The Houston daily post. [volume] (Houston, Tex.) 1886-1903, 1898-01-14
REPORT FROM LAND OFFICE

To the Editor of The Post
Austin, Texas, January II 1t may be OF
interest TO your readers to give them some
the land department OF the State for the
year just closed. The land that has been
surveyed and set apart for the permanent
free school fund and classed as grazing
land is sold for not less than 81 per acre
That which is classed as agricultural Is
sold for not less thia 81. so per acre All
is sold onf orty years time with per cent
interest. The interest must be paid every
year, but none OF the principal, except the
first payment OF one-fortieth cash at time
of purchase. Is required TO be paid until
the end of the forty years. The interest
on these sales is applied to the available
free school fund. The principal becomes
part of the interest bearing permanent
school fund.
During 1897 there were sold 1878, 1903
acres, and the year closed with about 5000
purchase applications pending. These sales
added about one and half million dollars
to the interest bearing school fund, with
much more in sight. In addition to the
sale of the land. the State also leases the
public domain as well as the surveyed land.
The lease price is fixed by law at not less
than 3 cents per acre per annum. The
land leased Is generally used for stock
grazing purposes. but not infreauently do
we find splendid farms cultivated on land
held under lease. Most all OF the Leased
northeast corner OF Wilbarger county south
to the Rio Grande river. Last year was
one OF unprecedented activity in the lease
business. During the year there were
leased 4,s59.S0S acres. At cents per acre
this added s145. 794.2 "a to the available
free school fund for the present education
of the children. During the year there
were paid cn old leases s137.s57. 81. or
total OF $685. p revenue from the lease
business alone. There were cancelled dur
Ing the year leases covering 2,571 702
acres At the close of the year there were
under lease 0,947,942 acres. BY the last Of
the present month there will be under
lease ten and a quarter million acres. The
operation OF the lease department from
which this revenue was derived costs the
State $4,000. as against about $4,000 under
fcrmer administrations.
Under COMMISSIONER Bakers administra-
lion the business has been so systematized
that the greatest amount OF work can be
lone In tho least possible time. from
which results a great saving to the STATE
Acting upon Commissioner Bakers sng-
,estions the last legislature enacted Ia;ss
whereby several thousand purchases made
,ears ago by spectators. but upon which
10 interest hIsd ever been paid, were for
cited and the land again placed on the
market for sale or lease. As result mil
ions OF acres are now yielding revenue to
he State which for years had been Idle
10 far as the State was concerned A:sy
Irop his suggestion the hw regulating the
ale and lease OF land was much simplifieJ. !
improved and the actual settled benefited.
However thls Ia not yet fully appreciated
~ those most interested, nor viii II be |
Until TIN great number Of applicants now |
N hand get their land. settle down In their |
zones. take Retrospective view OF The
itratscn and realize that feeling OF se-
urity brought 10 enc by having perfect J
lfls 10 his property. Many who have az I
lied to buy land feel they have cansr 10
ompiain At Colonel Baker on account q !