In Cameron county, on the fifth Monday after the first Monday in January and September of each year, and continue in session five weeks. In Hidalgo county, on the tenth Monday after the first Monday in January and September in each year, and continue in session three weeks. In Starr county, on the thirteenth Monday after the first Monday in January and September in each year, and continue in session three weeks. SEC. 2. All laws and parts of laws in conflict with this act be and the same are hereby repealed.

SEC. 3. The fact that the business on the dockets of Cameron and Hidalgo counties, the crowded condition of the calendar and the near approach of the end of the session, create an imperative public necessity and an emergency that the constitutional rule requiring bills to be read on three several days be suspended, and said rule is hereby suspended, and that this act be in force and effect from and after the thirty-first day of August, A. D. 1899.

[NOTE. The enrolled bill shows that the foregoing act passed the House of Representatives, no vote given; and passed the Senate by vote, yeas 21, nays 0.]

Approved May 29, 1899.

Takes effect August 31, 1899.

TEXAS VOLUNTEERS-APPROPRIATION FOR EXPENSES OF

S. B. No. 282.]

MUSTERING.

CHAPTER CLIX.

An Act to appropriate one hundred thousand (100,000) dollars to pay the officers and men of the Texas Volunteers prior to the inmustering into the service of the United States, in the late war with Spain; to pay those who were rejected; to pay for the necessary supplies, subsistence and transportation prior to their being mustered into service; to authorize the Governor to collect from the United States all monies expended under this act.

Be it enacted by the Legislature of the State of Texas:

SECTION 1. That the sum of one hundred thousand dollars, or so much thereof as is necessary, is hereby appropriated out of any monies in the State treasury, not otherwise appropriated, to pay the absolutely necessary expenses for the subsistence, supplies and equipments, transportation, sheltering and general maintenance of the Texas volunteers during the interval between their enrollment and their muster into the service of the United States during the recent war with Spain; to pay the officers and men of the said Texas volunteers as appeared and remained at the place of muster, which were afterwards received into the service of the United States from the period between the date of assembly and rendezvous and date they were mustered into the United States service. The pay for officers shall be the same as allowed officers in the regular army holding the same rank, and for the men, one dollar per day for such officers and men as appeared and remained at the place of muster and were afterwards received into the service of the United States, from the period between the date of assembly at the rendezvous and the date they were mustered into service of the United States; to pay all

officers and men who appeared at the rendezvous for muster and were rejected by the medical examiner or mustering officer, at the rates as fixed as aforesaid, from the date of assembly to the date of their rejection; provided, that officers and men who have been paid in full by the United States shall not be entitled to any pay whatever under this act.

SEC. 2. The Governor and Adjutant-General shall constitute a board to audit these accounts, which, when properly audited shall be paid by the Treasurer upon warrant drawn upon him by the Comptroller; provided, the Governor and Adjutant-General shall reject any and all claims which in their judgment may not be repaid to the State by the Treasurer of the United States, under an act of Congress, approved March 3, 1899. All claims under this act must be presented before May 1, 1900, er be forever barred; provided, that the Governor and the AdjutantGeneral shall not allow and audit any claims until they have ascertained from the proper authorities at Washington City that such claims will be paid by the National government; and provided further, that the Governor and Adjutant-General shall cease to allow and audit claims when the aggregate amount thereof shall equal the amount of money appropriated therefor by this act.

SEC. 3. The Governor of Texas is hereby authorized to receive from the Treasurer of the United States all monies coming to the State under act of Congress, approved March 3, entitled "An act to reimburse the Governors of States and Territories for expenses incurred by them in aiding the United States to raise, organize and supply and equip the volunteer army of the United States in the existing war with Spain," approved July 8, 1898, and for other purposes.

SEC. 4. The near approach of the close of the session and the fact that officers and men and the various parties who have supplied the officers and men of the Texas volunteers should be paid, creates an emergency and an imperative public necessity requiring the constitutional rule which requires bills to be read on three several days, shall be suspended, and that this bill take effect from and after its passage, and it is so enacted.

[NOTE. The enrolled bill shows that the foregoing act passed the Senate by a two-thirds vote, yeas 22, nays 0; and was reported to the House where it was amended and passed, no vote given; Senate concurred in House amendments, no vote given.]

Approved June 1, 1899.

TAXES

H. B. No. 848.]

ASSESSMENT-AMENDMENT.

CHAPTER CLX.

An Act to amend Article 5066, Title 104, Chapter 2, Revised Civil Statutes, relating to the rendition, listing and assessment of property for taxation.

SECTION 1. Be it enacted by the Legislature of the State of Texas: That Article 5066, of the Revised Statutes of the State of Texas, be so amended that the same shall hereafter read as follows:

Article 5066. All property shall be listed for taxation between January 1, and June 1, of each year, when required by the assessor, with

reference to the quantity held or owned on the first day of January in the year for which the property is required to be listed or rendered. Any property purchased or acquired on the first day of January shall be listed by or for the person purchasing or acquiring it. If any property has by reason of any special law, contract or fact been exempt, or have been claimed to be exempted from taxation for any period or limit of time, and such period of exemption shall expire between January 1, and December 31, of any year, said property shall be assessed and listed for taxes as other property, but the taxes assessed against said property shall be only for the pro rata of taxes for the portion of such year remaining after the expiration of such claimed period of exemption and shall be so listed on the tax rolls, and taxes shall be collected on such property accordingly. SEC. 2. The fact that there is no law now providing for the assessment of property that may have been exempt from taxation and said exemption expires during the current year, and the near approach of the close of the present session of the Legislature and the crowded condition. of the calendar, create an imperative public necessity and emergency that the constitutional rule requiring bills to be read on three several days be suspended, and the same is so suspended.

Approved June 2, 1899.

Takes effect 90 days after adjournment.

STATE MILITIA-ORGANIZATION-AMENDMENT.

S. B. No. 832.]

CHAPTER CLXI.

An Act to amend Article 3433, of the Revised Statutes of the State of Texas of 1895, relating to the organization of militia.

SECTION 1. Be it enacted by the Legislature of the State of Texas: That Article 3433, of the Revised Statutes of 1895, be amended so as to hereafter read as follows:

Article 3433. Each regiment shall consist of not more than twelve companies, organized into battalions of not more than four companies each, with a regimental band, and shall have one colonel, one lieutenantcolonel and three majors, all of whom shall be appointed and commissioned by the Governor upon recommendation of the line officers of the regiment. Each colonel shall appoint for his regiment an adjutant and a quartermaster, each with the rank of captain; a commissary-sergeant with the rank of first lieutenant; a chaplain with the rank of captain and two assistant surgeons, one with the rank of captain, and one with the rank of first lieutenant. He shall also appoint a sergeant-major, a quartermaster-sergeant, a commissary-sergeant, a hospital steward and drum major. He shall appoint for each battalion, upon recommendation of the battalion commander, a battalion adjutant with the rank of first lieutenant, and a sergeant-major. The battalion sergeant-major shall have rank superior to that of first sergeant, and the regimental non-commissioned staff shall have rank superior to that of the battalion sergeantmajor.

SEC. 2. The fact that this session of the Legislature is nearing a close and that the present laws governing the organization of the militia

is not satisfactory, creates an imperative public necessity requiring that the constitutional rule requiring bills to be read on three several days be suspended, and it is so suspended.

Approved June 5, 1899.

Takes effect 90 days after adjournment.

IRRIGATION

S. B. No. 297.]

AMENDMENT TO PENAL CODE.

CHAPTER CLXII.

An Act to amend Article 496, of Chapter 2, Title 13, of the Penal Code of the State of Texas, relating to irrigating canals, wells, reservoirs, etc., and the protection thereof.

Be it enacted by the Legislature of the State of Texas:

SECTION 1. That Article 496, Chapter 2, Title 13, of the Penal Code of the Revised Statutes of the State of Texas, be so amended as to read as follows:

Article 496. Any person who shall wilfully or through gross negligence injure any irrigating canal or its appurtenances, wells or reservoirs, or who shall waste the water thereof, or shall take the water therefrom without authority, shall be deemed guilty of a misdemeanor, and for each offense shall be liable to a fine not exceeding two hundred dollars.

SEC. 2. The near approach of the close of the present session of the Legislature and the crowded condition of the calendar, create an emergency and an imperative public necessity exists requiring the suspension of the constitutional rule requiring bills to be read on three several days, and the same is hereby accordingly suspended, and that this act be in force from and after its passage, and it is so enacted.

[NOTE. The enrolled bill shows that the foregoing act passed the Senate, vote not given; and passed the House of Representatives, vote not given.]

Approved June 5, 1899.

PUBLIC RECORDS-INJURING-PENALTY.

H. B. No. 826.]

CHAPTER CLXIII.

An Act to make it a penal offense for any person to alter, change, destroy or mutilate any public record or documents authorized, required or permitted by law to be kept by any officer within this State, and to fix the punishment therefor.

SECTION 1. Be it enacted by the Legislature of the State of Texas: That if any person, without authority of law, shall wilfully and maliciously change, alter, mutilate, destroy, deface or injure any book, paper, record or any other document, required or permitted by law to be kept by any officer within this State, he shall be deemed guilty of a felony and on conviction thereof shall be punished by a fine not exceeding five

thousand dollars, or by imprisonment in the penitentiary not less than one nor more than five years.

SEC. 2. That this act is cumulative of all other laws relating to this subject.

Approved June 5, 1899.

Takes effect 90 days after adjournment.

BONDS APPROPRIATION FOR REDEMPTION.

H. B. No. 443.]

CHAPTER CLXIV.

An Act to provide for the payment of the bonds of the State of Texas that mature April 21, 1899, and to appropriate twenty-six hundred and thirty dollars for that purpose, and to provide a sinking fund for the payment of the bonds of the State of Texas held by private individuals that mature March 4, 1904, and April 21, 1909, and provide for the appropriation of twenty-five thousand dollars August 31, 1899, and twenty-five thousand dollars August 21, 1900, and provide for the investment of a sinking fund, and constitute a board for that purpose. SECTION 1. Be it enacted by the Legislature of the State of Texas: That the sum of twenty-six hundred and thirty dollars be and the same is hereby appropriated out any moneys, not otherwise appropriated, to pay seventeen hundred and ninety dollars of the four per cent. bonds of the State of Texas held by private individuals, and eight hundred and forty dollars of the four per cent. bonds of the State of Texas held by the permanent University fund, issued under the act of April 21, 1879, and maturing April 21, 1899.

SEC. 2. That the sum of twenty-five thousand dollars be and the same is hereby appropriated out of any moneys in the State treasury not otherwise appropriated, on the thirty-first of August, 1899, and that the sum of twenty-five thousand dollars be and the same is hereby appropriated out of any moneys in the State treasury, not otherwise appropriated, on the thirty-first day of August, 1900, and the same is hereby set apart and the same, together with other money hereafter to be appropriated for the same purpose, shall be and constitute a sinking fund for the payment of seventy-three thousand dollars of the seven per cent. bonds of the State of Texas, which are held by private individuals, and which mature March 4, 1904, and six hundred and sixty-three thousand two hundred dollars ($663,200.00) of the five per cent. bonds of the State of Texas, which are held by private individuals, and which mature April

21, 1909.

SEC. 3. The Governor, the Comptroller and the State Treasurer are hereby constituted a board to invest such sinking fund, and they are hereby authorized, and it is made their duty to invest said sinking fund in such safe and staple bonds of the United States and counties of the State of Texas as are of a character to be readily converted into money. SEC. 4. All laws and parts of laws in conflict herewith are hereby repealed.

SEC. 5. The near approach of the close of this session of the Legislature and the obligations of the State being past due, creates an imperative public necessity and an emergency exists for the suspension of the