Texas Almanac, 1859 Page: 2
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PREFACE.
PREFACE TO THE TEXAS ALMANAC FOn 1S59.-With all our efforts to condense the largest
possible amount of matter into the smallest space, we have been compelled to postpone to
our next, many very valuable articles furnished by our friends and intended for this num-
ber of our Almanac. But we hope they will excuse this omission, with the assurance that
we feel under many obligations for their favors, which will receive our earliest attention.
Were all our articles in hand early in the year, we could make a more judicious selection,
but it sometimes happens that the articles promised are not received at all, or not In time,
so that, after waiting for them, we have to supply their place with others. Our readers will
need no other explanation for the omission of some few articles which they had reason to
expect, but we hope the other articles given will prevent any disappointment, especially as
we have given more in the aggregate than we promised. We may remark that the history of
the Texas Navy was not completed in time for this number, as the material was not so readily
within our reach as we had expected. The destruction of official documents by the burning
of the Adjutant General's office, occasions much additional trouble and delay in supplying
this deficiency in the public archives. The history of our Navy will, however, be given in
our next. Among other articles thus postponed for our next Almanac, we may name the
following: Railroad Loan Law; Land Donation Law; New Railroad Charters; Remarks
on the Railroads of Texas; Full list of all.the men massacred in the Alamo; Full list of all
the men massacred at Goliad under Fanin; Order of Masons in Texas; ditto of Odd Fel-
lows; GrandTemple of Honor of )Yetern Texas; ditto of Eastern Texas ; History of San
Antonio; Dfescription of the Rio Grande Valley; State Charitable Institutions; Historical
Sketch, by an Old Texian; Tarious acts of the Legislature and appropriations for frontier
protection. &c., &e.
It will be seen that the chi f interest in the following pages arises from the contributions
of our friends i f arious part of the State, giving facts and incidents of our past history, of
statistics. etc., never before published. To such contributors we cannot sufficiently acknowl-
edge our obligations; and we can only here express the hope that the efforts we have made
to properly arrange and place before the people of Texas the valuable information they have
furnished us, will meet their approval, and encourage them to continue their aid to the fu-
ture numbers of the Texas Almanac. We are under especial obligations to several of the
heads of Departments in Austin, and other Officers, for their great kindness in aiding our
Assistant, Mr. T. J. PATTERSON, and placing within his reach all the documents necessary to
enable him to compile our valuable statistical tables, which was a work of great labor. We
are indebted to the same gentlemen for many other acts of courtesy and kindness, evidencing
the great interest they take in our enterprise, by means of which the valuable information
within their control, is thus placed before all the people of Texas in the shortest possible
time, and in the cheapest form that can be devised. We regret much that some of the coun-
ties are not embraced in these tables, owing to the failure of the returns to reach the Depart-
ments in time; but this is the first time the returns have been required to be made so early,
and we may expect that Assessors and Collectors will hereafter be better prepared to comply
with the requirements of the new law.
We cannot hope that the following pages will be found free from errors, and some perhaps
serious; they were unavoidable under the circumstances ; but we assure our friends that our
subsequent numbers shall always make the corrections as far as we are enabled to do so, as
strict accuracy is our great end and aim. Justice to the truth of our history and to every
individual connected with it, shall be our controling maxim as long as we continue to pub-
lish the Texas Almanac, and the mistakes that have been or may hereafter be poit.ted out to
us, shall be corrected. With these few remarks, we again submit our little annual to the
public, with our heartfelt thanks for their generous patronage thus far, and with our assu-
rances that we shall spare no labor or expense to deserve their future encouragement and
.upport.
Based upon a law of the last Legislature requiring official Reports, Returns, etc., to be
made by the last day of August, we promised that our Almanac should be issued early in
October, and but for the unfortunate epidemic of this city, which reduced our hands nearly
one-half by sickness among them, and by the acclimated being called to attend upon the suffer-
ing, we should have fulfilled our promise to the letter.
DISTRICT OF SALURIA.
INDIANOLA, July 24th, 1858.
fEssas. RccAIRDSOIS & Co., Galeston-
Gentlemet :-In answer to your circular inquiries for statistical information, preparatory
for the Texas Almanac for 1859, I have the pleasure to submit the following:
The District of Saluria embraces all that portion of the State south and west of Mata-
gorda and Wharton counties, and north and east of and including Nueces county. The
port of entry in said district is at La Salle, and the ports of delivery are Lavaca, Matagorda,
Aransas, Copano, Corpus Christi, San Antonio and Eagle Pass.
Salaries as stated in the Almanac for 1858, and current expenses for collecting the revenue,
about the same.
The amount of duties collected in the district for the fiscal year ending June 80th, 1858, is
a fraction less than $7,000.
For statement of importations from foreign countries, see memorandum as rendered by
Capt. Buche, and herewith enclosed.
We will soon have six Lights; a condensed statement of the kind and position, would be
valuable information for the seafaring portion of your patrons.
Your obedient servant, D. M. STAPP.
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Texas Almanac, 1859, book, 1859~; (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth123765/m1/3/: accessed April 20, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu; crediting Texas State Historical Association.