The Austin weekly statesman. (Austin, Tex.) 1883-1898, 1891-07-23

Matters at the capitol seldom show
much change a d yesterday was just
such a day as about six days out OF
every week are there. Yet while they
always seem the same, some days show
up in the round up much more no
ticeably than others, and yesterday
while it was no whale was never.the-
less considerably above the ordinary.
Department of Education.
Now that the work of preparing the
state school census has been brought
to close, the clerical force of the de-
partment of education is settling back
the pursuit of routine work from
which the rush of business connected
with the apportionment of the availa-
BILE school fund had dragged them,
One theory, however, relative to the
distribution of the funds, and at the
same time touching on the matter of
all reports required by the department
is the fact, that many of the county
officials will persist in regulating
the scholastic year to suit them.
selves. The law provides that
the scholastic year shall commence on
the first day of September of each year
and end on the thirty-first day of
August thereafter. This provision
will be found in section five of chapter
3, school laws of Texas, yet hardly a
day goes by but there is some officer,
and most often the offender is
county treasurer, who submits areport
in which he commences the year in
June, July or August or any other
time WHICH appears handy. There is
no knowing why they do this, and the
department is at loss to determine
whether they are guided by the terms
of their courts, the phases Of the moon
or their own convenience in fixing the
dates.
The fact remains, however, that
many of them disregard the law en-
tirely, and every such report has to be
returned to be corrected.
State Superintendent Pritchett
signed up two life certificates of first
grade, yesterday, in accordance with
section ten, chapter 116 of the act of
the 22d legislature, which provides
that any teacher who may hold a
diploma comforting on him the degree
} of Bachelor of Arts, Bachelor of
.. Science or any higher academic degree
from any college or university of the
first class and who shall have taught
for a period of not less than FIVE years
in Texas, may, upon the payment of q
C fee of five dollars, which shall be
placed to the credit of the state avail
, able school fund, receive from the state
superintendent of public instruction, q
: certificate of the first grade which
J, shall be valid anywhere in this state
; during good behavior.
J. These are the two first certificates of
this character issued under The new
law, the first being in the name of
MAJ, John M. Richardson of DANGER
!, field, who holds diploma from Har-
. ward, and the other to w. J. Spillman
of San Angelo, who holds G. diploma
from the Southern University at
d Greensboro, Ala
Geological
, A visit to the department of the
8 state geologist yesterday revealed the
information that DR.. Conlstock anC
Prof. Z. 7. Dumble have been inves.
2, tigating the Nueces coal fields. DIR
J, Comstock is still in the coal fields, bu
u Prof. Dumble has gone to Trans
- Pecos, Texas, where he is examining
into various local characteristics to-
j; gether with Prof. Steerwuitz.
Is Prof. Cummins has gene with hi
d party into the panhandle country t;
u survey the geology of that country
u Mr.. J. A. Singly is studying the arte
!. sian water conditions of the gulf coast
!; especially the recent boring at Gal
weston; Mr.. J. B. Walker and par5,
8 are tracing the cretacaeous contac
and studying the water bearing sand
on the line of the Gulf, Colorado ant
Santa Fe; Mr.. VIM. Kennedy ant
party are working in East Texas; MI
j. A. Taft and party have been study
q ing the region between the Neuce
and lower Rio Graude, and hav
D. worked up into Medina county
II where they are now pushing their in
designations.
r, Some very interesting facts hav
been discovered which will, when pub
. lished, create a revolution in the pres
20 ent conceived idea concerning tn
geology and mineral condition Of tn
= state gone over.
= Secretary of State.
t Only one charter was issued by til
I. department of state yesterday, an
.. that was the Rockdale OIL company
incorporated with a capital stock c
100000 and with headquarters at Rocl
VI dale, Milan county, where they pro
l. pose to manufacture cotton seed O
to and other oils, also soap, cotton bal
es ing and paper stock holders. Direct
So So ors, j. s. Perry, G. II. Coffield, J.
W W Lockett, B. B Baxter and b. Lower
~ stein, all of Milan county.
of Adjutant Generals Office.
This department is very quiet an
l. IL L