The New Orleans crescent. [volume] (New Orleans, La.) 1866-1869, 1868-09-24

Inc DOdro met pursuant 10 hOJOufnmontS pres
ent President Kearny and Messrs. Rose, Ait.
kens, Walker, Pemberton, Camp, Grandpre,
Fisher, Pandely, Farrell and Breen.
The reading of the minutes Of last meeting was
on molten of Mr.. Farrell dispensed with. .
Messrs. wynne, Morpby and Sturcken, here en-
tered and took their seats.
The following communication from the street
commissioner was read and referred to the com.
mittee on streets and landings, with instructions
70 report by resolutions the various subjects
alluded TO in said communication:
STREET CoxMIss1oSER's OFFrcE,l
Room No. Z, CITY HALL,
New Orleans, September %, le6S. }
To ne Honorable Beard Of As stant Aldermen ciy sfSsv
Orleanti
Geaaeue,-In compliance with your resolution
at the last meeting of your boaEd, have the
honor to lay before you report OF the work done
by this department since my installment into this
Office, up TO this date, together with the amount
Of necessary expenses incurred.
also lay before you q statement OF the expen-
ditures for the twelve months preceding my ad-
ministration, eleven of which were under control
ofMr Baker and one under Mr.. Field. refrain
from attempting 10 specify the quantities and oca-
ltes where the work was done, thinking that not
only would Il tax your time too long, but that
On my assuming the duties OF street commits
sioner, on July I'd, continued the working force
just as found ii, neither decreasing nor increas-
K
foremen, etc. The work in progress under my
predecessor was continued; and only on the close
Of the month did make any addition to my force
in concurrence with the advice of the honorable
streets and landings committee, and for the very
essential purpose of getting all the city work well
under control, and as speedily as possible, in
first rate coalition; and then by reducing the
force, render The expense Of this department very
much lighter.
During the month of August some new work
was undertaken, and some old roads repaired, in
a manner thAt will render them Of lasting service
20 the public; and the amount Of work done will,
think, be considered very satisfactory by good
judges especially when taking into consideration
the immense difficulties caused by the long CON
tinued daily aims and while on this subject
would respectfully mention, that 1t has not been
my practice 10 reduce the time Of the men in rainy
weather; Oh noticing the readiness with which
they worked when opportunity occurred, and re-
hecting on tIe privations they had to undergo in
CONSEQUENCE IT deprecated currency.
| will now give you IN as concise a manner as
possible general idea OF the work that has been
done under n charge. Besides doing all the usual
cleaning snG repairing the streets Of the city. the
following eAsf4 work has been done, say 10 the
First and FohIth Districts: two extra gangs have
been employed on the Liberty street plank road
a large portiyn of the plsnks have been taken up
and the psrtf uncovered have been dug deep AMI
converted into q substantial and serviceable bal
last road. The sound plank taken up has been
used TO repal the central part Of the plank road,
rendering tbi, part serviceable which before was
impossible, jshe whole of which was done by de-
sire of the honorable committee on streets aud
landings.
A large ftra gang has been kept steadily at
work in gett,pg the paved streets Of the above
districts in gnod order, all of which will soon be
completed in first rate condition:
Especial pains have also been ken In making
new ballast read on MelpOmene street, from Ho
ard street Quit the dredging machine, 10 so sub
stantial msEner that It will cost but small out
Law to keep il in repair for years to come.
An extra gang has also been employed in the
Fourth DstriSt, wheeling sand from the river for
future use.
has been employed 10 repairing all the ballast
roads from Canal street to Toulouse, which were
very much outof order and all the intersections
of the following streets with Claiborne have been
taken up and substantially repaired, VIZ: Canal
street, Custophouse street, Bienve, Cont, ST.
Louis Toulouse, Carondelet Walk, st. Peter,
Orleans and 81. Ann streets. A large amount of
work has also been done on all the streets
of the back portion Of the fourth. fifth, sixth,
seventh, eighth and ninth wards bitches have
been dug desp, the road raised to the proper
grade, and the sidewalks attended to; all OF which
work would appear to have been neglected Tor al
least twelve SaOnths.
An extra e!ng has also been employed in wheel
ing sand fronlsthe river for future use.
The Third district is the only one in which the
street bridgek are under my control, aud from
that district there are few or no complaints. The
work has all been carefully attended to and
thoroughly done; yet still the bridge gang has
found time 70 build a new house for the Third
District pound keeper, in place OF one that had
become eatrey untenable.
With regard to Ia g bridges which are attended
TO under contract regret to say that cannot
give so favorable an account; indeed as general
rule, Il may be safely considered that work done
under contract is never so faithfully executed as
the regular city cork, which, though 1t may APP
pear TO cost slight degree more at the moment,
Is always cheaper in the end, on account OF
The Complaints at last became so numerous
that had tcs place gang of men on the contrsc-
Which will he charged 10 his account !.
at the same:time deemed il my duty 10 cause
an official nOSice TO be handed him. allowing him
thirty days 70 bring up his work to the proper
standard req1ired by his contract. The thirty
DAYS have now elapsed, and the work is still much
behind hand. J am therefore reluctantly CON-
PEELED 70 give my opinion that from some cause
the contractor is unable to fuldu the terms OF his
contract, and respectfully ask your honorable
body 10 take some action in the matter, and also
favor me with your advice.
/ deem it my duty to inform you that the con-
tracts for cleaning and keeping in repair the un'
paved streets OF the first, second, third fourth.
fifth, sixth, tenth and eleventh wards. are all
complete anQ deposited in my office, and the con-
tractors comsmenced working under them about
ten days sgs. The names OF contractors and
amounts, etc are as follows:
First ward James ]. OHsra, $lI,50O per an
num- expires July s, 1870.
Second ward, James ]. O'Hara, SIS 500 per an
mum, expires July 5, 1870
Third ward. Joseph Antiques, 500 per an
mum, expires July 5, 1870
Fourth ward Gabrielle Correjoles, SIS 400 per
anDum, expires July 5, ls1O.
Fifth ward Gabrielle Correjoles, fl3,5OJ pei
annum, expires July 5, 1870
sixth ward, Gabrielle CorrejOlles, $4,000 pei
annum, expires July 5, 1870.
Tenth ward, William Henry, $ll 600 per annum
expires July 8, 1870. $500
Eleventh ward. William Henry, 5000 per an
mum, expires July 5, 1870.
Total 1922 100.
With regard to these contracts would respect
fully remark that had been the least aware o.
the probability of their being executed, yerl
large outlay might have been saved in my las
months pay roll.
Immediately on my becoming aware OF thei
existence caused an official letter to be address
ed 10 the honorable the Board OF Aldermen on IN
subject but not receiving any instructions per
uiffeh the contractors TO commence their WORK