Page:John O. Meusebach - Answer to Interragatories.djvu/15

 Company, 'Johann Dethard,' landed at Galveston the 23d day of November, 1844. On their arrival in Texas these emigrants were informed that owing to the reasons above enumerated, the Company were unable to convey them to, and put them into immediate possession of the land promised, and in consideration of this failure of the Company to forward them on to the grant, the Company would give to each of the colonists a lot or homestead in one or other of the towns or depots established by them. A few days after the purchase of the Comal tract (March 14, 1845) the emigrants arrived there and went into camp. The Prince immediately went to work with his engineers to lay off the town into convenient building and farming lots. After this was done and the maps and plots were prepared, the lots were distributed to the emigrants."

On the 24th of February, 1845, I was appointed as successor of Prince Solms, and as trustee and general agent of the German Emigration Company in Texas. In April, 1845, I believe, I landed at Galveston. I was advised by the directory of the Company in Europe, to have the balance credit of Prince Solms,—if any was left with the banker,—transferred to me. In place of a balance credit, I found only debts. Financially I found the affairs of the Company in the greatest confusion and disorder. The prince had already experienced that all the estimates made by the directory in Europe, with the aid of Fisher (the vendor of the grant concession) were by far underrated, no matter whether intentionally or unintentionally; that the shipping of frame houses, goods, provisions, and emigrants with unlimited baggage from Galveston to Matagorda bay; that the camping, moving, transporting, and supplying such a large body with provisions, required more than 10 times the amount of the estimates. After he had carried his emigrants up from the coast in good