True American. [volume] (New Orleans [La.]) 1835-18??, 1838-10-12

me MS and calculations Of the minority are OF 81
miar character, and as tho undersigned nave nei
Their time, disposition TO anaiyze thcmi 'hey
submit these as fair spec mems of all. It's urgea
by the minority that the Council has been regard
less Of the public interests contrat ting with Mr..
Mis'urn at SIS so per square yard for round stone
paving. when offer was mado by Mr.. owen
Cook at So and that it would have yet been more
proper, TO have Advertised for proposals and have
awarded the paving to tho lowest bidder. Az
general rule the correctness of this position can
not be denied, but that there may be exceptions
called for by the public interests. the minority HIM
self admits by warmly advocating contract with
Mr.. Minturn for $4,000 square yards of sqnare
stone pavement, and siihout eren firing the cost.
The nnders gned were not ut opinion that
Mr.. Owen Cooke possessed t g ability to perform
a contract involving an expenditure OF S4Ue,uo
aud rcG,,iring outlay at Same period OF
50,0OJ. They have no reason however, to DOUBT
he honesty of his intentions The committee
woI.ld not object to contract with Mr.. Cook to
pave to an extent commensurate with ms means,
but they believe that either the interest OF
of the public or that of Mr.. Cooke would be con-
suited were he TO undertake more. 1t is easy
to show that one contractor possessing extensive
noaps execute the pavements at much lower
rate than any contractor could; Tor by augment
ing the number of contractors, their competition
augments the price of stones at the North, US well
of the freight and also of the labor here; an ap
parent gain ty contracting at lower rate Tor inc
paving with many persons, will generally result
in disappointment and eventual loss. AS to award.
ing these contracts, to The lowest bidder, without
regard to the pecuniary means and responsibility
of the cont factors, the experience oil our cy our
ing the last fifteen years proves tito be worse than
useless: no contract Of the kind ever having been
performed. When Mr. Minturn proposes his first
contract to the city years ago. several offers
hv nnsIll a nrrH ms.
these offers furnished good ground tor violent op.
position TO the contract but the good sense OF the
council prevalled; and it is fact well known TO
the President Of this Council that during the en-
suing summer, more than one OF the competitors
! of Mr.. Mmiurn, who proposed for contract OF
| half mo OF dollars of paving, were buried at
| the public expense.
There is now no reason why the Council should
award such conir ct TO the loe est bidder, than
there is why an individual wishing TO build house
within a given time, should advertise for proposals
und with him who offered to build it at the
lowest price without regard TO his abilities to do it.
The great permanency Of the square stone pave
| meut in the opinion OF tho minority is SO import
ant, that all considerations urged against that spe
cies of pavement no matter how welghty, must
| give way before it: the singular inconsistency of
advocating at the same time 1890, 900 worth OF
wooden pavement, which is acknowledged to be
the least durable that has ever been used, and con
Sequenily the most expensive, cannot escape the
attention of the Counc |. All the arguments OF
the gen lennan in favor Of his project of square
stone pavement tile of permanency, are
many good reasons urged against HE other pro.
ject Of the wood pavement, which requires to be
renewed every few years.
In conclusion, yuur 'emmittee beg leave to re.
mark that the members Of this Council selected
by their fellow citizens Of the Second Municipality
to conduct their public affairs in such manner
may be most conducive 10 their interests; they are
chnsen ii is but fair to pr sume because they are
believed to be honest and to be capable, and may
therefore be safely charged with the importan,
trust. They serve gratuitously their constituents
having no other colnpcn sation than their esteem
an confidence, and the consciousness of faithfully
performing their du eS.
Under these circumstances it would be inexcusa
Bile IN this Council to acquesce b. its silence, ii
the imp tatlons Of gnorahce of being guided by
dlshonorahIe motives, by desire 10 perpetual,
abuse and of want Of patriotism, with which the
address Of the minority OF the committee of streets
and landings Is rcplete The committee hav,
therefore clt 1t to be duty to lay before TIN
Council full rcfutatlon OF the assertions and ar
guments in sad ad ress, in order that the Council
may stand exonerated from tho groundless charge
contained thulcIn, made too by Of lis owl
| members,