New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1867-06-26
Veto Message from the Mayor
STREET CONTRACT SYSTEM EXPOSED
clared to be Illegal.
IS A COMPLETE FAILURE.
nEMNED FOR SANITARY REASONS.

\
Btesolution to accept certain contracts
klesnng the streets of this city for the
three years. 1t was read in each board
was not sustained in either.
STATE OF LOUISIANA,
MAYoRALTY OF NEW ORLEANS, I
CITY HALL, June Il, 1867.
Honorable, the Board of Assistant Aldermen.
IuNemen: ! hereby return, without my
2oyal, the following joint resolutions
natl ng in your board, authorizing me
liter into contract in behalf of the city
william Henry as principal, and J.
= lin as security, for cleaning the streets
ke eleventh ward.
hen other contracts for the same num-
N wards are also received.
consider that the resolutions in question
I Spen to more objections than any act of
kfommon council which has yet come
my notice; and while shall endcavor
sjn. out the most prominent, | cannot
enumerate all.
|the first place, and I consider this the
&important, | am of opinion that it is
In the interest of the corporation and
kdous to the board of health to farm
y it is proposed to be done, the task
serving the cleanliness of the city. 1t
hty which devolves upon the officials
municipality directly, and no third
Is should be allowed to step in between
and their duty; and it is selfevident
Hhe work can never be as well per-
Ia by private individuals working
la view TO their own interests above all
q Considerations, as it can be by OIL
n the city government, having full nd
knmeled control of men and mca E
barry for its consummation.
&lieve that our actions in our official
tiles should be governed by the light
led US by the lamp of experience, and
lhe health of the city depends upon its
illness has lately been so effectually
&strated that it is little less than blind
acy to persist in a system which has
proved to be not only Intellectual but
y more expensive. 1t remained for a
ete stranger, hailing from the climate
New EnglandI states, almost the
bdes of ours, to demonstrate that it
bot only feasible to make our city as
BY as Boston, but that the means lay
easy reach.
beyond dispute that under the rule
&neral Butler in 1862 we enjoyed a
kr degree of health than we ever did
In nr since, and that the streets were in
liter condition in every respect, and l
Nut attribute that result, as he did, to a
abolition of the contract system and
faithful performance of their duties
Z officers of the city under his appoint.
and supervision.
bn these reasons principally base my
lions to the resolutions in question,
into view at the same time the long
l in which the streets have remained
Merry bad condition, the fact that many
/ medical profession and the old in.
bnts apprehend at this time re
of yellow fever or cholera, oil
that immediate and thorough
is required and that we now
at the head of the street commits
IS department citizen in whose tidel'
ID integrity l have every confidence
Shom believe to be peculiarly quail
discharge the duties of his office !ir
hner to give general satisfaction. II
neial point of Iview, | also object t.
solutions in question, because it bind
ty to pay very large sum of none,
Y Y hlly for three years.
is anticipating the expesnes of tn
I ration too far ahead; at this time eN
iag in the shape of labor is at the yer
|st prices, the money of the city stand
4 2 market at very high rate of di
and it is more than probable that b,
y PIE expiration of even one year price
have come down, and city money b
d rrawn or arrived at fixed standard {
: lnon as compared with legal tende
! t these contracts could be sold, if the
q be at all, Oh much better terms.
|, elect, also, because l do not beliey
7 ork is susceptible of being fairly pu
sale by contract. No man can q
X than guess at the labor he will have
:" rmp or the expenses he will have
and the contractor may find his ba
greatly remunerative or largely unpro
y In the former case, the gain mlgl
remain in the treasury of this cit.
b latter, the contract is thrown up al
n ofporation put to trouble and eXpen
Y Felling it, and in the meanwhile fill
u nuiates in the streets.
nay and probably will be objected tn
NE law it is necessary that the lab
anIng the streets should be done
I. ach out have been unable to SO int
~ The act of 1855 provides that "a
works, materials, or supplies susce
s y VI being put under contract, the co
'0i u exceeding five hundred d.
~ snal' be sold," etc.; now, as
i.s alfeady said, l do not believe sire
ng 10 be susceptible of being put u
~ 0l1ract, and besides the words ''publ
~ .se " which are all there is in the g
~. souid govern this case, relate only
IL 'ahg which is to be constructed
asi aSs WI which materials or supplies 6
ls sary' and cannot, in my opinion, ha
h. -ofs reference to the duty devolyi
ae street commissioner to maintt
u Y In cleanly condition than they
By mayor In maintaining peace and go
puss through the means of the police
and one might with equal p
m V armed out as the other.
bi aaot but mention in this connect
Auehe regret which / feel at havi
"A ny sanction to the selling of thu
Az aesa with little consideration, unt
aeavy and annoying press of br
e Ny signature was affixed to tn
'aees but now when have efiici,
'os aaee and co-operation from the of