New Orleans daily crescent., 1866-10-03

Every day, since the organization of the river
police, has convinced me of the wisdom of th
measure. Twelve active men with swift boats
have nearly put an end to the nocturnal thieving
Iormery perpetrated on the levee, inficting great
loss upon the owners Of exports and imports
Inc season is fast approaching when commerce
VIII be Increased to such an extent az to call for
additional protection against the depredations of
le7ee and the river.
LEASING NARKEr STALLS.
After careful reflection, I deem it my duty to
recommend an entire change in the leasing and
management of our markethouses.
The present system of leasing market to a sin
gle farmer has BEEN is and will continue to be, a
fruitful source of complaint, Inconvenience and
annoyance, not only to the public, but to indvid-
ual lessees of stalls. Constantly complaints are
made OF encroachments on the sidewalks, and ex-
traordinary extortions practced by farmers on
the occupants of stalls.
To eounteract, in fact to terminate complaints,
cordially concur in, and recommend to the con.
sideraton Of the common council, the plan of Mr.
l.. H. Pile, city surveyor, who, having the super
vision Of the markets, andywhose long experience
IS well known, enables him to understand more
thoroughly than others all matters connected
herewith.
Instead Of leasing whole Of q market house to
single farmer the controller should be author
ized to adiudcate to the highest bidder, for one
year. and payable in cash on the spot the lease of
each and every stall in the same said stalls to be
subject to such police regulations as the common
council may adopt.
To my mind the revenues of the city would be
largely increased by the proposed method, and
litigation, contentious and disputes greatly dimin-
ished, if not wholly terminated
LEASE OF THE wH4RvEs BY SECTIONS.
This subject, SO important to US in CONNER
cial and financial point of view, commend to the
wisdom of the common council as one which in
my judgment, demands Legislative action as early
as possible.
Unlike most other cities, ours is not indebted. to
! manufactures for prosperity. Wisdom dictates
that we should devise every means in our power
not only to retain, but to increase our commerce.
SO varied and multtudinous are the sources of
developed and developing rivalry.
The fostering hand Of the city government can
it's sagacious founder, Bienvie, remotely antici
pated, and which its natural advantages of situa
tion warrant-the great commercial emporium of
the continent
During the war, and to the time of the reorgani-
cation of the city government, owing to the stag
nation of commerce and the lavish appropriations
of the public funds to subserve personal ends as
well as the ends of favOritism nearly the whole
extent of wharyes were in so diapdated and
ruinous condition as to make them totally unfit
t ted for the uses for which they were built.
1t affords me much qualification to inform you
that the city surveyor, acting by authority of the
Joint committees representing you during adjourn
1nent, is experimenting the building of new
wharVes adapted to the changed and changing
phases of shipping.
These wharyes are being built as rapidly as
possible. With their peculiar construction owing
to the growing supersedure of sailing vessels by
ocean steamers, our able surveyor is thoroughly
acquainted
1t is estimated that it will cost the city about
900 to put the wharves and levee in COM
plete state of repair. Indeed, may say in better
order than ever before
A. With such new facilities for loading and dis
charging cargo, and the clean, comfortable and
substantial appearance which the new repairs and
Improvements will necessarily give, our port
instead of repeing will be attractive to the great
!; shipping interests of the world.
E Permit me to call your attention to some i'm
portant statistical facts.
S The wharves were leased by sections on the 18th
\ day of August, 1858, for ifty-seven months, the
lessees giving their notes. with good and solvent
security, for the payment OF the same, and bound
it by contract to make all necessary REPAIRS and a.
# the expiration of their several terms to deliver
e said wharves to the city in such condition az
would meet the approval of the city surveyor.
c During this term Of lease the net annual income
N to the city amounted to over 1921 000 making a
the expiration of said lease net total O
20 $l,052 600.
IS Under the the present system of the city collect
t. ing the revenues of the wharyes, the report c
l. Controller Mohan shows that the annual revenue
g. would amount to about Sl5S,000 less REPAIRS ex
tensions and filling of abutments, which would,
T. is estimated, amount to about $4,000, thus reduc
T. ing the annual revenue to about $l08,00O
t. Thus it will be seen that under the present sys
s tenn the city annually loses about S1l3 700.
o With view to increasing our fiscal strength
/, and relieving the city of trouble, expense ant
Is labor, l recommend for adoption the leasing o
the wharYes by sections according to the plan O
d 1858.
e DEFICIT IN TAXATION CAUSED BY EMANCIPATION
d In 1861, the value of real estate in the cit
st amountedto $50 500 900. Slaves $6 500 ,O00 Whci
made total Of 93,000O00.
10 AT Il per cent. on this assessment, the annua
h revenue from these sources was as follows
IS Real estate 81 29S,000 slaves $970,000 tota
,e 81, ,395 900.
lie It must be borne in mind that the assessed valu
d of real estate and slaves was made at tim
" when gold and silver was TIE circulating medium
~ of the country.
ia The emancipation proclamation of Presiden
le Lincoln deprived the city of one source Of annu0
is revenue, viz the tax on slaves. This lost reve
Of nue. should be supplied by increased assessment
real estate.
In 1866, real estate was assessed at $S5 600 OOO
a. which at II per cent. made total of 81 l,27S 00O
n 1t is patent to every refecting mind that in
al stead of q decrease in value, real estate shoul
ID have been, considering the depreciation of al
ly inflated paper currency, assessed at double thi
3e amount.
IA Surely the unprecedented increase in the yalu
of real estate, and its continued upward tendency
e warrants an assessment at least approXimating t
Of the gold and silver assessment of 1861. respect
O. fully through you, call the attention of the cit
h assessors to the suggestions thus succnctly made
re confident that they will consult the best interest
Is the municipal government
CITY RAILROADS.
Perhaps no better argument can befound of til
rs increasing enterprise of the solid men of Ne1
e. Orleans than the net work of city railroads alread
y. completed and in running order, and the lines il
course of construction.
IN The day is near at hand when this city will b
at unrvaled in all those convenieuces of intercon
d, munication which so much tend to expedite busi
ill ness, enhance society, and harmonize, by asso
citation, conflicting opinions.
e. The city railroads already constructed and nov
I'd in full operation are as follows viz:
al l. The Magazine street road, starting from tht
of Clay Monument, on Canal street. and running t.
the upper limit of the city. through Camp an,
Magazine streets, and having length of abou
IN five and one-half miles.
a 2. The Prytania street road, starting from tn
Sc Clay Monument, and running to the upper limit o
e. the city, through Camp and Prytania streets, an
of having a length of about five miles.
10 3. The Tchoupitoulas and New Levee street
es road, starting from opposite the Custom House
and running to the upper limit of the city, throug
s. TohoupitouIas and New Leyee streets, and havin
IN a length of about six miles.
of 4. The ST. Charles road, starting from the intel
pc section Of Canal and ST. Charles Streets and rur
in ming to the upper limit Of the city, through 81
Charles, Delord, Carondeet and Baronne streets
We and having length of about four and one hal
Mt miles.