The Quarterly of the Texas State Historical Association, Volume 5, July 1901 - April, 1902 Page: 68

68 Texas Historical Association Quarterly.
The foregoing letter was obtained through the courtesy of W.
P. Doran, of Hempstead, it having been given him by the sister
of Mr. Dunham, Mrs. R. J. Wood, who. also lives at IHempstead.
She is now very old, and can remember nothing of the manner in
which her mother came into the possession of the letter. It was
probably carried by one of the survivors of the "death lottery"
through their long, weary march to the City of Mexico, and care-
fully preserved until his own release enabled him to return home
and deliver the precious missive in person.
ADELE B. LOOSCAN,
Historian, Daughters of the Republic of Texas.
THE STEPHEHEN F. AusTIN STATUE FUND.--MlrS. Joseph B. Dib-
rell, chairman of the Stephen F. Austin Statue Fund Committee,
has sent out the following circular, which will explain itself, and
which needs no word of exhortation to commend it to the patriot-
ism of the Texas people:
"The Daughters of the Republic of Texas, acting through this
committee, have formed the desire to place in one of the niches
in the capitol at Washington, D. C., the marble statue of Stephen
F. Austin. Some years ago Congress, prompted by motives
patriotic and for the purpose of encouraging art, passed an act
authorizing each State to place the statues of two of its most rep-
resentative men in niches provided in the national capitol for such
purpose. The Legislature of Texas has authorized the Daughters
of the Republic of Texas to fill one of the niches set aside to Texas
with the statue of Stephen F. Austin, known to history as the
'Father of Texas,' and one of her most unselfish patriots. This
laudable work must be accomplished by the efforts of the Daugh-
ters of the Republic of Texas by means of soliciting subscriptions
for such fund, by entertainments and by all other proper means
calculated to effect the object designed. The statue can be exe-
cuted for the sum of $4000, and with little additional funds can
be placed in the niche awaiting it.
"All lovers of Texas and of her early unparalleled history are
appealed to for help by liberal contributions, and by all other
means, to raise the fund desired. At the suggestion of the chair-
man of the committee of the Stephen F. Austin Statue Fund, Hon.
W. B. Wortham, president of the First National Bank of Austin,
t"