The New Orleans crescent. [volume] (New Orleans, La.) 1866-1869, 1869-02-04

| This clause must have been inserted solely for
| the purpose Of deceiving an unguarded public,
| who bad suffered so much from the late over
| flow. (Which could have been prevented at cost
of $780, and make them believe that the pro-
posed relief is equal to the remuneration granted
| to the company.
In fact, there was no reason for introducing
| this clause, for similar but more ADEQUATE pro-
lection against the lake water is already pro-
vided for in the original charter, the company
being obliged TO make the banks of their canal
| secure and adequate, to avoid any danger from
overflow or breakage, and. must say, that it is
not an onerous obligation imposed upon them, for
1t is the result Of the work ITSELF the earth com.
| ing from the excavation will furnish material
| enough to make a levee on each bank at least 10
feet high 20 feet wide at top and 100 feet at the
base, amply sufficient to repel the lake water.
Such will not be the case, however, should q
| crevasse occur at or below the lock intended by
| the company to be built at Carroton. The cities
| of New Orleans, Jefferson and Carollton being
belted by the inner or south levee of the COM
| pany's canal, their whole area would be covered
| with sheet of water from five to ten feet deep,
and should this canal ever be built, this impend-
| ing calamity will, like Damoces's sword, be con-
| stantly hanging over our heads.
| This fact is so well known that, during all the
| time our State was under the control Of its own
| citizens, the building Of locks or sluices was
always prohibited in the bends of the river,
| where the banks are always subject to caving or
| abrasion.
| Another of the many Objectionable features of
the whole project is the location of the canal on
| the north side Of Broad street, in the vicinity of
| Bayou Savage and Gently Road, to say nothing
| of the damage which this location will occasion
| to the five railroads chartered by the State and
the city of New Orleans. or of its interference
| with the navigation of the New Canal and of the
| Canal Carondelet, you will find that the fifteen
drawbridges so generously granted to the public,
| for distance of thirty miles, are far from being
sufficient to afford a speedy communication be-
| tween the two severed parts of our cities.
AS whole. the project is an absurdity, and,
as l have already said, not worthy of discussion,
and ought not to be noticed, were it not for the
| determined intention to squeeze money from an
| overburdened community, exhibited In the sup
| Elementary act, which, II ever passed by the
Legislature. will permit the gentlemen projectors
of the scheme TO realize profit of nearly mil
lion and half of dollars out Of the digging of
| five miles of canal costing only $940 goo.
IL, previous to its passage, the original charter
granted to the New Orleans and Ship Island Canal
| Company had been referred by the Legislature to
| the consideration of the present able State en-
| gineer, / venture to say that this scheme would
| have never been entertained, and then the addi-
| tional act would have had no reason to be dis
| cussed.
Respectfully, your obedient servant,
L. SURGI, City Surveyor.
An ordinance amending an ordinance entitled
"an ordinance to establish a uniform rate of
taxes and licenses on professions, callings and
other BUSINESS and on carriages, hacks, drays and
other vehicles, for the year 1862" was received
from the Board of Aldermen and after being read,
was, on motion, referred to the finance com.
mittee.
Under a suspension of the rules Mr.. Fisher SUBJ
mtted the following resolution, which, after being
unanimously adopted on its several readings was,
on motion, transmitted to the Board of Aldermen
for concurrence:
QnnnFdQUna Qnf n ha ouicl fura
allowing the mayor and Common Council to ex.
tend the time for the payment OF licenses, etc.,
be il
Resolued That the time for the payment of
said claims be extended to the 18th Of February,
1869. inclusively, 80 and that after said deldu The
treasurer be and he is hereby required to deliuer
al unpaid and ulcoHected bills to The assistant
clty attorneyJor collection, according TO and at
the times required by ldto."
At later period of the proceedings the above
resolution was returned so amended by the Board
of Aldermen as to strike out all that portion fol-
lowing the word incusively.
The amendment was, on motion of Mr. Fisher,
eoncurred in unanim ously.,
The finance committee submitted the following
report:
FINANCE COMMITTEE ROOM
No. % City Hall. New Orleans, Feb. 2, 1869. {
To the Honorable Board of Assistant Aldermen:
Ge7aaemen-Your committee feeling sensible of
the necessity of deriving the largest possible
amount from the revenues of the city, consistent
with the interests Of the community, beg leave to
recommend that the revenues derived from
wharfage and levee dues, and from licenses, be
farmed out TO the highest bidders after due notice
by the controller. Your committee feel assured
that the lease Of the wharves would bring into the
city treasury larger sum annually than is esti-
mated in the budget for the year 1869, while the
expenditures for wharves and levees would be
nothing, we therefore recommend that the ordi-
nance reported lby the special committee some
time last fall be taken up and adopted with such
amendments as may be deemed necessary by
your honorable body.
With regard to licenses, your committee are of
opinion that individual enterprise in the collection
and in the detection of persons doing business
without license, while it would be a source of
profit TO the farmer Of the licenses would materi.
ally increase the receipts at the treasury from
that source, and we offer resolution in sccor-
dance for your consideration.
Your committee are of opinion also that it is TO
the best INTEREST," OF the city to make some early
and practical provision for absorbing its floating
debt, In order TO stop embarrassing and expen-
sive litigation, and to insure the prompt payment
Of current expenses out of current revenues in.
stead of using the former in liquidating debts of
previous years. To this end your committee have
prepared an ordinance which they beg to submit
TOR the approval of the council, and fspossible to
the ratification of the General Assembly
our committee feel assured that there are
street contracts made at enormously high rates,
which can be set aside legally, and the contracts
resold at a much lower rate, but which requires
the action of the council to order the street com.
missioner to stop the work. AS long as the city
permits these contractors to perform the work
they will be entitled to pay, and we therefore re-
commend that the contracts alluded TO be de.
clared null and void, and we offer the necessary
resolutions for your consideration.
Very respectfully,
tn. F. FISHER,
Chairman Finance Committee
ALFRED KEARNY,
r. WYNNE.
The following resolutions accompanying the
above report were on motion of Mr. Fisher re