Fort Worth gazette. [volume] (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1891-1898, 1894-12-30
COL. MGAUGHEY RECOMMENDS
A COMPLETE REcODIFIcATIoN OF
PRINTED ABSTRACT
OF Located, TITLED and Patented
Landslide Reasons Given Why
This Work should De Done-The
Settler in n DepIornbIe Condition.

Austin. Tex, Dec. 29.-In his report
to Governor Hogg. Land Commissioner
MeGaughey makes the following rec
concentrations:
BY virtue Of an act approved March
.. 1876, entitled AN act to provide for
the recompllatlon OF an abstract OF
the located. titled. and patented lands
in Texas" II was made the duty OF
the commissioner OF the general land
office. as soon as practicable. TO pre-
pare new abstract OF Texas land IL
ties.
In compliance with the above, a gem
eral recompilation OF the printed alb
stract was made, and the work CON
densed into two octave volumes. COM
prislng grants and locations had up 10
1877. including a supplement.
The supplements have been contin-
ued zone being Issued annually until
Vol. xviii has been reached. Many
errors and incongruitles naturally
creep into a work so yoluminons. which
can only be remedied By recomplla-
tion, say, every two decades.
II has now been twenty years since
a revision took place and that It Is
badly needed at this time. Is the YER
diet of those who have to deal with
our congested system OF rendition. The
Office is In receipt OF letters from va
rious counties OF our state, praying
for n new abstract OF their tax rolls,
which. of course, can not be furnished
without an enabling act.
therefore recommend complete
recodlficati0n OF the printed abstract,
for the following reasons:
]. Many surveys upon our assess
ments are doubtless erroneous or have
been abandoned, but no proof having
been fled, save the report OF the as
SCISSOR and surveyor. as required by the
act of 1856, the office does not feel JUS
tilted In their cancellation, On the
other hind, should a now abstract be
prepared these surveys couii be en-
tlrely omitted, except in such cases
where proof Of Abandonment Is insut.
lcieut. thereby relieving the stale or
unnecessary expense incurred In the
payment OF assessments where there
can be no collections. In like manner
surveys which upon their face are
clearly excessive. but calling for nat
ural boundaries, by recent decision OF
the supreme court, no correction OF 10
cation or cancellation OF patent can DC
made. In going over the mes neces-
sarv for n recompllatlon, these Excess
sive surveys would be made to appear
sor their actual area, according TO the
rehabilitation.
In a revision as contemplated, fhe
ole number could be appended, felieV-
Inc Inc office a the burden OF running
the rauntlet Of index volumes, when
owing TO their constant wear must pc
fre1uently renewed AZ a great cost
for their copying. Al present there
Il some difficulty In Identifying certain
surveys; especially Is this the case Win
prescriptions. owing 10 there hpprar,ns
s,,,o ar more locations In the same
r,o and the game county. This could
40 renarlied by attaching the survey
"a hioek numbers, together with tne
s ny nnrnber. which would certainly
49,, a great convenience TO parties
rsayrcspondlng with the office In reeaIu
10 their land. os,,,
q, baa become quite an expensive itesn
20 those wishing 4 complete set OF ~,
straets. costing 81 per volume ~ hHe'
bv law. The department nA'l.s ~.
aa,a,a supervision OF the abstract
lies, 80 been materially handicapped
n.. ,i,s n1aguituIe Of the labor involyeo
~ ~ examination Of each Ole, phat
y XII IN would be vastly reduced By a con- con,
Sansation Of volumes needs ne spe ..
srruulent, as II IL plainly evident tn a,
a ns s, nierk could scan two querto VOL
one IN aa snort time as two CLERKS
~ 49, sxsrn3ne eighteen octave volumes
xvbile a recompllatlcn wouil nse ~,
~ ,ew abstract numbers y Is ~
sisAss a contemplated that the OLD
% liS - entirely dlsrssareed, o. these
shan y nc ie retained without com
coulo I'M nistters. The regular ATTRACT
A phesnsy ith enc craftsman. can DO tne
work. - chant4r 100 page rs.