New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1870-11-24
opportunity Of ascertaining the views of

opportunity OF aecertaMlng the views OF
the property holders.
Mr.. Shaw was very glad of this sugges-
ton, because it enabled him to make q mo-
ton. He always found, when subject was
postponed without specific reference to
some department, that when the Council
met again they were no more forward than
they were before. He moved that the Ad-
ministrator Of Assessments, at his own sug-
gestion, he added to the reference in this
case.
Mr.. BOnzanO did not desire TO trench upon
the functions of the Department of Com
merce, but as one member Of this Council,
he very much desired to investigate these
matters.
Mr.. Delassize seconded Mr. Shaw's mo-
ton.
Mr.. Finley remarked that New Orleans
would he slow enough in the race of manu-
factuIe if gentlemen were going to put
blocks before all the wheels of commerce.
A motion by Mr.. West, to postpone the
whole subject, was lost, and Mr.. Shaw's
proposition to refer the petition to the Ad-
ministratore of Assessments and Commerce,
conformity, was carried
Mr.. BOnzanO called up the resolution for
the McGinnis Cotton Seed Oil Factory.
Mr.. Shaw moved to refer all cotton seed
oil petitions to the Administrator Of Assess
ments.
Mr. Delassize seconded the motion.
Mr.. West said when this question was un
der consideration at the last meeting, Ia
asked the question whether this business
was considered extra hazardous. The Ad-
ministrator Of Commerce had very justly
called attention to the fact that possibly
the Council were throwing unwarrantable
obstacles in the way Of a legitimate bust
| ness. Since the last meeting, he (Mr. Vest
had consulted the presidents Of four insur
auce companies, and found they oil declined
to take cotton seed oil risks. He also held
in his hands policy of the Home Insurance
Company, wherein cotton seed oil factories
were expressly excluded from ordinary
risks. and classcd as extra hazardous. He
therefore thought the Council, in exercising
| caution as to the granting Of these permits,
were facilitating the general business Of the
city, instead of obstructing it.,
Mr.. Finley suggested that the Admins
traitor of Assessments was ready to report
ON the petition under discussion.
Mr.. Bonzano read report from one Of the
employees Of the Department Of Assess
ments, that he found the majority of the
property holders were in favor Of the McGin-
mis- factory.
Mr.. West asked if the minority had no
rights that the majority were bound to re-
spectl He again reminded the Council that
within the last ninety days three Of these
establishments had been burnt down. He
believed it would be judicions of the Council
to define certain limits within which this
business could be carried on.
Mr.. Shaw said the report of the Admins
traitor of Assessments was entirely unsatis-
factory. He simply informed the Council
that the majority of the property holders
were willing. The Administrator of Com
merce had told them that in the first in
stance, when he introduced the petition.
Here was great question of public policy
upon which we had no report at all. Sup
| pose the majority srere willing: suppose only
| one man objected, but he lived next door to
| the proposed factory.
Mr. Bonzano said there were certain pOr-
| tons Of the city where the property was
almost entirely vacant, yet the owners were
called upon to pay their taxes. In the dis
| trict where the proposed factory was
located, property was very much deserted,
| and was very hard to let for any purpose.
The Administrator of Improvements had
| quoted the insurance companies. He Mr..
Bonzano) thought those companies man.
| aged to fare very well. He scarcely took
| up one Of their reports but he found divi-
dends declared at the rate Of thirty, forty,
| fifty, or even eighty or ninety per cent. He
| did find that the insurance companies were
very muniticent in their dealings with the
| fire companies. The city paid them annu-
| ally about q hundred and fifty thousand
dollars, but he did not see that the insurance
companies gave them much. For his own
| part he thought the insurance companies
were not SO much to be considered as the
| Taxpayers. -.,r .s
Mr. Emley said the Administrator of As
| eessments was right. Some districts of the
city were dying of dry rot, for the reason
that all manufacturing establishments had
vacated them. In cities that were prosper
Gus you found great fire furnaces built in the
! very heart of the city, and nobody stopped
to ask insurance companies if there was
any risk about it. OF course there was
risk. Whenever one house was built along
| side of another, there was extra risk thereby
| created.
A motion to postpone final action on the
petition until next Friday was carried.
Other Reports.
BY Mr.. Delassize:
DEPARrxKNr OF wATgRwoRKs AND}
Public Buildings November a. 1870. }
| To the City Council OF New Orleans:
| On the petition referred to me, of jerome
| Bayon, beg leave to report:
| That the allegations therein contained
are correct, as follows: That he rented the
house No. 243 Rampant street to the city, to
| be used as a schOOlhOuse; that in order to
| make it suit the. purposes for which 1t was
rented, certain partitions were removed and
the house otherwise remOdeled. The lease
| having terminated, he now asks the city to
| put the property in the same condition as
when rented. or place at his disposal the
sum of 5000 for the purpose OF making said
repairs. As the amount asked for is reason
| able, l respectfully urge the passage OF the
accompanying resolution appropriatlng soeV
for the purpose indicated.
L. L. DELASSIZE, Administrator.
Resolrsd, That the Administrator OF Pub.
| lie Accounts warrant on the Department OF
| Finance for the sum Of $500 in favor OF
| Jerome BayOn. said sum being in full OF all