Fort Worth daily gazette. (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1882-1891, 1890-09-06
AUSTIN LETTER.
State Capital Yisited-How the Heads
of Departments Look at Work.
One of the Goods Things of the Hogg Admin
istration VIII be Reform IN Our Grim
inal LaWs-"Dam" City Talk.
Correspondence of the Gazette.

AUSTIN, TEX. Sept. 3.-Since the San
Antonio convention politics at this capt.
tai have quieted down. The thing i
paramount interest now is who will the
new governor appoint to such offices as
he is entitled to fill. Several states have
been fixed up, but rather to suit the
fancy of the slate makers than
based on anything that Mr.. Hogg
has indicated in any way, shape or man.
ner. The fact is, it is not certain that
the new governor has himself definitely
decided on the men he shall appoint. or
from what section of the state they shall
come. 1t is still matter of pure con-
lecture. with no Likelihood of solution
till Mr.. Hogg takes his seat in the chair
gubernatorial.
THINGS ABOUT THE STATE HOUSE.
When a citizen away out in the rural
districts reads about the governor, sec
rotary of state, land commissioner and
state treasurer he imagines men of ex-
traordinary personal appearance, some
thing away above the ordinary herd.
| But when he comes down to
Austin and enters the granite
portals of the magnificent new capitol he
perceIves his mistake. When he meets
the governor and other high officials he
sees in them men just like himself, sub
ject to all the foibles and weaknesses of
humanity. When the great front door
slams behind him with a clang that
echoes along the lofty stone corridors he
may meet
A MEDIUM-sIzED MAN
middle age, compactly built, quiet de-
meanor, slouched hat aud eyes that
seem to take in everything-a person
whom he might take for a plain farmer
| from the BraZos. Nothing will probably
strike the visitor about this individual
except the eye. There is something
about it that tells you this is very
! quiet, peacable citizen, but you had bet
| ter not monkey with him. Before
| going far our Granger friend Will be told
it is no less parsonage than Governor
| Ross
He will hardly be as much surprised as
| was Northern lady who visited Austin
| during the administration of Governor
Roberts. 1t was before the old capitol
was burned. She started out from her
| hotel to take in the state house and see
the
STATUE OF THE ALAMO
| and other Curiosities. Arriving at the
old wooden gate that led up from the
avenue to the limestone steps of the
building, the lady met a tall elderly man
with white hair and flowing beard. He
wore an old slouched hat that was much
the worse for long wear, u suit of clothes
in the same condition. The visitor con-
cluded she was speaking to some coun-
tryman, or else maybe an employe about |
the grounds.
can see the governor?' she said, as she |
paused in front of him.
al am the governor, madame. What |
Is it you wish?''
comp she exclaimed, ready to faint, |
and then followed numerous earnest |
apologies, at which Governor Roberts |
grimly smiled.
THE COMPTROLLER.
Passing on through the building, cross |
ing the circular glass floor of the rotunda |
on which falls the shimmering light from |
the great dome 300 feet above, the visitor
turns into one of the lofty corridors in |
the northern section of the capitol. En-
tering big door he finds himself in the
presence of tall jaunty looking man
whom he might mistake for Galveston
cotton clerk. There is pen stuck over
his right ear, and he regards the visitor
as probably Panhandle man who has
come down to settle back taxes on lands
in uuorganiZed counties. This gentle
man is
JOHN D. M'CALL,
who will soon enter upon his third term
as comptroller of the state of Texas.
Turning his attention to MIR. McCau's
surrounding he sees number OF clerks
all busy at their books, the half dozen
lofty hu Mr.
Mccall, resembling a great wholesale
counting room more than anything else.
Leaving the comptroller's office and
crossing toward the west another lofty
corridor with magnificent pillars and
beautiful arches the rural visitor enters
the educational department, comprising
three or four large rooms, high and im-
posing like all The other apartments of
this vast pile of Texas granite. Here he
sees seated at their desks two little men
and
ONE VERY LARGE ONE,
a six footer. One of the little fellows
looks like he might be one of the clerks
of the department, but he smiles and
politely inquiries your business and you
soon discover it is Prof. Pritchett, the
new State superintendent of public in
struction. The visitor after talking
with him awhile becomes impressed
with the fact that the pre-
siding head of the department
knows all about education and its prac-
teal methods in this and other states.
Bowling himself out of Mr.. Prltchett's
dominlons the sight seer steps across the
corridor into the treasury where million
and q half of "flthy lucre'' are piled
up and only
A GRANITE WALL
separating him and it. He is struck by
the immense iron bars surrounding the
money vaults, and behind which like
prisoners in big jail sit Ex-Governor
Lubbock and his tall, blackeyed chief
clerk, Workman, the state treasurer that
is to be. Governor Lubbock addresses
the intruder pleasantly, as he always
does, no matter whether you have on
''store clothes' or not-a habit
which, with his acknowledged abilities,
has far away back made Governor Lub-
book one of the most popular men in
Texas.
In like manner our moral friend makes
the round of the other departments,
calling on Commissioner Foster, State
Geologist Dumble, Secretary of State
Moore, Adjutant General King, and last
hrrf laost ha 4