New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1868-05-10

cleaning alone, exclusive fthe repairs to the
paved streets
Since June last, by virtue Of ordinance
NO. Clio, about fourteen hundreO oil lamps
have been erected 10 the rear of the several
wards where the mains of the gas company
do not extend.
The fences Of many of the public squares
have been reported many months ago as
needing repairs. The came remark is true
of Locust Grove Cemetery No. q and of La
fayette Cemetery No 2. In the first named
the fence is broken down in several places
so that cattle and hogs find easy entrance
| The cemetery itself is much neglected, being
| overgrown with weeds. l must say it Is
anything but creditable to city like New
Orleans, who boasts of her kindness to the
sick stranger within her gates that
the last earthly resting place of the
| friendless should be q tramping ground for
hogs, and broken coffins should be allowed
to lie scattered around on the ground
Common respect for the remains of the
dead ought to prevent any such thing. The
rear part of the fence of Lafayette Cemetery
No. 2 is entirely rotten, and at present
proPped up by sticks.
Ordinance No BAT, new series, known as
the pound ordinance, is defective, and
should be entirely reUodeled. strict en-
| forcement of its provisions will occasion a
-
, year to the city.
The City park, much resorted to by citi.
zens during the summer, should be i'm
proved. Something should be done; and
while do not propose to say Ukdt, am
sure that it is duty the city owes to It's
citizens to take some steps to improve and
beautify it. If nothing else, let a small sum
be spent annually. As it now is it is almost
entirely neglected; beyond a keeper and a
policeman to preserve order, not one cent
has been appropriated.
Some uniform and systematic plan of i'm
provement should be adopted, so that every
Improvement made would form part of the
general plan. By this means the money
expended would be obviously seen by all.
Now, as all our improvements are discon.
nected, we do not derive the full amount of
good from them that we ought to.
Among the necessary reforms which have
| been allowed to slumber for many months
| is the building of the nuisance boats
required to be built by the last Legislature.
No considerations of economy should be
| longer allowed to prevent their construction.
Without desiring to touch upon matters
not belonging to this department, l desire
to say that the drainage Of this city up to
| the present time is farce, a miserable
| failure. The only idea that seems to have
| been uppermost in the mind of the origin
stor, was that of getting rid of the super
| fuous rain water, when the canals got full,
| and were in danger of OVERLOOKING. Then
the so-oalled machines were set to work to
reduce the water a few inches, and then to
wait till they filled up again, and so on, in
| stead ofkeeping them empty, thereby giving
the opportunity to a portion of the water
with which the soil is saturated to drain of,
which in a short time would allow the land
to rise. They might with almost equal
propriety be called saturating machines fol
| hy yunrRiOO them nv fits and starts they
help to keep the ground well saturated
rather than drained; and make no doubt
| that stranger, if the name was changed
would as readily believe they were designed
for the one purpose as the other.
The many railroad companies that the
city has given charters to for travel on the
| public streets during the last two years
permeating the city in almost every di'
rection, will exert great influence in caus
ing building up of the city in the rear
| One thing, however notice is that in al
| cases where the track goes through an un
paved street, the street is hardly evel
in order / think great mistake has beer
made in giving such valuable franchises al
the charters of these companies are, with
out requiring them to pave in some manner
the uupaved streets through which theil
| tracks 90. In some cases the streets are
| practically abandoned to the railroad com
| pany, for no private citizen with a vehicle
can pass the cars or get out of the way
This ought not to have been. 1t certain
ly was never contemplated or intend
| ed to be so. In all cases the companie
should be required to pave or otherwise
fix the street so that citizens may use it a
| well as themselves. lfthis can not be done
then the city ought to set apart the amour
| received from these companies for the specla
| purpose of making such improvements OF
the streets referred to, more especially a
| bs. y,Fn,aa1c tho II Of fhi
streets. 1t is next to impossible to keel
the mud streets, where there is any amour
| of travel in good order; but more especial,
is this true where car track runs through
the middle.
During the time l have been in ofic,
nearly all the streets paved with sGuar
| blocks have been swept regularly twice
week, and some of them three times. tn,
cutters have been washed and cleaned il
the same manner Many of the new street
were in a very bad condition, but by re
peatedly working on them, keeping the gut
tiers clear, and grading the street so as Il
allow the water to run of, they have beel
much improved. | might refer to st
Charles, jackson, and Coliseum streets a
an illustration.
In the organization of the department
each subordinate is held to a strict account
ability. Proper records are now kept aH(
properly filed so that it will not be Difficult
at any future time to trace the history o
anything required.
Among the necessary improvements which
had nearly forgotten, and which during
tue next yeaI al least, great deal must ID
Done, | refer to the making of new and re
placing worn out wood cutters. They ar
absolutely necessary in many places. No
one foot has been laid down during the tim
have been in office. At present rethal
half of what is down is so rotten as to b
useless.
With many thanks for your uniform kind
ness, and yoar readiness to listen to an
matter found necessary to lay before you
l have the honor to be,
Your obedient servant,
WILLIAM BAKER,
Street Commissioner.