The Austin weekly statesman. (Austin, Tex.) 1883-1898, 1886-08-05

ceptable alike to the stockman and to the
farmer. 1t will bring the school lands in
to the market. As it is, the stockman who
now owns or leases the few watering
places along the streams, holds the entire
country by holding the water. Fence up
the river fronts by irrigated farms. These
lrrigating farmers will buy your farm
ing lands, and the stockmen will lease or
buy the grazing lands. To make a com.
mon of the river fronts will effectually
prevent either the good valley lands from
being settled or the grazing lands from
being leased. The various systems pro-
posed by the prominent candidates for
state honors do not furnish practical
solution of the state school land question
for the country west of the plains. What
do you think of the plan proposeds We
prefer to advocate the claims of men only
as they represent policy.
It's an admitted fact by all that this coun-
try is rapidly on the decline as stock
country only, this fact is explained on the
ground that the character of the grasses
is changing as they are being grazed, and
that the grazing lands are now found
back from the water fronts at distances
estimated on fair calculation that the
Pecos river alone, at average stage con-
tains nine hundred cubic feet of water
and flows current of from three to four
miles an hour. In Colorado, California
and other irrigating countries it is esti-
mated that one hundred thousand cubic
inches of water will irrigate thirty thous-
and acres of land. Taking this as stan
dard, the Pecos river will irrigate four
hundred and sixty-seven thousand acres
of land. The plan proposed we think
will enable us to increase our stock inter-
ests one hundred per cent. or more; will
bring into demand all the state school
lands in counties along the Pecos river
and other western streams, and will fur
nish homes for one hundred thousand
people. Very Respectfully,
A. NJ. WALTHALL.
The watered school lands we're taken off
the market to actual settlers by the wis
dom ~ of the land board in February 'S4.
The number of sections so withdrawn
by this action of the board, amounts
to about $50 in this county, fronting on
the different creeks, and on the Pecos
river. Tom Green county also has 100
sections of school lands bordering on the
Pecos river.
No watered school lands are leased to
the stockmen in this valley-they were
Withdrawn from lease also by the land
board in 1884.
There are but IA sections of school lands,
all told, leased in this county (Reeves),
and these all to men with small stocks of
cattle.
Only about 80 sections of dry school
lands have been sold in this county, and
10 watered sections. They were sold
under the old law, requiring no actual set
Element. We have about 1,500 sections of
school lands in the county, and about
1,200 sections of railroad lands; the latter
are owned principally by the Texas g. Pa
citic railway and the New York and Texas
Land company. The railroad lands in
the valley, on the east side of the river,
are owned by the Houston & Texas Cen
trail railway. There are about 600 sec
tions of irrigable valley lands in Tom
Green and Reeves counties alone; and $50
sections on Toyah creek, in this county,
that might be utilized by settlers if our
law makers could be made to see the
point.
Is it any wonder that our people are for
land policy that would benefit this por-
ton of the state, and add thousands OF
dollars to the school fund, rather than
simply for choice in candidates, none
of whom have indicated that they under
stand the needs of west Texas ?-Pecos
Valley Star.