board has appointed A.
M. Erskine, of Seguin; NJ. q. Hall, of
Fort Worth, and County Surveyor Surratt,
of McLennan county, rs surveyors to rep
resent the state in resurveying the school
lands.
The comptroller paid over to the state
treasury yesterday to the credit of the
free schools, $4,000, and to the credit of
general revenue $4,000.
NEEDS LOOKING AFTER.
Many years ago the Houston and Texas
Central railroad borrowed large sum of
money from the state free school N.id
and nov owes to the fund the sum of
S4Sl,3Go92. The Texas Pacific also Dor
rowad from the schools and is still indebt-
ed "a the fund in the sum of S162, G62.97,
naking ~ aggregate due from the two
companies of $6440 During the
pet two years both compa-
ries have gone into the hands of
receivers, and it has been suggested. and
indeed Governor Ireland has already
taken steps to see that the state is prop
erly protected and the debt secured. For
several years the Houston & Texas Cen
trail has been paying interest and sinking
fund under protest, and it is more than
likely, under the existing condition of af-
fairs, a heavy suit of some kind may be
the outgrowth.
STATE LAND BOARD.
Mr.. Swink and Mr.. Gass, state grass
commissioners, who have been engaged
for several weeks making copies of
abstracts, viii complete their labors to-
day, and if possible will leave tonight for
the Panhandle land district.