New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1870-04-01
WORK FOB THE COUNCIL.

~ $500
1t may not be amiss to point out some
Of the most important work that will stare
the new City Council in the face, as soon
as they shall have organized. The first
thing they are required to do after organ
ization is to ascertain the total indebted
ness Of the several corporations consoll-
dated. This will be considerable labor
and will necessarily take some time. 1t
would be a wise step to open an entirely
new set Of books for the city of New Or
leans in all its departments; in fact it is
the only way to proceed, if it is expected
to get the financial affairs of the city out
of their present tangled condition.
The next most important step will be to
entirely remodel aad reorganize the sev-
eral departments. Much can be done in
this direction. A large sum of money
may be aved annually by looping oil a
number of useless officers-taking good
care to follow the old proverb of not keep
ing any more cats than catch mice; and
above all, let con,pete,a men only be Sc
lected for the various offices, and let Oil
who have positions of responsibility be
required TO give bond for the faithful per-
Torrance of their duty.
The Department Of Assessments sadly
needs overhauliDg. Heretofore, twelve
men have been paid for work that six live
men could do easily. Then again, the way
in which the assessments have been made
is neither equitable Or just. In some cases
small properties have been assessed for
much larger sum than they can be sold for,
while some very valuable property is not
assessed for half its value, by which means
small holders pay more than their share
of the taxes, and the owners of the most
valuable property pay less than their
share; while from variety of causes
combined the bulk of the money owing to
the city for back taxes is owing by some
of our '.oldest and best (0 citizens
These wrongs and abuses the people con-
fidently hope and expect the new Council
will reform.
The Administrator Of Improvements
assumes the duties which formerly per-
tanned to the Street Commissioner, and
will have fine opportunity to distinguish
himself. His predecessor is distinguished
for nothing, except the ability to spend a
large sum of the city's funds and do
nothing for it. Economy, energy and
system are all needed to make the depart
ment what it ought to be. First and
foremost we expect General West will get
rid of all the old hangers.on under MIR.
Murphy, for it is useless to expect any
good out of them. Beside that, the people
expect to see good and true Republicans
called in to do the work neglected and left
undone by the old Democratic Office
holders.
The number of assistant deputies must
be decreased, and the whole concern
turned topsy-turvey, and inside out. and
then reconstructed upon simpler and
more economical footing If this is done,
many thousands Of dollars year can be
saved in salaries alone. Every man con-
nected with the department should be
held to the strictest accounta bility, for it
furnishes more opportunities for leakage
and waste of the public money than any
other.
The Workhouse may be made self-sus-
tanning, instead of costing large sum
yearly. When Mr.. Baker was Street Com
missioner and MIR. Noble was captain Of
the Workhouse, all the tools needed by
the Street Commissioners department and
others, were made in the Workhouse. Bal
last was broken, pals and wash tubs,
bed:teads and furniture were manufac-
tured, all of which, we understand, has
long been scontinued. Let the police
department work in harmony with the
Police Commissioners, and an almost
fabulous sum may be saved in the mere
item of licenses. There can be no need
of hcence inspectors when the policemen
on duty can better perform that work,
without costing one cent extra.
The Waterworks may become what it
ought to have been years ago-the me-
dunn Of furnishing US pure and whole
some water in abundance, for a mere
song.
We might 60 Oh and particularize more
fully if our space permitted. We may
possibly return to this subject again.