Fort Worth gazette. [volume] (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1891-1898, 1894-09-15
COL. M'GAUGHEY, BOOMER,
SAYS THAT THIS WILL nE A CHEAT
YEAR FoR TEXAS.
The Colonel Hard ut work on Imni-
grntion-He Tells Some Things
About what Texas Has Done aud

Hon. w. l.. MeGaughey state land
| commissioner, come up from Austin
Thursday. arriving here on the Cen
trail train in the evening and stopping
over with his old friend, w. W. Dunn.
at the Mansion hotel They got Off in
a corner and held a regular old-fash-
Toned executive session. from which
reporters were vigorously excluded for
the good OF the order. Col. McGau-
ghey has one marked personal pecu-
liarity He viii not talk TO anybody
that looks younger than himself. He
has general lack Of confidence in
reporters. But he has blind side
which can be easily approached.
Tho major was talking to a gray
haired Immigrant. He was eXpatiat-
ing on the glories of Texas and fairly
bubbling over with enthusiasm as he
eulogized the glorious prospects of
the state.
He says that this Is going to be q
great year for Texas real estate, par
icularly good farming lands, which
are bound to Increase rapidly in value
Speaking OF the cheap lands which
the state has for sale, he says he
has been overrun with communion
tons in regard to II from all portions
VI AHN MtNL anu NNIAUNNHls IntiE
IL general surprise expressed at the
cheapness OF these lands. and a large
number OF prospectors are coming to
Texas this fall to make Investigations
with view to making settlements on
the same
In response TO questions the commits
sioncr then stated that Texas still has
about 100000 acres Of school and
university land subject to purchase at
laas rF .F a..
former price being for dry land and
the latter for that which has water
on It, Besides this there are 1000. 900
acres OF unappropriated public domain
subject to settlement at about the
same rates. This land ~ scattered
all over the state, though lying prin-
clpally In the western and southern
portions OF the state. There are small
tracts all over Texas, but the most
III 'aso and Pecos and the
adjacent counties. Many settlers
In the far western regions have suffered
great hardshbs aud many OF them are
being forced TO relinqulsh their claims.
Nearly million acres Of land have
reverted to the state IN this manner
during the past year. Much OF this
land ls susceptible OF irrigation. and
Will be made very valuable by the
projects now under way In that portion
OF the state. Besides the settlers are
encouraged by the good rains OF the
past summer on the plains to continue
their residence there and make Inn
provements, Many Of them are very
poor, however, The commission pro-
poses at the next session of the
legislature bill for their relief,
even the small dues which they are
now forced to pay being a burden In
many cases. He believes that re-
duction Of these dues would enable
these settlers to hold ON and improve
their claims, whereas they are not
now able to do SO.
Then the commissioner smiled
broadly and said that he thought II
the legislature would do this II would
prevent many of the settlers from go-
Ing into the Third party.
Then the jovial land commissioner
started for the Fort Worth and Den
Nor train In company with the aged
Immigrant, who will know more about
Texas by the time he gets to Amarillo
than anybody else except Col. Me-
Gaughey could have told him. The
colonel goes on from Amarillo to attend
court In Swisher county as an attached
witness.
The commissioners annual report.
which viii soon be issued. viii be
very Interesting document giving in
detail the number or acres of public
land Of different kinds In each county
In the state all completely classified.