The Quarterly of the Texas State Historical Association, Volume 7, July 1903 - April, 1904 Page: 170

170 Texas Historical Association Quarterly.
systematic and logical. The documents printed are: Correspond-
ence of Comte de Moustier with Comte de Montmorin, 1787-1789.
Year Book for Texas, Vol. II, (1902). Compiled by Caldwell
Walton Raines, State Librarian. Austin: Gammel-Statesman
Publishing Company. 1903. 8vo, pp. iv+483, illustrated; cloth.
In size, mechanical finish, and contents, Volume II surpasses its
predecessor, in which Judge Raines so well began his undertaking.
A detailed review of such a condensed summary is out of the ques-
tion, but one may gain a comprehensive idea of its contents from
the sub-titles, "Party Conventions, Election Returns, Inauguration
of Governor Lanham and Lieutenant-Governor Neal, Legislative
Work, Public Officials and Current Reports of Departments and
State Institutions, Important Events, Obituaries of Distinguished
Dead, Industrial Development, Statistics, Biographical Sketches,
and Historical Manuscripts Never Before Published." The manu-
scripts consist of two sets of documents, one set relating to Stephen
F. Austin and the other to General Houston. The book has an
adequate index; but lacks a table of contents, which would unques-
tionably enhance its value to the cursory reader. It seems, too, that
the matter might be rendered more accessible by dividing the book
into chapters, devoting one to each of the sub-titles given above,
and grouping under it the material belonging thereto. Take, for
example, the necrology; obituaries are scattered throughout the
book. Obviously they might better be grouped and arranged alpha-
betically. The same is true of each of the other departments
treated.
The Transactions of the Texas Academy of Science for 1902
contains many articles of interest.
The annual address of the President, R. A. Thompson, on 'the
Regulation of the Issuance of Texas Railroad Securities by the
State Government forms a valuable contribution to Texas railway
economic literature. It depicts the conditions leading up to the
passage, and indicates the results of the operation of the so-called
"Stock and Bond Law" in Texas. Mr. Thompson arrives at the
conclusion that the law has accomplished the purposes for which
it was designed.
Mr. J. D. Mitchell contributes an article on The Poisonous
Snakes of Texas, with Notes on Their Habits. As stated by the
author, the purpose sought in the publication of these notes are: