New Orleans daily crescent. [volume] ([New Orleans, La.]) 1851-1866, 1856-01-11
uniea J naval eran,er lsnrlh "a lIe Than would

occupied much greater length of8time than would
n otherwise have been necess ~. l. ,,,,,
IL iound s,as ,ns Il, nd sed wing sundry
"A nepiit,,res ne authorities for which The EXPERTS have
t Man abs d, HID; also in several over
prder ordinances have been made, all which
i are faIly set forth on page of said statement.
I'M aasiila rolls and The ledg
ais into which The various properties oi owners afe
condensed and from, which the YAK bills are inade
lie experts deemedi necessary to compare me rolls
Land lax ledger tbgeiher oy ticking off. III
Upon these ledgers there over indlFldaa'
aacounts besides those for unknoWn propsEsle ~
II There were also upwards of 50 iaXb books 10 e1-
famine, which required fully $4,000 calculations al inc
Various rates of taxation be made the tax
tax he receipts Tor ax niis pace
Attorneys bills, all had 10 be examined For ms iast
named book index OF moro than 200o names mag 70
made by The mere aysos If he work vas
of very tedious character, and ocenped more tle
than had been anticipated; but resulted in ne col5ec
ton of errors and omissions OF ei.hsf hp
ppste into the ledgeTs less tha shoulo
have been, and for errors in the addl.!9ns o. sums en-
sdgers he asea MlsH Which, s course
! tag bills had been made, uhtli now ptepafea " .ne
i experts. - :, !. ,hsr. -
will Ii found statement Of the liability ofihe Treas
or Inc taxes Of 1852 fss far as ascerained and
marked aB r ylhis statementi would appear that
II is bn lust to slate however that he is entitled 10
4 further credt--the amount not yet ascertalned-for
alterations made a. aax els upon cefihcates q as
nd for reductions upon tax bills where par
lies had been assessed and the bills made for taxes
| upon property, the owners Of which subsequently
moved to,bs unknown. An exhibit of the amount of
these aeraonsls now being prepared by me treas
uTer. 55bi 3.#s3g5 &85g 5f4 35$ $5.
that The tax bills for 1852, remaining in the hands OF
the Assistant City Attorney, for that year. and yet un
accounted for by that officer amount TO the very large
sum Of SI47,45a So.
ii, view 81 the magnitude or this sum, and from in
formation received from the present Assistant City AT
torney and others, of the very unsatisfactory manner
in which the accounts of his predecessor ID. @. La
batt,l have been kept your experts are decidedly of
opinion That q full examination OF his accounts with
the city should be had under the resolution auhoriz
ing this worn. I5.s l-g a,s3s5
The experts desire 10 be understood as not having
included the amount Of tax bills Of 1S52-placed in
thehands Of The late Assistant City Attorney, and nm
accounted for by hm--the accounts for licenses, fnes
violation city ordinances, bills for paving, etc,
OF which have as yet been examined.
As it is believed that many suits for the above
merated claims were brought upon information fur
nished by various departments of the city government,
Of which register could be kept in the Treasurers
Office and proper statements have been furnish
ed by Mr.. D. .l1abatt, although frequently requested
in writing by the Treasurer do so would be
sary examine the dockets of the several courts in
order to ascertain what disposton has been made of
said claims due the city, the amour, of which, as
learn from the Treasurer,is very considerable
Likewise aceompanylng this report Will be found
sistant City Attorney for moneys paid into his hands
for licenses several of which yet remain in the possess
sion Of the Treasurer unredeemed.
Paper marked &c, y also companying, is copy of
memorandum attached TO The statement Of the Asss-s
ant City Attorney, of January g. 1855 in which, whilst
acknowledging his indebtedness 10 the city for claims
similar TO the above. preferred 10 marked F') he
refuses 10 pay over although requested by the Treasu
rer to 90 500 @ H5 st -
Ininvesligating the receipts OF moneys paid into
the treasury the experts used every exeon by verbal
and written calls upon the various departments of the
cy 10 procure the necessary data upon which to base
thorough examination On the 24th of July las, they
addressed TO W. n. Garland, Esq, City Treasurer,
letter. u copy of which will be found in accompanying
paper marked scr, asking for the bank books, check
books, etc., of the Treasury Department On the llth
of August they again wrote TO This functionay calling
sattention 10 their request Of the 24th July, for
copy4of which paper marked Dr. To neither OF
these communications has written reply been re-
ceiYed. Mr.. Garland did reply orally in substance
that no care had been taken to preserve The bank books
vale property and had sometimes used the Of
the check books for portfolios.
For want of sufficient data, the experts had to as.
sumo that some Of the receipts were correct, after hav
ing asceraned thai such receipts of moneys had been
comptroled and agreed with the respective books. In
order to elicit all possible information upon this sub
jec they addressed letters to the various collectors Of
levee dues, taxes licenses etc calling for receipts
given them by the Treasurer for taxes, ETC., collected
and paid into the treasury by them Copies of ilese
letters viii be found in the etier.book OF experts, and
are numbered from six to twenty, inclusive.
The replies TO these communications were generally
in letter from S. G. Risk, Esq, lae Tax Collector,
marked t'F,o and accompanying this Eeport. Some six
only of the Collectors receipt books could be
found. These were verified with the books OF the |
Treasurer and ComplroleE and found to be correct;
but the reports OF the Wharhngers for 1852 with which
to compare the receipts for levee Dues could not be
found. The same was the with regard 10 the
reports Of some of the cemeteries, fines, etc.
Ere closing this report, The experts feel it their duty
70 acknowledge the courtesy extended TO, and The
facility afforded them In the prosecution of their work
by The various departments of the city government
with the exceptions already referred to in the early
portion of this report,
In conclusion: your experts are aware that more
time has been consumed than had been ancip ated by
the committee, The public, or themselves; but having
found that general examination could prove satis
factory, they had enter into detailed one, which has
proved very laborious. They learn from some OF the
city officers, that the books, ETC., for The years subse
qnent 70 1862, have been more methodicay kept than
for the prior period; and hence, opinion that the
time necessary to complete The work for which they
were selected would be much less than that already
consumed.
All OF which is respectfully submitted, by
% R. r CANFlELD,
1... s..- Il. J. HITSELBERGER,
6<- S. P.7AUCHMUTY.
New Orleans, Dec. ssd, 1855.
(COnclaasion I'o-morroao)