New Orleans daily crescent. [volume] ([New Orleans, La.]) 1851-1866, 1856-01-14
new CUSTOM. Housg pURcHAsE oE aRouNp.

4 Although it will be some considerable time
/ perhaps Ave or six years--before this building
Of magnificent proportions will be completed,
Ne are much gratifed to perceive that lit has
| so far progressed as to accommodate the APP
praiser's department, Within brief period
other apartments will be finished for the recep-
ton Of merchandise imported, and, as time
passes on, other apartments will come into
their appropriate uses, until the whole grand
structure stands forth a useful and finished mon
ument TO the iberality Of our government and
the Importance Of the foreign trade Of New Or
leans.
The appropriations thus far made by Com
gress for the construction of the Custom House,
reach the sum Of 81 1906 900 This amount is IN
donbtedly large, but, as the building extends
over q vast area, and is destined to be the larg-
est, most imposing and massive Of any belong
| ing to the government, the idea has occurred
to us that the view Of it, from at least one of the
three narrow streets On which At fronts, may
be greatly improved. We allude to the side
fronting Old Levee, from Canal to Customhouse
streets. The contracted passway Or pavement
i on the north side, or Customhouse street, can
not be remedied, but that on the west side can,
and iii d manner which will relieve the locality
Of a block Of buildings which comparatively
shut out oil view and sight from the west slde
OF the Custom House, the portion in which it's
contemplated to locate the United States Courts
| and POST Office. 8{s III as 5# + IKE +
/ Asit is evident that LeTee street will be next
1 to impossible after the occupancy of the edihce,
lowing to causes obvious to the most superficial
observer, We suggest that the General Govern
|#ment purchase the block Of ground fronting on
Leyee, and bounded by Canal, Dorsiere and
0ustomhouse streets, remove the buildings there
upon, and appropriate the same to general
thoroughfare purposes. This, while it would
afford light, fine view, and plenty of room,
would give convenient access at all times to the
Post Office, Court-rooms and various depart
5ments Of the Custom House. The ground, it is
believed. could be purchased for one hundred
and fifty or eighty thousand dollars. and much
sof the material Of the buildings might undoubt-
eddy be used to advantage. . t@
The square Of ground on which the new Gus
tom House is now being erected was donated to
the government II did not cost the Treasury
. dollar; and would have brought into the
Golfers Of the city full half million Of dollars,
had it been sold at the time. Therefore, it is
not asking much from Congress to appropriate
9 sufficient amount to carry out our suggestions.
The boon we ask is not half as large IS the one
government has already received from u.s.
Should it be granted, twill not compensate fifty
per cent. of our advances Hence, it strikes US,
Congress would not refuse the proposition "a
Yorable hearing we're it presented properly for
consideration. With q treasury overlooking
with surplus millions, for which no employment
can be found, and with q revenue largely in
excess of expenditures, the government can
well afford to undertake and perfect the pro
posed Improvement. AS we have before init
mated, it would add largely to the beauty and
appearance Of the whole neighborhood, and the
convenience Of the public generally, to have Old
LeYee street about the width of Canal street, as.
The suggested purchase would nakeit.
To further enforce our suggestion, let us
glance at the cost to the government Of Custom
House grounds in several of the leading cities
Of the United States. The Boston Custom House
grounds cost $4,000. The New York Gus
tom House grounds. $s270, 000-now worth near
or quite q million Of dollars. The Charleston
Custom House grounds, 1000 The New Or
leans Custom House grounds, not one cent-and
the site in New Orleans is larger, more eligible
and valuable, than any we have instanced.
We urge our Senators and Representatives in
Congress to take this matter up at the earliest
practicable moment, and enforce it upon the
minds of our national legislators with all the
power at their command As the Custom House
is situated in the First Congressional District,
we commend this matter to the especial CON
sideration Of our able and eloquent young
friend, George Eustis, Jr; He could hardly do
q more acceptable service to large portion of
his immediate constituents, (and we, above
Canal street, will be equally oblged,) than to
effect the improvement We have briefly and
hurriedly glanced at.
$f,An nEr-7sr ~