The daily comet. [volume] (Baton Rouge, La.) 1850-1856, 1853-05-08
c o m M n n isated.

some Of the Proceedings Of the Board
of Aldermen ut their meeting on Mon
day last, and more particularly to the
action Of that august body in relation
to the Wharf Boat. You haye been
guilty Of late Mr.. Comet, Of reporting
strange proceedings Of the wisdom in
general assembly convened" and for
awhile | was under the impression that
your occupation being gone, in that
respect, you had ayailed yourself Of
leisure moment to try what effect the
same course would produce when ap-
piled to the proceedings of our good
City Fathers In this | perceive |
was mistaken, for the official paper
with report Of their proceedings is
now before me by which l perceive
that it appears officially in print that,
"the Wharf Boat Is . nuisance and my
contract forfeited w. ~. ss
There has been much said and writ
ten Of late on the subject Of the Wharf
constructed by Mcssrs. Pike l. Hart,
in which argument have never in
any way whatever participated, neither
do Il wish that the remarks / have
now to fnatesli .uld have any influence
on public opinion in regard tosthe
difference between the above named
gentleman and the Corporation, but in
consequence of the indecent haste with
which the worthy Board has passed
Snap Judgement on me and the poor
Old Princess without the least notice or
warning to defend ourselves,I feel it
my duty to lay before an impartial
community the treatment l have re-
ceived in regard to the contract which
is now declared forfeited.
In May 1850 an advertisement ap.
pered in the official paper Of the Cor
poration that the leasing or selling Of
the Steamboat Landing for a term Of
five years would take place at public
auction. On the day Of sale it was
awarded to me, as the highest bidder,
Tor the sum o. six hundred and nine
dollars, payable in six and twelve
months. Soon after the contract was
signed and the necessary notes had
been given, ! went to New Orleans,
and succeeded in purchasing the steam-
,er Princess, she had on board at the
time all her machinery, and it took
several weeks to remove it, and make
such other alterations as would adapt
her to the service for which she was
intended. l was not in New Orleans
more than two weeks, before / heard
that Wharf was in course of con-
struction which would draw the steam
boat business from the legitimate land
ing and render it both unnecessary
and unporftable to place a Wharf
Beat there at all. / was innocent
enough to believe that my informant
was mistaken, and that it was merely
a repair necessary to Front street that
was going on; for believe me dear
Comet, l could not for moment think
that any body corporate Of honorable
men would be guilty Of, or allow, such
fragrant act of injustice. Judge then
Of my surprise on my arrival at this
place, to find that large wharf had
actually sprung into existence during
my absence, and there sure enough it
stood in all its fair proportions. l
made some remonstrance at the time,
but received no satisfaction. Bust
ness was divided between the Wharf
and the Wharf Boat, and at both
places was transacted with great diff
Guilty. 1t often happened that freight
and passengers were waiting at both
places, and the boat they were waiting
for would only land at one ; this caus-
cd considerable loss in a business that
for large consideration had been
guaranteed by the corporation czcIus-
aUely to me, and at the same time bro't
forth curses loud and Deep" on the
Wharf Boat, the Wharf, and the place
generally and not emitting your hum
Bic servant and several other innocent
individuals. It was impossible for
this state of things to exist, and as a
last resource, l agreed to pay the own
ers Of the Wharf, twenty-five dollars
DER month to allow me to moor
INV boat at said Wharf, in order that
the business of the place might be fac
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