The daily crescent. [volume] ([New Orleans, La.]) 1848-1851, 1851-05-22
NEW ORLEANS:
Speech OF MIR. Renshaw,
In the Council, on Tuesday Night, in Refer
encs TO Wards Contract for Sand.
THURSDAY MouNIsa. MAY n. 1851.

IN tHe Council, on Tuesday Ntght, IN Refer |
encs to Wards Contract for Sand.
We publish the following speech this morning |
IN justice to Mr.. Renshaw, whose remarks we |
were only able to give imperfectly yesterday, on |
account Of the late hour at which the Council
meeting closed on Tuesday night. 1t will be read
with interest by those who are conversant with
rhunicipal affairs, as it is complete answer to
much that has been said in disparagement of the
proceedings Of the Council:
Mr. Renshaw rose, and said that he not
surprised that the gentleman (Mr. Yancey) should
have singled him out for the purpose OF casting all
his venom upon him. The gentleman had COM
menced his speech by referring to the bill tor
$780, which he had signed as Chairman OF the
Committee on Streets and Landings, and which
had been paid to Mr.. Ward. And what were the
facts in connection with this transaction? Why,
Mr.. Ward comes and offers to supply the sand at
a certain price. Mr.. Grant, the Surveyor, called
upon him (Mr r. several times, to ask him for an
order to obtain sand, and said he must have it, for
he could not do without it. Mr.. Grant suggested
that Mr.. Ward should supply the sand, and said he
could get it best from him, and as cheap as from
any other person. Was there any thing improper
in hs giving the Surveyor order to get the sand
The Surveyor said the sand he about to
get belonged TO the Municipality; he did not know
whom it belonged. Mr. Ward under the
impression that he had to supply the sand for
another year, and he tried to get the contract for
that time. Mr.. Grant wished to take three piles
of sand from Mr. Ward, but he (Mr. Renshaw)
told him to take the sand, as he wanted it from
time to time. He heard Mr.. Yancey say
any thing about the committee having no right or
authority to order The sand, but something was
said about there being error in the measurement,
but Mr.. Yancey agreed to the bill. II there was
any thing wrong in the BILL he should have opposed
it at the proper time, for it was not struggled
through with number of others, but was intro
duced to the Council by special resolution, and
here on tn is floor, Mr. Yancey could have offered
his opposition.
The gentleman said that a contract was entered
into with Pat Ward, to supply three thousand
cubic yards OF sand annually but no such contract
agreed to. The contract provided that Mr..
Ward should get much sand was necessary to
be used in the streets to the amount OF three thou
sand cubic yards per annum and he did get as
much required. Were they to go and fill
up tue streets with sand, when it was not required
for the purpose of making the contractor draw just
three thousand wards? He (Ward) received pay
ment for his contract by monthly instruments, and
for each payment he had to receive and present a
certificate from the Surveyor to certify that the
work performed That certificate was evi.
dence OF the performance oil the contract and was
there anything wrong in paying upon such docu
,nent? Mr.. George T. Dunbar had often been in
terrogated with regard TO the amount OF sand usec
the streets, and he had replied that not only wal
the contract complied with, and the quantity used
but often sand really used than i'm
piled in the contract. Mr.. Dunbar is dead
and it is ungenemanly for any say any
thing against his character.
He had noticed several scurrlous articles which
had appeared in one OF the newspapers concernin.
that subject, and he knew from whence the infor
nation was derived, He was abiding to thu
True Delta
Mr.. Vontagen. | call the gentleman to order.
Mr. Renshaw did not think he was out of order
Mr.. Yancsy said he wished The gentleman
proceed.
Mr. Renshaw proceeded He alluded to tn
ftue Delta, and the writer of those articles ha
made his remarks on faith of what he had heart
These newspaper articles had stated that Ward ha
attempted TO commit fraud by altering the col
tract, and that when it came to the knowledge
the Committee on Streets and Landings, the chat
man had tried to persuade the committee to tab
the contract altered. He, (1lr. R-nshawl ga
the contract, and several blanks were left ~ hen
was written, TO be filled up when it should
agreed to. One Of these blank. was filled up
error, and the lnterllneaton made the contract
last for three years instead OF two. He never urge
the committee to extend the contract, but as the
was an error, and tie Surveyor had told hi
that error had pn Mr. Ward to extra erpens
he said he did not see any good reason why u
Council had not legal right to extend the co
tract, and he also said that he thought lhey mig
do so.
Some dispute was raised about the contract
that time, and there the matter ended as far as
was concerned The contract was afterwards
to Mr.. Smith, and he was not able 10 keep 1t, a
begged to be released from it, which was granite
He told Mr. Smith when he took it, that he COT
not perform il at the price at which he had TAX
it, and wished him to think closely upon the 81
ject, and he found that the contract could not
performed without considerable loss. When n
Smith gave it up, it necessary that the D
veyor should have sand, and Mr.. Ward, who |
been previously employed for two years, was t
to supply it until the contract could be rest
When it again put up, 1t app ars that per'
went and bid for it very low and Mr.. Yancey,
appears to be well acquainted with Pat Ward ;
his relations, much better than he (Mr. Rensha
was, although he had been charged with max
Pa his pet said that it was Wards broher-n-
who had bid for it, and that, too, at such p
that he could not perform the contract nor
securities for the purpose oil guarantylng Its
formance.
Thus, the supplying of sand still remained v
Patrick v ard We'll, what had the Comm
on Streets and Landings to do with all tn
Were they bound, as Mr.. Yancey said, to &c
the MAYORS Office and superntend the letn
all contracts? He thought they were not and
could not afford to spend the whole of his tim
attend to Municipal matters. He already 81
three afternoons in the week for the purpos
transacting the business of the Councll-Mor
afternoon with the Finance Committee, Tues
with the Council and Thursday with the Com
tee on Streets and Landings. He though
retiring from the Council, on account OF the d.
he had to perform taking up so much OF his II
and he had allowed himself to be nominated a
last election, upon the urgent request oil sever
his most intimate friends
But the bill for The performance of the con
was paid on the certificate of The Surveyor;