left by any such selection, and that no fractional section of less than three hundred and twenty acres shall be divided. The surveyor shall be entitled to a fee of one dollar for each application to be paid by the applicant, and he shall, upon payment of said fee, record said application in a well bound book to be kept by him for that purpose; he shall endorse such application "recorded," giving the date, page and volume of the record, and sign his name thereto, and deliver said application to the proposed purchaser.

"SEC. 7. That the purchaser shall immediately forward to the state treasurer the above application, together with one-twentieth of the appraised value of the land thereon designated, and if the land is chiefly valuable for timber he shall forward the whole of the appraised value. The treasurer shall enter a credit on his books in the name of the purchaser for the amount so received, giving such description of the land as will identify the same; he shall then issue his receipt for said amount and forward it with the above named application to the commissioner of the general land office, who shall file said application and receipt in his office and issue his certificate in lieu thereof, setting forth the amount paid to the treasurer and the quantity and valuation of the land applied for, which certificate shall authorize the county or district surveyor to survey the land embraced in the original application and enter the same on his books as sold, and shall not entertain another application to purchase said land until notified of the forfeiture as hereinafter specified; provided, should the applicant fail to make his first payment of one-twentieth, or the whole as the case may be, of the appraised value of the land embraced in his application to the treasurer and present the certificate of the commissioner of the general land office to the surveyor or his deputy within ninety days from the date of the record of his application, then and in that case the said land shall be again for sale and the surveyor shall be authorized to receive applications for the same; provided, that no person shall renew his file nor file on the same land more than once in twelve months, nor shall any person refile or renew his file in the name of any other person. person. All applications for the purchase of said lands shall be made in the real name of the person intending to be the actual purchaser thereof.

SEC. 8. That so soon as the application above named has been received by the surveyor, the applicant shall execute his obligation or promissory note for the balance of the appraised value of the land he desires to purchase, agreeing and stipulating to pay to the governor of the State of Texas and his successors in office, on the first day of January of each year, one-twentieth of the amount of his obligation or promissory note, with eight per cent. interest on such amount of the principal as may be due at the date of each payment, giving in sail obligation such description of the land purchased as is contained in his application; provided, that the purchaser may have the privilege of paying the entire amount of the appraised value of said land at the date of purchase, or such amount of principal and interest as may be due at any time subsequent to the execution of his obligation or promissory note; provided, that any payment of principal may be deferred for one or more years, except the first one-twentieth, but all payments of both principal and interest must be paid inside of twenty years, and all interest must be paid annually on or before the first day of March of each year. When any land sold under the provisions of this act shall be timbered land, no person shall have the

right to cut and remove any of the timber therefrom until the purchase money has been paid in full."

SEC. 2. Whereas, no law is now in force for the disposition of the lands in unorganized counties as contemplated by this act; and whereas, the present session is near its close, therefore an emergency exists and an imperative public necessity is created, that the rule requiring bills to be read on three several days be suspended, that this act take effect from and after its passage, and it is so enacted.

Approved April 6, A. D.
Takes effect from passage.

1881.

CHAPTER CVI.-An act granting to persons who have been permanently disabled by reason of wounds received while in the service of this State, or of the Confederate States, a land certificate for twelve hundred and eighty acres of land.

SECTION 1. Be it enacted by the Legislature of the State of Texas, That all persons who are now bona fide residents of this State, and who were resident citizens of this State, and as such citizens enlisted in the military service of this State or of the Confederate States in the late war between the States of the United States, as soldiers or as servants attending such soldiers, and while engaged in such military service, by reason of wounds received while in actual service, are permanently disabled, so as to seriously impair their ability to perform bodily labor, or earn a living for themselves and families, and the widows of soldiers who were residents as aforesaid and enlisted in the service as aforesaid, who died or were killed in actual service under such enlistment, who have remained widows and are now citizens of this State, and who show that they have not property of the value of one thousand dollars, are hereby declared to be entitled to a land certificate for twelve hundred and eighty acres of land; provided, no person shall be entitled to the benefit of this act unless they show that they have not property of the value of one thousand dollars.

SEC. 2. Any person desiring to obtain the benefit of this act shall prove to the satisfaction of the commissioners' court of the county of his residence, by at least two credible persons, that he is entitled to said land certificate under the provisions of this act, and upon the certificate of said commissioners' court under its seal that said applicant is entitled to said land certificate, the commissioner of the general land office is authorized and required to issue to said person a certificate for twelve hundred and eighty acres of land.

SEC. 3. The certificate granted under the provisions of this act shall be located as follows: The locator shall also locate a like amount of land for the benefit of the permanent school fund before either shall be patented, and such locations shall be made on any of the public domain of Texas not reserved by law from location.

SEC. 4. The rapid diminution of the public domain, and the indigent circumstances of many who will be benefited by the passage of this bill creates an imperative public necessity and emergency that the rule requiring this bill to be read on three several days be suspended, and that this bill go into effect and be in force from and after its passage, and it is so enacted.

Approved April 9, A. D. 1881.

Takes effect ninety days after adjournment.

CHAPTER CVII.—An act prescribing the time of holding the district courts of the twenty-third district.

SECTION 1. Be it enacted by the Legislature of the State of Texas, That the district courts of the twenty-third judicial district shall be held as hereinafter specified, to-wit: In the county of Refugio, on the first Mondays in March and September, and may continue in session two weeks; in the county of Aransas, on the second Monday after the first Mondays in March and September, and may continue in session one week; in the county of Bee, on the third Monday after the first Mondays in March and September, and may continue in session two weeks; in the county of Karnes, on the fifth Monday after the first Mondays in March and September, and may continue in session two weeks; in the county of Goliad on the seventh Monday after the first Mondays in March and September, and may continue in session two weeks; in the county of Calhoun, on the ninth Monday after the first Mondays in March and September, and may continue in session one week; in the county of Victoria, on the tenth Monday after the first Mondays in March and September, and may continue in session three weeks; in the county of DeWitt, on the thirteenth Monday after the first Mondays in March and September, and may continue in session until the business is disposed of.

SEC. 2. That all writs and process returnable to any of the courts of the twenty-third judicial district as now provided by law, shall, after this act takes effect, be retunrable to the terms of said court as herein fixed, and shall be as valid and binding as if made returnable thereto; that the near approach of the close of the session creates an imperative public necessity that the constitutional rule requiring this bill to be read on three several days be suspended, and it is so enacted.

Approved April 5, A. D. 1881.

Takes effect ninety days after adjournment.

JOINT RESOLUTIONS.

No. 1.-Concurrent resolution allowing room in capitol building for Western Union Telegraph office.

WHEREAS, The location of a branch office of the Western Union Telegraph company in some portion of the capitol building will be a convenience to members during the Legislature; and whereas, said company are prepared to extend their line from their office in town to the capitol building as soon as space enough in said building is granted for office room; therefore be it

Resolved by the Senate, the House of Representatives concurring, That sufficient space, say six by eight feet, be allowed the Western Union Telegraph company for the establishment of a branch office in some comfortable part of the capitol building, said privilege to expire with this session of the Legislature. The character of the privilege to be conferred by this resolution is such that there is an imperative necessity that the constitutional rule requiring it to be read on three several days be suspended, and creating an emergency requiring that it take effect from and after its passage, and it is so enacted.

Approved January 17, A. D. 1881.

Takes effect from passage.

No. 2.-Joint resolution regarding the port of Galveston.

WHEREAS, the State of Texas, and the States and Territories north and west of it, comprise a vast extent of country possessing great and varied resources which are being developed by a rapidly increasing population, whose immense grain, cotton, and other productions, require cheap and adequate freight communication with the markets of the world, which can not be afforded by long and expensive land carriage, the most important interests of producers and consumers demanding a near outlet to water transporation;

And, whereas, the port of Galveston is the nearest practicable port for said region, to the markets of South America, Mexico, Europe, and the Atlantic coast, only requiring, in order to furnish accommodations for all present and future commerce of those States, that its bar be deepened so as to admit vessels drawing over thirteen (13) feet of water;

And, whereas, commercial justice requires that the Federal government should afford proper facilities for the protection and development of the