Baton-Rouge gazette. [volume] (Baton-Rouge, La.) 1819-1856, 1852-12-04
. Communicated.


Mn. EDITOR A writer III your pare
of the 2Oth ult., signing himself a Look
err On" has INDUCED in certain remarks
touching the wharf erected by Messrs
PIKE Il HART, on the bank Of the river
in all candor, require correction. lie
speaks of these gentlemen, rs entitled tc
great credit for their energy and perse
verance in improving the Town, mt least,
that '1hey hare dime mare than an1
other ten men," towards this object. Here
! most cordially Jpfn with my friend Mr.
LOCKER On" aud have no doubt that this
is the opinion OF all those acquainted with
the past history Of Messrs. PIKE IL HART
II 10 not true that Messrs, PIKE & HART
erected the wharf for lie benefit Of the
C iiizefi@ generally, but for their own aud
at a point on the river bank where, by the
testimony of the Oldest Inhabitants of the
town, the place could never be used for a
landing without it.
1t is a fact that Messrs. PIKE & HART
only commenced iti'e erection Of Mei,
aohdyJ, after every effort had been made
to induce the city authorities, to build one
In support Of this last assertion, | think
the writer a safely refer for proof. to
Messrs. w. L. TUNNARp. d. A. CUNNING.
HAM, and J. Nj. BnuNor, who were mem.
l,ers oil the Board Of Selectmen, for The
Town, in 1850. The Board of Select
men passed All ordinance in 1850, extend
ing the Steamboat landing. to the foot Of
Laurel street, in order to enable the wharf
boat, to collect wharfage dues, at the
wharf of Messrs. PIKE & HART.
"Looker On" asserts that III the year
1851, MIR. HART, then a member of the
Board, stated that "tIle wharf required re.
pairs, and that they, PIKE & HART.
{" would not repair it, if the Corporation
deemed ftFexpedient they might take
"charge Of and repair IT," He goes on
to state that. the repairs of that year,
amounted to little less than $500, and Of
the present year, ahnnt $500. From ell
q%uiries, I have been able to make, all these
statements are incorrect. Mr.. HART did
not make use Of the language attributed
to him, nor was it ever understood as con-
veying the meaning, 10 which "Looker
On" alludes. The expense for repairs in
1851, were less than those of The present
year, which mount only to the sum Of
1888.
1t is well known by all the members of
the Board Of Selectmen. hat when the
steamboat landing was extended, it was
with the soke uiew, of givtng 10 the wha,f-
bout, ami the pubkic, tie use and beneM
Of the aoha.f erected by Messrs. Pike 4.
Hurt. II is incorrect, that the Corp ,ra-
ton never gave to Mr.. MARKHAM aulhori-
" to lie at the end of the wharf, aud
there collect wharfage dues, and it is only
a subterfuge to say, the Wharfage dues
were collected for laliaing at the wharf.
boat, since the staging Of the boat ex-
tended to, and might be said to he a part
of lie wharf itself, 50 far at least. as the
latter. contributed TO public convenience.
The sole question for every honest and
candid man to consider, IN this cnttrover-
sy, is, however wrong, Messfs. PIKE Il
HART may have been, IN the first IN
stance. i'll erecting the wharf, without
Obtaining the consent Of the corporate
authorities. does this act entitle the cor
poration. or The public, 10 take and Use the
wharf erected at private expense, and de-
rate 1t e.rckusipely 10 the public, aeithoM
rem uaeration. The Corporation refuse
or neglect, to provide the public, with a
convenience, which the enterprise aud IN.
telIigence of Messrs. PIKE & HART dis.
covered TO he necessary 10 facilitate com
They go TO work and erect a
wharf at their own expense, wherenpon
the public, or the Corporation, tacitly, or
By their acts. approve and appropriate it
to their own use. What difference does
it make, whether this wharf is erected in
the most suitable place, or not, for public
convenience, if the people use it and the
public authorities refuse, or neglect TO fur
nish a better? II is a principal Of law as
well as Of equity, between individuals,
that no Que shall benefit himself. at the
expense of another, without remnnera-
ion, and the writer, wonid like "Looker
On to paint ont the difference in the ap-
0lication Of this principle, Jetveen tile
and andiv5du0ls.
A TAX PAYER.
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