Fort Worth gazette. [volume] (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1891-1898, 1894-12-30

act OF March 49, 1883, mining laws. be
30 amended as 10 authorize the COM
miss.oer OF the General land office to de-
clare forfeiture OF claims for failure TO
do the annu.l asseBsment work and
payment OF annual installment, with
interest thereon.
Also allow all purchases under Sec
ton 10 OF said act ten vars from daic
OF application for suryoY. In which TO
apply for patents provided In said sec
ton TO-
That section /. chapter 50 page o., act
Of March 20. 1857. be 80 afnended as to
tn authorize the sale ofiEuch appro-
priated public domain cqltaining not
mora than go ACRES or les, In all or
ganized counties.
That section Z. chapter 90. page s..
act OF April /. 1887, be " amended az
TO authorize the sale OF Eatcrcl lands
at NOT less than two dollars per acre,
In the following coun,iia: Anderson,
Angelina. Bows l'rnnklln. Hardin.
Harrison. Houston, JASPER, Jefferson.
Montgomery, Morris, Nacogdochcs,
Newton. Orange Panolg Polk, Rains.
Red River sabine, Sar augustine, San
Jacinto. shclbN Titus, Trinity, Tyler
and Walker,
Also In any other county not men
toned above. where watercd lands are
less valuable than dry.
That The law be so amended as to
authorize the commissioner Of tho gem
eral land office. the governor concur
ring. 10 order suits to be filed 10 forfeit
claims purchased under the act OF
April y. 1853.
That an act be passed authorizing
the sale Of lots or small tracts out OF
any or the public lands Of the state
for school or church purposes
a uNstNt
in all lines OF business especially IN
the districts where the great body OF
the public lands arr located, and on
account OF the continuous dr0 ID for
several years, and the hardships mel
dent TO frontier life, the settler IL in 4
deplorahle condition. Forfehures and
ACCOMPLISHMENTS TO the state show ihclr
Inability TO pay interest on their obll-
cations at the present rate. i ADVISE
either a reduction in the rate OF inter-
est on the obligation. or an exemption
from Interest for the first three years
after purchase until complete title may
vest In them. And for tfeae same r,.i-
sons the lease rcnt should be reduced.
The state VIII derive a greater
revenue by leasing her public lands
at cents per acre than al the present
rate. for the reason that the atockmen
universally declare their inability 70
pay q greater price and continue N The
business. They also say that ali lands
would be leased at the low rate Of Two
cents per acre.
/ have recommended reduction %
the working force In this office for the
following reasons. io.wit: At the re-
quest Of the nttorney-general the In
formation for suits on all Illegal locsi-
tons made by railroads for aidlngs and
tirnOuts. and all Other necessary data
on claims whore nfiartlons OF the law
appear, have been furnished by this
department. Tho district ana county
attorneys throughout the state have
been furnished statements ana lists, d
claims upon which Interest renialn5
due and unpaid upon public free school
lands sold under the acts OF 1879 and
1881. aRsreg4tinR a total OF S05,593 acres
and the accrued unpaid Interest amount
ing TO the gum OF Hss,6s6lO- a similar
statement OF lands sold under the act
~ 1854. which were attempted 10 be for
feiied and which have since been re-
sold under tho act OF 1851 arc now
ready 10 DO sent out, authorizing tho
Institution of suits for norfehures.
There are 4g5.1ii acres OF these ANUS
locatel IN lOs counties held by repur-
chnse, no appropriation having been
made TO defray judicial expenses. There
last purchasers anxl1usly await the ao-
aion of the legislature TO remoye cloud
from tItles. All this extra work neees-.
eitAfed the handling and seruitnizing OF
many thousands OF files. Superior
maps upon which the geological depart.
ment have designated the locations ol
valuable mineral depoaits throughent
the state have been made ~,
MANY OF the mutilated records Of The
oaics hnvc been copied and much other
extra work completed. 20 that a retirc-
mont Of some 81 che employees VIII not
oripnle The eniesency OF the department.
owe a debt OF gratitude 70 me en-
yloyes FOR their sble assistance IN my
duties as commissioner. Kefpectfuily
Coinrnladlonar.