The Houston daily post. [volume] (Houston, Tex.) 1886-1903, 1899-02-19

The fourth volume OF Ganimei's Reprint
OF the Laws OF Texas IL lust out. There Is
an Increasing interest Ia the progress OF
the issuance Of this publication. beginning
with Austin's colonization and ending with
Besides the laws OF this entire period OF
more than sevonty-ave years. these VOL
umcs contain such mass OF matter qausi-
political and judicial AZ to make them no
less interesting to students of Texas hls-
tory than to the legal profession.
| The last issue opens with the special
laws OF the Fifth Legislature convened No
vember Z. 1881 and closes with the Con-
stitution of tho Confederate States. adopted
March II. 1861. In this interesting period
| from Pcase to Houston, inclusive, no State
| publication OF Importance seems to have
been omitted by the compiler.
summary view OF the special laws OF
the Fifth legislature discloscs the incor-
poration OF large number OF bridges,
ferries and turnpikes, nine cities and
towns. about twenty railroads. fifteen
schools. academies and colleges and acts
for tho relief OF more than two hundred In
dividuals. As might be expected. there Is
corporations now. Special legislation, as
appears from this. Is not strictly mat
ter Of recent origin.
Among the acts OF the Sixth legislature
are those creating fourteen new counties
on tho frontier. an act giving the assent
Of the State OF Texas TO An act to pro.
vide for the payment of such creditors OF
the late Republic of Texas ms are COM
pretended In the act of congress OF Sep
TENDER 2. 1880.
An net to detect and prevent the pay
ment OF fraudulent certificates of public
debt and to provide for the collection OF
certain due from the United states.
An act to authorize the county courts of
this State to grant license for the retail
Of spirituous. vinoua and other intoxicat-
ing liquors in quantities less than quart
and imposing license tax for such priv
ilege.
An act ceding to the United States Ave
leagues OF land west OF the Pecos river
for an Indian reservation In that section.
An act regulating mustang chases west
OF the San Antonio river.
Among the Joint resolutions are!
Resolution approving the compromise
measure OF 1850.
Resolution approving the course OF Thos.
j. Rusk in voting for the Kansas Nebraska
act and disappearing the course of Sam
Houston in voting against It,
Resolution adopting the intercourse laws
CT the United States for the prevention of
the sales OF wines and ardent spirits to
Indians within the distance of ten miles
from the boundary lines of the Indian re-
serves In the State.
BY special laws the Memphis, El Paso
and Pacific Railroad company aud other
railroad companies were Incorporated;
Sb2e0 we're authorized to be paid to Com
modore e. w. Moore in satisfaction of all
his demands against the Republic and State
lnf
were Incorporated
| But the most singular act of this or any
other Legislature, perhaps, was the follow
| ing. entitled "An act to incorporate the
Terraqueous Transportation Company"
whereas. 7. ]. Chambers has repre-
scented to this legislature that he has dis
| covered or invented a new means or We
| hlcle for the transportation OF freight and
passengers which Is capable Of traversing
equally the land and the sea and of pass
| ing from one TO the other. and that 1t Is
equal, II not superior. In safety, speed,
accommodation and capacity Tor the trans
portation of freight and passengers to first
class vessels by water and railroad con
veyance by land whilst the roads proper for
its use will be entirely exempt from the
heavy expense FOR iron in the construction
of railroads."
SO much for tho preamble. 1t was then
enacted. THAT said Chambers and his as
sociates and successors be and they are
hereby constituted body polite and cor
porate for the term OF 100 years by the
name and style Of the "rerraoueous Trans
portation Company, with power In such
corporate name to mako and con-
struct roads, vehicles and vessels and to
cwn and operate the same for the convey
anoe and transportation of property and
persons; to establish and regulate from
time 10 timo rates and charges for the
transportation" etc.
1t is n source OF wonder to this genera
ton what kind Of a thing was this new
mems or vehicle" with itR marvellous
capacity for "traversing equally the land
and the sea and of passing from one to tie
other" II may always be an unsolvable
problem.
AT the adjourned session, convened on
July Z, 1856. were passed. several acts,
among them: An act making an appro-
priatlon for compensation for arms lost
by the Georgia battalion at the massacre
OF Goliad this was In answer to the de-
mand for payment for these arms claimed
to have been the property OF the State
OF Georgia.; an act 10 provide for the In
yestmenL OF the special school fund In the
bonds Of railroad companies Incorporated
by the State; IN act TO establish an In
stitution for the education of the blind;
an act relinquishing TO the counties tho
State tax for the years lSb6-37; an act 10
provide for the translation and transfer
OF portion OF the archives Of Bexar
county; an act to establish an institution