New Orleans daily crescent. [volume] ([New Orleans, La.]) 1851-1866, 1856-02-11
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OFFICIAL.
BOARD OF ASSISTANT ALDERMEN

BOARD OF ASSISTANT ALDER NJ b N.
The following report and documents from the
Commissioners and Agents of the McDonogh Estate
were ordered to be published in the official Journal
TO the Honorable the Mayor and Common Council
OF The City Of Neav Orleans, and The Mayor and
City Council Of Baltimore:
Gentlemen: The undersigned commissioners and
pointed to administer it under the will of the deceased
beg leave to present the following report:
We herewith present four documents, viz:
Document No. |, q memorandum Of the estate as at
present in our hands. ~
Document No. 2, receipts and expenditures of the
general estate, from eth March to 3lst December
1856.
Document No. g. rent roll of the general estate from
LIST November, 1856, to Slst October, 1856.
Document No. a. memorandum of rent notes,
leases, etc. ETC., on hand of property leased for
period longer than gear, and falling due in 1857
1858, 1852 1860.
The first Of these papers shows the appraised and
estimated values of the entire estate in land slaves
money, etc. amounting, in all, to the sum of two
millions two hundred and seventytWo thousand four
hundred and six dollars and five cents.
Since the commencement of our administration, we
have received returns from two parishes which were
not included in the returns of the apprasement made
to by the Executors namely, Of $303 900 of real
estate in the Parish of St. james, and of So 900 OF
real estate in the Parish of Lafourche nteror-thus
adding $30S000 to the gross value Of the estate Re
parish of st, Charles which was also not included by
the Executors The Recorder of that parish has been
several times called on to make his return, and we
hope to present it in next report. This will
plete the valuation Of the entire real estate belonging
to this succession far able to ascertain
from the inventory and title papers in possession
The slave account which forms one of the items
Of document No l, has been set down on the books
ofthe Commissioners andagents at the Of $50 900
which is an estimated valuation of the remaining time
of the slaves since the commencement of our admins
traton. In the report sent last May to Baltimore by the
agents of that city, this item was entered at $4,000
but on reconsideration of the matter it thought
best to insert the of $50 900 and accordingly it
has been entered on the ledger Of tile estate at that
amount. twill be remembered that according to the
will of Mr.. McDonogh, the slaves are directed to be
liberated and sent to Africa after the expiration of
fifteen years from the period of his death.
The value of the Theatrical properties stated at
$l6,62 in this memorandum is, of course, subject to
some annual dminution as they necessarily leased
with the theater and are impaired by time and use.
Ofthe balance of "Blls Receivable and Book Debts'
received by the undersigned from the executors it is
believed that not less than $2l6,3G3 y utterly
worthless. Without abandoning the clole amount,
1--WE have therefore considered that the Of $685.
95 So was the proper one to enter on the books of
the estate as coVectable,) and inasmuch as $3.50
have been paid on that account since adminstra-
ton began, return from our ledger $37 1853 of
sperate Old Bills Receivable" and $2l ,4O3 So of
sperate " Old Book Debts"
the branch of the Louisiana State Bank bearing i'll
terest at the rate of three and onehaf per cent per
annum.
1t is proper also to state that among the assets of
this estate but not yet entered books two
judgments of Court against the City of New Orleans,
amounting to $47200 independent of interest. The
first these Judgments for the Of $40 900 and in
terest, was rendered for appropriation of property
belonging to the estate for public park and the
second $780, for appropriations in opening Philip
and other streets in the city Of New Orleans. The
property taken for these purposes was of course va
ed in the general return Of the inventory, but have
not yet accurately ascertaned the quantity of u7er
propriated portions of the real estate from which the
land was taken, so that We are unable to state the
true balance of that account.
Document No. 2 exhibits the cash receipts and ex-
pendtures of this Board from the 9th March to the
3Ist of December, 1865, and, with Document No. g.
presents complete view of our administration Of the
property since it passed from the executors into our
hands All the expenditures have been either indis-
pensble for the benefit of the estate or were made in
pursuance of the WILL Of existing laws, or of judg-
ments and every effort has been made to reduce them
to the lowest standard.
It will be observed that the amount paid for insu-
rance and taxation is large, though tax has yet
been paid to the city of New Orleans and none to the
State in any of the parishes except Jefferson East
Baton Rouge and Orleans. Under the opinion of
counsel furnished to this Board, it appears certain
that the claim for at least onehaf of the tax assessed
for the city of New Orleans is eXtingushed by CON
fusion" This arises from the fact that the city of N
Orleans is joint gunner with the city of Baltimore of
all the property belonging to this succession.
In the commencement OF our work it was found
necessary under the old system of renting as adopted
by the Executors, to employ collector; but since the
granting of new leases by this Board providing that
the rent notes shall be paid, specifically, either in
bank Or at the office of the estate, this expense has
been and will be entirely avoided.
The item of So ,442 24-lOO in document No. 2, of
Expenses on the McDonogh place " represents the
payments made by the Undersigned for the support
of the fortysiX unemployed negroes whom we found,
at McDonoghs late residence, in March last Immedi-
ately after the commencement of our duties the I'M
dersgned endeavored to find service for these slaves
to save the estate from the heavy cost of their
maintenance in comparative ideness. This we are
glad to say has been at length accomplished, by ap-
portlonlng them in the new leases made in October
last, among the parties who rented the Allard, St.
Gene and feltas Places, and by hiring several to diff
ferent parties in New Orleans There are now but
three remaining at the cost of the Estate-one
of whom is utterly helpless from infirmity and age,
another nearly blind and the third constantly and
usefully employed as the porter of this office. Be-
tween June and December the sum Of $5S2 Is
received for the hire of those who were employed
in the city.
Our most efficient secretary was engaged and COM
pensated according to the direct instructions of the
will of Mr.. McDonogh; and the foresight of the de-
ceased has been fully proved by the important servi
ces this officer has rendered the estate.
TWAS found indispensable to employ "Superin-
tendent of wood cutting" This we should have
considered necessary even if no revenue had been
obtained from that source for without the watchful-
ness of such an officer the most shameful waste might
be committed on the valuable wood lands of this es
tate in the neighborhood of New Orleans. His duties
consist in constant inspection of the rural property
in this vicinity and in measuring and accounting for
the wood that is cut under contracts. We have been
fortunate in securing the time and services of well
known and most responsible person; and we have
reason to believe that the revenue from this item will
be considerably increased and faithfully collected I'M
der his management
In order to understand the condition of the city
property, and to possess permanent and ready re
cord in our office for reference in leasing repairs etc.
1t was found necessary to have book of plans
and sketches made by competent draughtsman
This involved the careful examination Of all the title
papers, and Of several surveys, and resulted in one
hundred and forty-two plots. We have the satisfac-
ton to report that this valuable service was completed
to our satisfaction for the moderate sum of 1894 a.
AS evidence of our disbursements, on all the items
included i'll the statement Of sRcceipts and eXpendi-
lures We in all cases, took tripcate receipts upon
the payment Of accounts etc. by order of the Board
The original receipt and bill are preserved among the
papers and records Of this Office and the duplicates
and duplicates, numbered from ! to 90 are herewith
transmitted to the cities Of New Orleans and Balti-
u're, respectively, to be filed by them with the re-
ports and accounts of the Commissioners and Agents.
-1a.