New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1870-12-08
NEW oRIEANs REPUBLICAN, THURSDAY, DECEMBER s. 1870

much Of the space assigned had been en-
croached upon by the Chattanooga Rail
road that God only knew how much of the
levee would be left when the Chattanooga
Railroad got through.
The Mayor The ordinance passed some
years ago, to which l have alluded, pre-
scribes:
The first section comprises all that part
of the port from the Canal street ferry
landing to the upper side OF NOtre Dame
street, and is assigned as steamboat
landing.
The second section comprises all that
part Of the port from NOtre Dame street
to the upper line OF ITALIA street, -
Mr.. West: Has it been preserved as a
steamboat landing! Has not the Chat
tanOoga Railroad -
The Mayor: will speak of that in a
minute. Eleven hundred feet of this second
section has been built into wharf for
steamboats, without the repeal Of this ordi-
nance. 1, will here state, as it is now
shown that the landing from Canal street
to NOtre Dame street was set apart for
steamboats,, that found the surveyor or
the contractor applying portion of
it for steamships, and directed
him to stop. He did not stop,
but continued and built it up some three or
four feet. This takes from the steamboat
landing some four or five hundred feet.
now come to the question OF the Chatta-
nooga Railroad Company. I see they are
gathering up, not laterally merely, but lon
gitudinally, the whole Of the levee and
spreading ont their tracks in every direc-
ton. They are absorbing all they can, and
the Council, through their attorney, have
appealed to the courts to save some Of the
public landings from the encroachments
which have been made upon them through
the action, as the Chattanooga Company al
leges, of the Legislature. / advise the
Council, and l believe they are a unit on
this subject, to test every inch Of this as
sumption on the part of railroad cOmpa-
MES, whoever they may be, to control the
public landings Of this city, and think that
the whole arrangement of the wharves
should be changed, but it should be done
by general ordinance; and not by a mere
resolution. Let the matter be brought up
squarely and the landings changed. do
not think it was right to change them with
out an ordinance. ! must say that dis
tinctly.
Mr.. West said the ordinance he had intro
duced, was an ordinance he thought neces-
sary, so far as his observation Of the land
lol II
for any further changes. The ordinance
changed exactly what the Mayor thought
ought to be done.
The Mayor replied no, he did not think
this ought to have been done. He had
always opposed sending the steamboats,
above the steamship landing.
Mr.. West said the point he raised was this.
Here was a landing adapted to the require
ments Of an important trade. If it was not
found convenient to use it for that trade, it
delay no longer in the matter as there was
necessity for immediate relief Every
day he saw that the levee was becoming
more and more Overcrowded. He appealed
again to the Council to pass it or MOI to pass
it tonight, and to let the responsibility rest
where it belonged.
Mr.. Emley said it seemed to him the penal
part Of the ordinance was improper, impOs-
ing fine upon vessels for doing what the
Harbor Master told them to do. He agreed
with the Mayor that it would be better to
do this thing by a general ordinance, in
stead of by piecemeal, but he agreed with
the Administrator of Improvements as to
the advantage of placing steamboats, at the
site indicated. In this connection, how
ever, he would call the attention of the
Council to the ordinance organizing the De-
partment of Commerce, which said:
The Administrator of the Department of
Commerce shall, from time to time, prepare
and submit to the Council, for its action and
approval. all such ordinances as may be
necessary to prescribe and collect rates of
levee dues and wharfage; to fix and deter
mine the place or places for anchoring and
mOOring ships, steamboats,, and all other
vessels or water crafts that may arrive or
remain within the limits of the city Of New
Orleans, and of all docks for ships, steam
boats or other vessels.
He had contemplated drafting general
ordinance to cover this wharf question. 1t
to him if this matter could be post
poned tonight, and general ordinance
brought in to cover the whole thing. it
would be better.
Mr.. BonZano moved to adjourn.
Mr.. Emley seconded the motion.
The motion toadiourn was lost.
I'D hot - Ion.
tor of Commerce had very justly pointed
out that it was made his duty to present Or
linances to fix the places for mooring ships
or steamboats,. but the ordinance did not
say that nobody else should do it. He had
waited eight months to have the benefit of
the gentleman's experience on these sub
jects, and had heard nothing from him.
There was immediate relief required. This
was what he asked the Council to grant.
As for the fine against ships, that was if
ton without anybody putting them there.
He would call for the yeas and nays OF tie
Of the ordinance.
The Mayor, before the question was put.
desired to make q few further remarks.
This question, in his opinion, was one of the.
most important things that could come be-
fore the Council. He esteemed it exceed
ingly desirable that the question should be
discussed and decided on, in all its bearings.
by the full Council, before any change was
made in the location of the commerce of the
city. This matter had already excited
great attention and much discussion among
the business men of the city. The steam