The Laws of Texas, 1822-1897 Volume 8 Page: 973

                                
136

Laws of the State of Texas.

CHAPTER XCII.-An Act to establish an Agricultural and Mechanical
College of Texas, for the benefit of the colored youths and to make
appropriations therefor.
Section 1. Be it enacted by the Legislature of the State of Texas,
That there shall be established in this State at such point and in the
manner provided for in this act, an Agricultural and Mechanical College
for the benefit of the colored youths of this State.
Sec. 2. The Governor is hereby authorized to appoint a Commission,
consisting of three competent persons, who shall select a suitable
place for the location of said Agricultural and Mechanical College, and
make report thereof to the Governor as hereinafter provided for; provided,
that the site so selected shall contain not less than five hundred
acres of land suitable for agricultural purposes. The said Commissioners
shall have authority to receive donations of land and money to aid
in the erection and maintainence of said Agricultural and Mechanical
College. When said College shall have been located, it shall be known
as the Agricultural and Mechanical College of Texas, established for
colored youths, and shall be under the supervision and control of the
Board of the Agricultural and Mechanical College, as established by an
act of the Legislature, passed April 17, 1871.
Sec. 3. The Governor shall appoint a competent Architect, who shall
submit a plan and specifications of suitable buildings for said college,
of capacity for the accommodation of at least one hundred students, to
be approved by the Governor.
Sec. 4. The said Commissioners shall proceed to make selection of
said location, and report the same to the Governor at as early a day as
practicable.
Sec. 5. Upon the approval of the plans and specifications for said
buildings by the Governor, the said Commissioners shall proceed to advertise
for ninety days in two or more newspapers published in this
State, for sealed proposals for the erection of said buildings, giving full
particulars of the terms and conditions of such contracts, and the time
and place when and where the bids therefor shall be opened and contracts
awarded.
Sec. 6. Contractors for the erection of said buildings shall be required
to entei into bond with good and sufficient security payable to the
Governor and his successors in office, to be approved by the Governor
in a sum equal to double the amount of his or their bid, or bids, conditioned
that such contractor or contractors will execute the work or furnish
the material contracted for, in strict accordance with the terms and
conditions of such contract.
Sec. 7. The said Commissioners and Architect together, shall constitute
a Board of Directors, or Building Committee, and shall have full
management and control of the direction and execution of said contracts
for the erection of said buildings, and shall make report of the
progress of the same to the Governor at least once in each six months
till the same is completed and received by the Governor.
Sec. 8. The sum of twenty thousand dollars,.or so much thereof as
shall be deemed necessary to locate, erect, furnish and operate said college
in accordance with the plans, specifications and estimates as shall
be approved by the Governor, for the completion of the same be, and
the same is hereby appropriated out of any money in the Treasury not
otherwise appropriated.
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