Fort Worth daily gazette. (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1882-1891, 1886-12-20
TALKING ABOUT TEXAS.
Some Popular Errors Regarding Its
Laws aud Its Practices Corrected.
ExaggeraiiOns Exploded.
The Material aud intellectual Condition OF
Tho State--Tho Texas Capitol syndi.
cate and Convict Labor.
chicago Trlbuno,


AUSTIN, TEX Dec 6 .--'rexas has 27l,-
800 square miles. IL Is larger than all
the New England states, New York, New
Jersey, Delaware, Pennsylvania, Illinois
and Ohio combined II Texas were as
denscly populated ag Massachusetts II
would have over 20 600 900 OF population
--or more than ali he inhabitants OF the
United States and Mexico combined. II
Is nearer from M Psso to the Pacific coast
than 1t 10 from III Paso To- Galveston; u
IL nearer from T,xarkana, Tex. 90 Cni
cago than IL Is from rcxa kama to Browns
vile, or 70 III Paso, Tex, Tho
wealth of Texas has increased with
a rapidly which ~ astonishing TO
those who are reneotiye enough To
consider its geographical situation, and
the vast territory II contains which IN
wholly inland and dey Id OF any navlgable
facilities In 1870 the population was
iS,B79--ora little more than the popu.
lation OF Chicago to-day. Taxable values
OF every description we're scarcely $3.50.
900 900. In 1880, Notwithstanding the
disastrous period following the war, II
had increased TO S2500 10000, and the
population was l,7ip. A carofully-
prepared estimate put the present popula.
latiOn at not less than $500, 900, and
the comptroller'a hooks show that
the inxsble values have reached about
$685. 100000, Tho state school fund
comprises, besides the ad valorem tax
Of l2A cents on the 500, SC o00, 00G In
bonds Of state and county Gone OF tho
best secured and safest Investments In
the United States, Texas state bonds
being away above the best United States
bonds), aud 80 900 900 acres OF land 20
be sold on thirty, years time At per
cent Interest on the deferred payments,
and TO DO sold at not less than or per
acre The university fund comprises
2,2l9,906 acres oi lanh, large portion Of
which Is worth irons 50 10 $50 per acre,
having been located NJ a very early day,
and also Sb26,000 Ia bonds, AL Welding
an annual revenue available each year OF
about s26 900 This Ia being added 10
by lease Of lands aud interest acerulng on
aalee, etc Besides tnis source Of wealth
each county has l7,7l2 acres set aside for
its own special school iund, thus msklng
one OF the most magnificent school funds
ever conceived blythe mind OF mln.
C0ntrary 10 most OF the Interested
yarns" told Of Texas, Il really has an
enormous territory that H. not a. for
cultivation, IL IL not vast paradise
whore ouly celestial climate exists and
nature has exhausted other portions OF
tho earth 10 giving her domain wholly
composed OF arabic soil ana unrlyiled
and never failing products. Such stories
arc neither Just 70 those who seek In.
formation nor beneficial TO Texas. Tho
editor Of tho Tribune IN his trip through |
Texaa 3 few years ago struck II about |
right when he divided the state into three
pottlonsi The Eastern, $4,000 square
miles, wholly suited 10 cottoui the |
Middle, 100000 square miles, wholly
sniled TO corn aud email grain,
and the Western, wholly unreliable