The daily comet. [volume] (Baton Rouge, La.) 1850-1856, 1853-01-08
lorr1ciAL.1
CITY COUNCIL PROCEEDINGS
BAToN Rouox. MoNpAY,(

The Board Of selectn met this day,
preeent:
JOHN. r DuFRocQ, Mayor,
Eugene Lanoue, Joseph Monget,
Jordan Holt, Chas. Guedry.
Mr.. Chas. L. Hall, having presented GER
tifcate of election, to fill the vacancy occas-
toned by the resignation of MIR. Levi Kel-
lum, was duly qualified and took his seat.
The proceedings ol4ast meeting were
READ pd approved
ING committee appointed on the 9th
Dec. to enquire into the particulars and
facts, relatative to the Wharf erected bv
Messrs. Pike and Hart, submitted the fol.
lowing report. which on motion was ORDER
ed to be spread upon the minutes, and pub
ished with the proceedings Of the board.
REPORT.
"We the undersigned appointed on the
9th day of December, 1852, a committee
to investigate matters relative to the
Wharf OF Messrs. Pike & Hart, have paid
all possible attention to the matter, and
espectlullymake the following report:
"Messrs. Pike Il Hart iny the years 1850
erected wharf in front of their Ware House
without even informing the Board of Selec-
men Of their intention, although according
tc the charter OF the Corporation the Land
Ing in front OF the town is public property
under the control of the Board of SelectmeIi
They were suffered to proceed as it was
viewed by members of the Board, that the
extensive business they were carrying on
required such convenience"
"In July 1850 Messrs. ri Ike & Hart offer
ed to sell said wharf to the corporation, for
the sum of twenty five hundred dollars,
payable in one, two, thresnfour and fives
years; said proposition waSlbn motion of
the board, referred to committee of two
Of its members, viz Messrs. Brunot and
Tunnard who, at a subsequent meeting held
IN September 1850, reported shat they
thought it inexpedient to entertain .he pro-
position
'On the 10Th Nov. 1850 resolution
was adopted, fixing the boundry of the
Steam Boat Landing, (which to that time
had been underlined from the foot of Laurel
to the foot of Convention street, and grant
ing to the lessees of the Wharf Boat at the
landing as extended. the same privilege
" hh.h they possessed at the landing as it
then existed, which was to collect from
elsewhere"
Since the refusal of the Board in Sept.
1850 to purchase said Wharf, it does not
seem that any proceedings were entertain
ed relative thereto, by that or any SUISSE
quent board, until the month of Sept 1851,
at which tine, we are informed by Messrs
sIheriot, Helide and Tilano, composing
portion of the board ls,A5hAat Mr.. Hart,
one ofthe members of the Dd4fd, stated that
they would not repair the Wh4i any more,
and that if the Corporatio1f Thought it
worth while, they might tau hold of it
and repair it, that said meubers under
standing that the Wharf was abandoned
to ne Corporation, authorized the repair,
which was done at an expenst pf ever $500.
in 1852, MIR. Hart again stated that the
Wharf wanted repairs. and the street COM
mittee were authorized to have the neces-
,saIy repairs made, which work was per-
formed at an expense of $3.50 50.
From the -best. Inflammation we have
been able to obtainS @e do not see thatthe
Board of SeIectme9 bye at any time Yak
en- possession of tie hay with a view of
appTopfiating pfiwae property to their
use" ss
@That they<ef,sed in 1850 to purchase it
and that they would have never touchs2 it
in 1851, WhsS il wds in u deiapidated state,
for repairs or otherwise, had it not been UNI
der the ciaSumstabVes above stated The
Board OF SSaeckmen never believed, that by
making repairs6S1er these circumstances,
it should have been implied, they had TAX
en- possession OF private property, without
paying for it. What right have Messrs.
Pike Il Har, lost over th@wharf from
what they enjoyed at its erection? Your
committee cannot see the have lost any
4hsst gs1tlemen have now almost the ex-
ewsive Q% Of tie platform and the wharf,
although repaired at the Corporation ex-
pRnsdFard no revenue has ever been COL
(cte4 from said Wharf by the authority or
6r benefit of the CorporatioG'
with these facts before rs. we think
the Corporation are in no manner. bound to
buy said Wh6rf from slessrs. Pike Il Hart,
for TIE following reasS6s."
''lst The Wharf1vas built on public prop
ertv, for their use without any permission
or actiolaf the Boasd."
I'D. Nhst the Corporation have refused to
purchase it."
''3d. That it is erected on caving ground,
and would entail the corporation In debt for
annual repairs and building, and
'lth That Messrs. Pike Il Hart have new
er considered the ,CorpoIsGion indebted to
them for said VIII and Wat the present
request does nof'e5me from them, but from
parties requiring information on the subj
ject. Allpof which is respectfully submits
ted. J. MONGET, Chtisman,
CHAS. GUEDRY.