law the qualified voters of each school district at a school district meeting for that purpose shall elect three trustees for said district who shall enter upon the discharge of their duties on the first of May next following. They shall immediately thereafter organize by electing one of their number president and one secretary of the board of trustees.

The terms of office of said trustees shall be divided into two classes, and they shall draw for the different classes; the one drawing the number one shall serve one year, and those drawing number two and three shall serve two years, and until their successors shall have been elected or appointed and shall have qualified.

On the first Saturday in April of each year thereafter, there shall be an selection in each school district for the election of a trustee or trustees, as the case may be, and the trustee or trustees so elected shall serve for two years, and until their successor or successors shall have been elected or appointed and shall have been qualified.

The trustees so elected or appointed shall, before entering upon the discharge of their duties, qualify by taking the oath to faithfully perform their duties, and shall as soon as practicable file said oath with the county superintendent or county judge.

The fact that the present law is very unsatisfactory concerning the election of school trustees, the near approach for the time for trustees' election and the great number of bills now on the calendar, create an emergency and a public necessity that the constitutional rule requiring bills to be read on three several days be suspended, and that this act take effect immediately after its passage, and it is so enacted.

[NOTE. The enrolled bill shows that the foregoing act passed the House of Representatives by a two-thirds vote, yeas 103, nays 0; House concurred in Senate amendments by a two-thirds vote, yeas 99, nays 0: and passed the Senate by a two-thirds vote. yeas 21, nays 1.]

Approved March 15, 1899.

Became effective March 15, 1899.

FIFTY-FOURTH JUDICIAL DISTRICT—TERMS OF COURT. H. B. No. 167.]

CHAPTER XXXVIII.

An Act to change the times of holding courts in the Fifty-fourth Judicial District.

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

SECTION 1. That the district courts of the Fifty-fourth Judicial District shall hereafter be held as follows:

In the county of Falls, commencing on the fourth Monday in January of each year, and may continue five weeks; and on the second Monday in June of each year, and may continue in session five weeks; and on the Third Monday in September, and may continue in session four weeks.

In the county of McLennan, commencing on the first Monday in March, and the third Monday in October of each year, and may continue in session until the business is disposed of.

No grand jury shall be summoned for the September terms of

said district court in Falls county, unless ordered by the judge of said district.

SEC. 3. This act shall take effect and be in force from and after its passage, and all laws and parts of laws in conflict therewith be and the same are hereby repealed, and nothing in this act contained shall be construed to affect clause 53, of Article 22, Revised Statutes, except as to the time of holding courts in said district.

[NOTE. The enrolled bill shows that the foregoing act passed the House of Representatives by a two-thirds vote, yeas 92, nays 0; and passed the Senate by a two-thirds vote, yeas 25, nays 0.]

Approved March 15, 1899.

Takes effect 90 days after adjournment.

CORPORATIONS-UNION PASSENGER DEPOTS.

S. B. No. 206.]

CHAPTER XXXIX.

An Act to authorize corporations now or hereafter incorporated under the laws of this State for the purpose of acquiring, owning and operating union passenger depots to condemn land for the purpose of their incorporation.

SECTION 1. Be it enacted by the Legislature of the State of Texas: That corporations heretofore incorporated or hereafter incorporated under the provisions of Articles 744a and 744b, of the Revised Civil Statutes of the State of Texas, of 1895, as amended by Chapter 42, of the General Laws of the State of Texas, passed at the Regular Session of the Twentyfifth Legislature of 1897, or incorporated under any other general law of this State, may secure by condemnation such land or real estate as may be necessary for the business and purposes of such corporation, including all lands necessary for depot buildings, passenger sheds, yards or tracks, requisite to the convenient use of the depot, and such corporations by such condemnation may acquire the fee simple title.

SEC. 2. As far as applicable hereto, the provisions of Chapter 8, Title 94, of the Revised Civil Statutes of the State of Texas of 1895, shall apply to and govern the proceedings of such corporation in acquiring such land or real estate by condemnation. After the award by commissioners, and pending further litigation, the corporation may enter upon and take possession of the land sought to be condemned by complying with the terms and conditions of any general laws of this State now or hereafter passed authorizing any corporation having the right to condemn to so enter upon and take possession of such land or real estate.

SEC. 3. The fact that there is now no law authorizing union depot companies to condemn the necessary real estate, constituting an impediment to the construction of such depots, creates an imperative public necessity and an emergency that the constitutional rule requiring bills to be read on three several days be suspended, and that this act shall take effect and be in force from and after its passage, and it is so enacted.

[NOTE. The enrolled bill shows that the foregoing act passed the

4-G. L.

Senate by a two-thirds vote, yeas 24, nays 0; and passed the House of Representatives, no vote given.]

[NOTE. The foregoing act was presented to the Governor of Texas for his approval on the seventeenth day of March, A. D. 1899, but was not signed by him nor returned to the house in which it originated with his objections thereto within the time prescribed by the Constitution, and thereupon became a law without his signature.-D. H. HARDY, Secretary of State.]

TAXES-REDEMPTION OF LAND SOLD FOR CITY OR TOWN TAXES.

An Act to provide for the redemption of land sold under decree of court for taxes due an incorporated city or town, and providing that the redemption of the land so sold may be had within two years from the date of such sale, and providing the terms, conditions and penalties incident thereto.

Be it enacted by the Legislature of the State of Texas: SECTION 1. That all lands sold under and by virtue of decree and judgment of court for taxes due any incorporated city or town within this State may be redeemed by the owner or owners thereof within two years from the date of deed upon the payment to the purchaser, or his assigns, of double the amount so paid, including costs of court; provided, that purchaser at such foreclosure sale, and his assigns, shall not be entitled to the posession of the property sold for taxes until the expiration of two years from the date of deed.

SEC. 2. The fact that numerous sales of property, including the homestead, are being had under decree of court for taxes due incorporated cities. and towns, and the owners thereof are being dispossessed and expelled therefrom under writs of possession incident to said decrees of foreclosure, and the owners of said property, in many instances, are being rendered homeless thereby, and property rights destroyed, notwithstanding the Constitution of this State provides that land sold for taxes may be redeemed by the owner within two years from the date of purchasers' deed upon the payment of double the amount of money paid for the land, therefore existing oppressive conditions create an emergency and an imperative public necessity that the constitutional rule requiring bills to be read on three several days be suspended, and that this act be put on its third reading and final passage, and it is so enacted.

Approved March 20, 1899.

Takes effect 90 days after adjournment.

PARKER COUNTY-ROAD SYSTEM.

H. B. No. 173.]

CHAPTER XLI.

An Act to create a more efficient road system for Parker county, Texas, and making the county commissioners of said county ex-officio road commissioners, and prescribing their duties as such, and providing for their compensation as road commissioners, and providing for the appointment of road overseers, and defining their duties, and for the working of the county convicts upon the roads of said county, and providing for officers' fees and rewards for the capture of escaped convicts, and authorizing the working of county convicts partly upon the county convict farm as well as upon the public roads, or partly upon both, in the discretion of the commissioners' court, and making provision applicable, as far as practicable, to convicts when worked on county farms, and to provide for the summoning of teams for road work and for an allowance of time of road service for same, and fixing a penalty for a violation of this act, and to repeal all laws in conflict with this act as to Parker county, and to authorize the commissioners' court of Parker county to create the office of superintendent of public roads and highways for Parker county, and to provide for the election of said superintendent, and defining his duties, and providing for compensation for said superintendent when elected, and prescribing bond to be given by said officer; providing for the condemnation of any land needed for the widening, straightening, changing, or draining of roads; providing for the taking of timber, gravel, earth, stone or other necessary material for the improvement of roads, and giving persons summoned to work upon roads the right to be relieved from the discharge of such duty on the payment of specific sums of money herein stipulated; providing for the collection of such sums of money by road overseers, and prescribing penalties for failure to comply with the provisions of this act.

SECTION 1. Be it enacted by the Legislature of the State of Texas: That the members of the commissioners' court of Parker county shall be ex-officio road commissioners of their respective districts, and under the direction of the commissioners' court shall have charge of all the teams, tools and machinery belonging to the county and placed in their hands by said county, and it shall be their duty, under such rules and regulations as the commissioners' court may prescribe, to superintend the laying out of new roads, the making or changing of roads, and the building of bridges.

Each of said commissioners shall, before entering upon the duties of his office, in addition to his regular bond as such county commissioner, execute a bond of one thousand dollars, with two or more good and sufficient sureties, payable to the county judge of said county for the use and benefit. of the road and bridge fund, conditioned that they will perform all the duties required of them by law or by the commissioners court, and that they will account for all money or property belonging to the county that may come into their possession; provided, that with the consent of the commissioners' court, any one of said commissioners shall be allowed to appoint any competent person as deputy road commissioner, who shall be required to execute same bond that is required of commissioners, in this section, and such deputy road commissioner shall be entitled to the same compensation that is allowed county commissioners for the same service; provided, that county commissioners shall not be allowed any compensation when a deputy road commissioner has been appointed.

SEC. 2. The commissioners' court of said county shall have full power and authority, and it shall be its duty, to adopt such a system for working, laying out, draining and repairing the public roads in said county as it

may deem best, and from time to time said court may change its plan or system of working.

Said commissioners' court shall have full power to purchase such teams, tools and machinery as may be necessary for the working of its roads.

Said court shall have power to construct, grade or otherwise improve any road or bridge by contract.

In such case said court or county judge of said county may advertise, in such manner as said court may determine, for bids to do such work, and the contract shall be awarded to the lowest responsible bidder, who shall enter into bond payable to the county judge of said county, for the use of the road and bridge fund, with good and sufficient sureties to be approved by said court, and in such sums as said court may determine, for the faithful compliance with the terms of said contract, but said court shall have the right to reject any and all bids.

At the time of making such contract, the court shall direct the county treasurer to pass the amounts to a particular fund for that purpose, and the treasurer shall keep a separate account of such funds; same shall not be used for any other purpose and can only be paid out on the order of said court; and the said court shall have authority to employ any hands or teams to work on the roads, under such regulations and for such price as they may deem best, not to exceed two dollars and fifty cents per day, of ten hours per day, for a team and driver, and not to exceed one dollar and twenty-five cents per day for day hands, and no road hand when working out his time on the road shall be required to work but eight hours per day; but when hands are hired by the day, they shall be required to work ten hours per day.

SEC. 3. The commissioners' court of said county shall require all county convicts, not otherwise employed, to labor upon the public roads under such regulations as they may prescribe, and each convict so worked shall receive a credit of fifty cents on his fine first, and then on the cost, for each day he may labor.

The commissioners' court may provide such reasonable regulations and punishments as may be necessary to require convicts to perform good work, and may provide a reward, not to exceed ten dollars, to be paid out of the road and bridge fund, for the recapture and delivery of any escaped convict, to be paid to any person other than the guard or person in charge of such convict at the time of his escape.

The commissioners' court may grant a reasonable commutation of time for which a convict is committed, as a reward for faithful services and good behavior, in no case to exceed one-tenth of the time.

Said court may provide the necessary houses, prisons, clothing, bedding, food, medicine and medical attention, and guards for the safe and humane keeping of convicts.

The commissioners' court may, at a regular meeting, allow to the officers such amount of their cost for the arrest and conviction of said convict as now provided by law; provided, that said court shall not allow to any officer or officers more than one-half of the costs due them and adjudged against such convict.

The aforesaid amounts shall be paid out of the road and bridge fund upon the order of said court, when said fine and costs have been worked out as provided in this section; provided, that this act shall not be con