TEXAS. 



759 



Maxey. As both houses were almost unani- 

 mously Democratic, the contest, which contin- 

 ued through thirty joint ballots, was entirely 

 between Democratic leaders. The principal 

 candidates were Senator Maxey, Congressman 

 John H. Reagan, and Judge Ireland. On the 

 last ballot. February 1, Reagan was elected by 

 a vote of 101 to 25 for Maxey and 10 scatter- 

 iug. The legislation of the session includes 

 the following acts: 



To create the county of Brewster. 



Repealing the law of March. 1881, granting to vet- 

 erans certificates of 1,280 acres of land in the State. 



Increasing the punishment for carrying concealed 

 weapons. 



Creating six new counties out of Tom Green Coun- 

 ty, viz., Ector, WLnkler, Loving, Upton, Crane, and 

 Ward. 



To prohibit and punish dealing in futures. 



Making it a penal offeree to prevent or attempt to 

 prevent auy person from engaging or continuing in 

 any lawful employment. 



Punishing abuse and profanity toward another, 

 and abuse of his relatives in his presence. 



Making the conversion of property by borrowers or 

 bailees punishable as theft. 



Requiring railroad companies to give their em- 

 ployes thirty days' notice of a reduction of wages. 



Ip provide a more expeditious method of ascer- 

 taining the results of elections. 



Prohibiting the taking of fish by use of poisons or 

 explosives. 



To create the county of Mills. 



To provide for the sale of all lands set apart and 

 surveyed tor the benefit of the public schools, the 

 University, and the several asylums, and the lease of 

 such lands and of the public lands of the State, and 

 to prevent the unlawful occupation and inclosure of 

 the same. [A new land law]. 



Authorizing the formation of corporations to con- 

 struct, own, and operate deep-water channels and 

 docks. 



To create the counties of Sutton and Schleicher 

 from the county of Crockett. 



To create a bureau of agriculture. 



To regulate the time and manner of taking and 

 catching fish, oysters, crabs, and shrimp within the 

 bays and tributaries of the State up to tide-water, and 

 in the waters of the Gulf of Mexico. 



To protect live-stock by offering a bounty for the 

 destruction of wolves, panthers, Mexican lion's, tigers, 

 leopards, and wildcats. 



Accepting the act of Congress providing for agri- 

 cultural experiment stations. 



Requiring all railroads to furnish reasonable and 

 equal facilities to all express companies. 



Requiring foreign corporations to file their articles 

 of incorporation with the Secretary of State, and im- 

 posing certain conditions on such corporations. 



To create the counties of Buchel, Foley, and Jeff 

 Davis out of the county of Presidio. 



Increasing the penalty for bigamy. 



Authorizing cities and towns to levy and collect 

 taxes for the construction or purchase of public build- 

 ings, water-works, sewers, streets, and other perma- 

 nent improvements, and to issue bonds therefor. 



Authorizing wills and testaments that have been 

 probated in other States and Territories to be re- 

 corded as muniments of title to real property in this 

 State. 



Authorizing cities and towns to compromise exist- 

 ing indebtedness. 



To provide for the sale of such appropriated public 

 lands in the organized counties of tne State as contain 

 not more than <>40 acres. 



To punish the keeping of u opium-joints." 



Making it an offense to detaiu or prevent the run- 



ning of railroad trains by force, threats, or intimida- 

 tion of any kind. 



Punishing persons who divulge the secrets of grand 

 juries. 



Requiring railroads to furnish a sufficient number 

 of cars for the shipment of freight upon the applica- 

 tion of any person therefor. 



To create the county of Glascock out of Tom Green 

 County. 



Authorizing incorporated cities and towns to hire 

 out their convicts. 



Providing a penalty for the attempted consolidation 

 of parallel or competing lines of railroad. 



Provision was made for the creation of a 

 commission of appeals, consisting of three 

 persons, to which the Supreme Court might 

 refer cases brought before it. The Governor 

 appointed as members of the commission un- 

 der this act Walter Acker, W. E. Collard, and 

 Richard Maltby. 



Three new public institutions were estab- 

 lisheda house of correction and reformatory 

 for youthful convicts, to cost $50,000 : an asy- 

 lum for indigent orphan?, to cost $7,600 ; and a 

 deaf, dumb, and blind asylum for colored 

 youth, to cost $50,000. These were in process 

 of construction at the close of the year. For 

 the sufferers by the great drouth of 1886 the 

 sum of $100,000 was appropriated, which was 

 distributed among 28,750 persons living in 37 

 different counties. The school laws were 

 amended so as to create the office of county 

 superintendent of schools, and otherwise to 

 render school management more efficient. A 

 more stringent law for the enforcement of pro- 

 hibition in places under a prohibitory regime 

 was also adopted. 



Fiimi ccs. The annual report of the Comp- 

 troller for the fiscal year ending August 31 

 shows that the annual revenue exceeded the 

 expenditures by $325,507.44, leaving a balance 

 of $888,970.44 in the treasury at the close of 

 the period. This balance had increased to 

 $1,210,596 on December 31, and will probably 

 reach $1,500,000 before the meeting of the 

 next Legislature. No change has been made 

 in the bonded debt, which remains at $4,237,- 

 730. The school fund and other special funds 

 hold the greater part of this, only $1,245,831 

 being beyond State and county control. 



Education. According to the school census 

 for the year ending August 31, the total school 

 population was 508,041, an increase of 44,489 

 over 1886. Of this number 85,484 were in 

 cities and towns having special school districts. 

 There was apportioned out of the school fund 

 during the year $2,326,526.25, or nearly $4.70 

 for each child of school age. This apportion- 

 ment being greater than the actual revenues of 

 the school fund during the year, a deficit of 

 $228,000 was found at the end of the period. 

 The State University at the close of the year 

 contained 256 students. 



Charities. There were 155 pupils at the State 

 Deaf and Dumb Asylum at Austin during the 

 fiscal year, and 131 at its clcse. The annual 

 expenses were $27,548. The Institution for 

 the Blind at the same place contained over 100 



