GENERAL LAWS OF TEXAS.

CHAPTER I.-An act making an appropriation for mileage and per diem pay of members, and per diem pay of officers and employees of the first called session of the Sixteenth Legislature.

Section 1. Be it enacted by the Legislature of the State of Texas, That the sum of forty thousand dollars, or so much thereof as may be necessary, be and the same is hereby appropriated out of any moneys in the treasury not otherwise appropriated for the payment of mileage and per diem pay of the members, and the payment of the per diem pay of the officers and employees of the first called session of the Sixteenth Legislature.

Sec. 2. That the certificate of the secretary of the senate, approved by the president thereof, or the certificate of the chief clerk of the House, approved by the speaker thereof, shall be sufficient evidence to the comptroller, upon which he shall audit the claims and issue his warrants upon the treasurer for the respective amounts.

Sec. 3. That the balance of moneys remaining in the treasury, heretofore appropriated for the per diem pay and mileage of the members, and the per diem pay of officers and employees of any preceding session of the Legislature of the State of Texas, be and the same is hereby reappropriated for the purposes specified in this act.

Sec. 4. And, whereas, the first called session of the Sixteenth Legislature, for the payment of the members and officers of which this law is enacted, is now in session, and public policy requires their payment; therefore, an imperative public necessity exists that the rule requiring this bill to be read on three several days be suspended and it is so enacted, and that this act take effect and be in force from and after its passage. Approved June 18, A. D. 1879.

Takes effect from and after its passage.

CHAPTER II.-An act making an appropriation to defray the contingent expenses of the Sixteenth Legislature, convened on June 10th, 1879, in extra session, by proclamation of the governor.

Whereas, It is of sufficient public importance that the contingent expenses of the extra session of the Sixteenth Legislature be promptly paid in order that the material furnished and labor performed may be procured at cash prices; therefore,

Section 1. Be it enacted by the Legislature of the State of Texas, That the sum of ten thousand dollars, or so much thereof as may be necessary, is hereby appropriated out of any moneys in the treasury not otherwise appropriated, to pay the contingent expenses of the extra session of the Sixteenth Legislature; and that the approval by the chairman of the committee on contingent expenses of either house, countersigned by the president of the Senate or speaker of the House, as the case may be, shall be sufficient authority to authorize the comptroller to issue his warrant on the state treasurer for the payment of any account against said fund.

Sec. 2. That the public importance of the objects herein contemplated, and the peculiar circumstances of the members and the employees of the Sixteenth Legislature creates an imperative public necessity and emergency fully authorizing the suspension of the constitutional rule requiring the reading of bills upon three several days, and the said rule is hereby suspended, and this act shall be in force and take effect from and after its passage.

Approved June 18, A. D. 1879.

Takes effect from and after its passage.

CHAPTER III.-An act supplementary to "an act to establish a State. Normal School," approved April 21, 1879.

Whereas, The citizens of Huntsville, Walker county, have tendered. to the state a warrantee title to the buildings and grounds lately known. as "Austin College," located at Huntsville, at which place the "Sam Houston Normal Institute" has been established by the fore-recited act, but the chain of title is not perfect so as to vest a clearly legal title in the state, and further time is required to formally perfect the title; and, Whereas, the said citizens have paid the purchase money due on said buildings and grounds, and have been placed in possession of the same and are desirous of delivering possession of the same in good repair to the state for the establishment of said institute, and propose to guarantee to the state a perfect title to the same; and,

Whereas, it is important that said institute be opened at the earliest day practicable, which creates an emergency for the immediate passage and taking effect of this act; therefore,

Section 1. Be it enacted by the Legislature of the State of Texas, That the state board of education is authorized and required to accept possession of said buildings and grounds from the citizens of Huntsville, on receiving from them such bond or guarantee of a valid legal title to the same in the state within twelve months from the passage of this act, the bond or guarantee to be payable to the state, and in such sum, not to exceed fifty thousand dollars, and conditioned as the governor and attorney general shall prescribe; and a further guarantee from said citizens that said buildings shall be placed in such reasonable repair as the board of education may require, including a new plank fence around the grounds.

Sec. 2. That on receiving such guarantees and possession of said buildings and grounds, it shall be the duty of said board to establish rules and regulations, appoint a local board of directors and open said

institute for students, as provided in the act approved April 21,

entitled "An act to establish a state normal school."

Sec. 3. That this act shall be in force from its passage.

Approved June 23, A. D. 1879.

Takes effect from and after its passage.

1879,

CHAPTER IV.—An act to define the times of holding the terms of the district courts in the fifth judicial district of the State of Texas.

Section 1. Be it enacted by the Legislature of the State of Texas, That hereafter the terms of the district courts of the fifth judicial district of the State of Texas, shall be holden at the times hereinafter specified, to wit: In the county of Cass, on the first Mondays in February and September, and may continue in session three weeks; in the county of Bowie, on the third Mondays after the first Mondays in February and September, and may continue in session two weeks; in the county of Morris, on the fifth Mondays after the first Mondays in February and September, and may continue in session one week; in the county of Titus, on the sixth Mondays after the first Mondays in February and September, and may continue in session two weeks; in the county of Franklin, on the eighth Mondays after the first Mondays in February and September, and may continue in session two weeks; in the county of Camp, on the tenth Mondays after the first Mondays in February and September, and may continue in session two weeks; in the county of Marion, on the twelfth Mondays after the first Mondays in February and September, and may continue in session six weeks; provided, that no jury shall be empanneled after the fourth week of said terms.

Sec. 2. That all writs and process returnable to said courts, shall be returnable to the terms of said courts as herein defined, and all such writs and process as have been issued, executed and returned, shall be as valid as if no change had been made in said courts by the passage of this act.

Sec. 3. That all laws in conflict herewith be and the same are hereby repealed.

Approved June 26, A. D. 1879.

Takes effect ninety days after adjournment.

CHAPTER V.-An act making an appropriation to pay the interest on the public debt and to pay the sinking fund.

Section 1. Be it enacted by the Legislature of the State of Texas, That the following sums of money, or so much thereof as may be necessary to pay the interest and sinking fund on the public debt, are hereby appropriated:

1. For payment of interest on the public debt, due July 1,

1879 ..

2. Interest due September 1, 1879. 3. Interest due January 1, 1880...

4. Interest due March 1, 1880..

.$157,912 75

26,470 00 157,713 00

26,470 00

1. For sinking fund from September 1, 1878, to August 31, 1879

2. For sinking fund for year ending August 31, 1880.

3. For sinking fund from August 31, 1880, to February 28, 1881 ...

Total sinking fund.....

157,713 00

.$710,661 50.

.$100,000 00 100,000 00

50,000 00

.$250,000 00

Sec. 2. The fact that a large amount of the public interest will be due on the first day of July, 1879, creates an imperative public necessity. for the suspension of the constitutional rule requiring bills to be read on three several days, said rule is therefore suspended; and the same fact creates an emergency that this act take effect and be in force from and after its passage, it is therefore so enacted that this bill shall take effect and be in force from and after its passage.

Approved June 28, A. D. 1879.

Takes effect from and after its passage.

CHAPTER VI.-An act defining and describing what funds shall constitute the available school fund, and repealing all laws in conflict. therewith.

Section 1. Be it enacted by the Legislature of the State of Texas, That the one dollar poll tax levied and collected for the use of public free schools, exclusive of the costs of collection, the interest arising from any bonds or funds belonging to the permanent school fund, and all the interest derivable from the proceeds of sales of land heretofore set apart for the permanent school fund which have hitherto or may hereafter come into the state treasury, and such amount of the general revenue levied and collected after the thirty-first day of December, A. D. 1878, as the Legislature shall, from time to time, appropriate, shall constitute the available school fund, and shall be appropriated to the support and maintenance of the public free schools of this state.

Sec. 2. That section twelve (12) of "An act to establish and provide for the support and maintenance of an efficient system of public free schools," approved August 19, 1876, and so much of "An act amending and supplementing articles 4662, 4663, 4664, 4665, 4666, 4667 and 4668, inclusive, of chapter one, title 95 of the Revised Civil Statutes," adopted February 21, 1879, approved April 22, 1879, as amends article 4663 of Revised Civil Statutes, and article 3704, chapter three, title seventy-eight, and article 4663, chapter one, title ninety-five of "An act to adopt and establish the Revised Civil Statutes of the State of Texas," passed February 21, 1879, and all laws or parts of laws levying or collecting, segregating or setting apart any part of the revenue for the support of public free schools, except as stated and provided for in the first section of this act, and all laws or parts of laws in conflict with this act be and the same are hereby repealed.