The daily comet. [volume] (Baton Rouge, La.) 1850-1856, 1853-01-11

| CITY COUNCIL 0E&pQ1oO
DAror R0Uo1 1eqtAY,
Jsny Oh, 1853.
The Board 0ssleetmsn met Ms day,
present;
Jomx. n DutRocQ. Mayor,
Eugene Lanoue, Joseph Moteei,
Jordan Holt, Chss. Guelry,
MI Chss. L. Hall, having presented GER
tificate Of election, tn fill the vacancy occss
Toned by the resignation OF Mr.. Levi Kel-
luul was duly qualified ard took his seat.
The proceedings Of last meeting were
III The s"e eo "n"i' app hted on the oh
Dec. TO enquire into tho particulars and
facts, Telaiative 10 the Wharf erected by
Messrs. Pike and Hart, submitted the fol-
lowing report. which on motion was order.
cd to be spread upon the minutes, md pub
llshed with the proceedings Of tbs board.
hEroRT.
ave the undersigned appointed on The
9th day Of DeceDbtf, 1859. eommittee
to investigate matters relative to the
Wharf Of Messrs. Pike X Hart, hsvc raiA
all possible attention to the MISTER, aud
respectfully make theH5t,llowirg rerott
"Messrs. Pike h Hort IN the years 1850
erected wharf in front Of their Ware house
without even informing th. Board oi selpe.
men Of their intention, although according
to the charter OF the Corporation the Land
ing in front oI the town is public property
under the control Of the Board Of Eelectnen.
They we're suffered to proceed as it wss
viewed tv members Of the Board, that the
extensive business they were carrying Oh
required such convenience
''In July 1850 Messrf Pike K Hart Offer
ed 10 sell said harf 10 the corporations for
the sum Of tw snty five hundred dollars.
payable IN one, two, three, four and five
years, said proposition was on motion Of
The board, referred 10 committee Of two
Of It's members, viz Messrs Bfunot and
T'mnard who, at subsequent meeting held
IN September 1850, reported 4" that they
thought i inexpedient TO entsftain She pro-
position"
500 the 10Th Nov. 1860 wsolntjon
was adopted, fixing the boundry Of the
Steam Boat Landing, (which to that tine
had been uude 6ned) from the foot Of Laurel
10 the foot Of Convention street. and grant. /.
ing to the iessees Of the Wh,rf Boat at the
landing as extended, the same privilege
which they possessed ut the landing as il
then existed, which was to collect from
Boats landing at said Wharf Boat and not
elsewhere u
Since the refusal Of the Board in Sept.
1850 TO purchase said Wharf, II does not
seem that any proceedings were entertain
ed relative thereto, by that or any. subse-
qnent board, until the month Of Sept 1851,
at which time, we ore informed by Messrs
Tbsriot, Ileude and TiIano. COMPOSING
portion Of the board OF 1851 that Mr.. Hat,
one Of the members Of the board. stated that
they would not repair the Wharf anYsauo,e,
and that If the Corporation tbougNt j.
worth while, they might take hold Of 10
Ind repair it, that said members under
standing that the Wharf was nb0pdoued
10 the Corporation, authorized the repair,
which was done at on expense oi ever $500.
In 1852, Mr.. Hart again stated that The
Wharf wanted repairs. and the street com
nlttee we've authorized 10 have the ueces-
'aJy repairs made, WHICH work was per-
ortned at an expense N $3.50 SIS.
From the best information We have
been able to obtain we do not see that the
Board OF Selectmen have ut any time TAX
~ possession Of the Wharf with view OF
private property to them
isen o.
THAT they refused in 1850 TO purchase II
md that they would have never touched il
n 1851, mhen Il mas IN a deiopidoted state,
or repairs or otherwise, bad it not been IN
Ter the circumstances above stated. The
'oard Of Selectrnen never believed that bv
ma king repairs under these circumstances.
should have been implied, they. had TAX
u possession OF private property, without
aging for it. What right have Messrs
ike h Han lost over the wharf from
Gsoyed at its erection, Your
ommittee cannot see they have lost any +:
hose gentlemen have now almosttb ex-
lusiye nae Of t,le platform dfld the wharf
Though repaired at the CORPORATION en-
ense, ard no revenue hos ever been col
,cted from said Wharf by the authority or
,r the benefit Of the Corporation.u
with these facts befoSe us. we think
ne Corporation are in no manner bound 10
ny said Wharf from Msssrs. Pike Il Hart,
II the following reasons"
list The Wharf was built on public prop
rty. for their use without any permission
7 action of the Board"
"2d That the Corporation have refused 10
urchase it, L.
"3d. That it is erected on cav,ng cy6upd,
nd wonld entail the corporation in debt for
lDnal repairs and bulljng. and
'4ih That Messrs. f5ke & Hart have new.
considered the Corporation indebted 10
ietn for said Wharf and that the present
quest does not come from them. but from
,fties REQUIRING information on the sub
Ct All OF which is respectfully submit
d. J. MONEET. Chairman