The daily crescent. [volume] ([New Orleans, La.]) 1848-1851, 1849-11-16
1Iunlelpal 1870.

Al The last meeting Of the Second Municipality
Council, the Finance Committee submitted a re-
peri and resolutions calling for tax Of two per
cent. 10 be paid during Che next year. The amount
Of the ilx--dcuble that how levied--strikes every
one with surprise But although furnished with
full and accurate digest Of the report several days
ago, we RETAINED from any remarks in regard to
the extraordinary measure proposed fearing lest, by
nasty observation we might DO injustice to tbe Fin
ance Committee and the Conncil Yesterday how
ever, the official report was given, and we are now
made fuiy aware Of the reasons which have induced
Che Committee to bring forward their resolutions.
Il appears that after all deductions arc made, the
Municipality win be called on next year 10 provide
for me payment Of s., 22a2OO The annual m
come from az sources, exclusive Of lax on real and
personalpuperty, is set down at si52,oooi thaa
leaving about Ss0OOO0 to .be raised by said tax.
The tax oil this year would, it was calculated, pro
duoe S3sO, 600 though only 100000 has been col
lected Il is clear, then, that there exists neees-
siy COZ much heavier tax than the one levied this
year Whence does the necessity arise Why is
It that the expenditures for the present year are
estimated at 50 large a figure as the one we have
given?
The necessity arises from the extraordinary ex-
pendiiures the Municipality has been obliged to
make during this year. The sum Of these extra
ordinary expenditures is no less than $780, 79 81
and they are all traoeable more or less directly, to
the Sauve Crevasse. The large sum expended on
streets, and on wharves and evees, was owing,
doubtless, to the effects OF the May inundaton.
And It is to the Sauv6 Crevasse that the Commit
ice attribute the short comings of the Treasury
collections, $50 coo less having been collected than
was estimated at the time the last tax was levied.
They do this in the following cloudy sentence
This great deficiency in the receipts Of the
Treasury IS doubtless, great measure to be as
cribed 70 the pecuniary EMBELLISHMENTS occasioned
10 individuals by the causes that have embar-
gassed the Treasury
The Committee, in fact seem to say in their con
GLIDING sentence that the additional tax rendered
necessary by the expenditures on the crevasse
They wind up their report with the following
The Finance Committee report the necdssar,
resolutions, providing for a tax Of tSo per cent,
which will suffice to cover The deficiency, having
shown the necessity o. the proposed tax, deem far
ther comments unnecessary. That this heavy taA
viii be felt with severity BY many, is doubtless
true hut il must be remembered that the auses
which have induced is necessity, were not within
the control OF the Council, and they should be en-
couTaged BY the prospects Of the future which viii
BE the more bright as our citizens evince irmness
In enconntering, and prompHtude in overcoming
difficulties and misfortunes, which may at times
BY the,wil Of Providence, impede tteirp prosperity
There is a proverb which says that we give our
selves credit for al The good and successful acts we
DO and lay all our evil and unsuccessful efforts at
the door Of Providence. It may be that the Conn
eli o. tie Second Municipality is in this respect
no better than other folks
inasmueh as the people of the Municipality have
The word Of the Finance Committee for the fact
that they are indebted to the Sguy6 Creyasse for
double tax we hope some investigation will be |
made INTO ihe causes Of the damage occasioned by
the inundasion. The fact is unanswerable that as.
early as February, the Surveyor Of the Munioi-
palty drew the attention Of the Council to the ne
cessity Of protecting the city from the dangers Of
an overflow. 1t is undesirable that the Council was
at divers and suudry times, during the months Of
February and March, warned of the evils likely to
accrue ifit failed 70 take precautionary measures
against tie unusual mass Of water in the Mssis-
sippi. On whom, then, rests DE responsibility Of
an overflow which might have been prevented by
attending to the warnings OF Che Municipality Sur
yeyor2 Not, surely, on the Surveyor, and hardly
on Providence for il was a tempting OF Providence
to leave the city without strong and additional
lesees, when the waters were every day rising and
threatening to break the walls thar held them in |
due bounds. The Council which was in authority l
during the mouths Of February and March, 1919, !
had the power % protect the city nom inundation /
they were advised 70 the measure and so far failed
in their duty as TO neglect the advice The over |
flow came in May and in NOvember we are told |
we must pay double taxes, because the Councildd
noi follow the Suggestions Of the Surveyor thew !
employed.
Before April next it will, OF course, be necessary
for the people to inquire who were in default not 1
only before the erevasse but even after the NUM-
riPality commenced its Efforts to stop up the breach
The managers Of the erevasse, or. we should rather
.ay, those who attempted to manage. will hardly |
Be forgotten when they before the people for |
ssleefion, Il win Be remembered that there were
and reeriminations between several |
iaftios q TIE limo lhe authorities were trying to
Top De dTerasse- By inquiry i may probably be |
iand WHO wa really 70 blame in the matter,