New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1870-05-12


through the employees, such supervision
over The general affairs OF the city, pertain
ing to the Department OF Improvements,
as will not only result to the advantage OF
the community, but also be positive mail
cial economy.
BUREAU OF STREETS.
The actual condition OF the streets OF
New Orleans lie, in the main, deploraofe.
The difficulty OF keeping them clean and In
repair, owing to the shape OF the CITY anG
its peculiar topography, Is scarcely equaled
in such experience, while the very rapid IN
crease of the popu ated area, under the
stimulus of expansion impaired By the city
railroads duril g the last few years, increases
the difficulty.
Contracts for cleaning streets and repair
ing q portion of the same, are found to
exist for the old corporate limits OF New
Orleans. These contracts aggregate Sl52.-
200 Der annum and will expire from May
to December, 1870. This system appears
to have been entered upon for the purpose
rather of having contractors pay lew
hands that the city was unable to pay, than
to secure the cleanliness and repair OF the
streets. Il is believed to be wrong IN
pr nciple, and while efforts are Delng made
TO exact fair quantity oil iapor from tne
contractors, upon the expiration Q! thelr
contracts it will be more eXpedient Tor tae
city to hire the labor direct.
The ouly existing contract for repairs OF
N4yed streets is for the Third Ward, at
$500 ner annum: but by the terms OF their
charter, the street railroad companies are
obligated to ''keep the streets through when
their roads run in REPAIRS Conferences
with some OF these companies nave ehciteu
the admission that they have been rather
,.erelict in complying with their agreements,
but they promise to do Detterln future. IL
IS hoped that performance VIII not fail
short of promise. 1t is contemplated 10
personally inspect, at an early day, the en-
| tire route of each railroad company, for the
purpose OF calling their attention to de-
lects, and requirement that they shah De re-
| paired. Three companies, the Clty.
| the New Orleans and Carrolton, ana
the Claiborne street, run through
| street, using neutral grounds. These COM
| uanies hesitate to keep the streets IN repair,
| claiming, understand, that neutral GROUNDS
are all they are bound to care Tor. Ihis
| question is under consideration.
| With respect to that cleanliness that
sboud originate with the inhabitants, 1t
| NAV be said that they rarely refrain from
| an opportunity to eject trash and rubbish
| mon the streets. The limited force
It nv disposal renders enforcement
of city ordinances by its means Ina.
| practicable. The police Hust be looked to
for assistance; the laws are now adapted to
|
| and upon their enforcement by the police
must depend the cleanliness OF the city In
future.
| New Orleans will be most benefits By such
liberality in expenditures for repairs to, and
new improvements upon streets as Will Sc
cure an economy based upon just and
REASONABLE percentage OF taxation. When
financial exhibit has been made, upon
| which reliable conclusions can be based as
| To the resources and Obligations OF the city,
| and as to the vatuation OF the taxable prop
erty. trust to icing warranted in recon-
mendipg an issue Of forty year street I'M
provement bonds" as provided III section
twenty five OF the charter, to an amount
sufficient to put the streets of New Orleans
| IN a condition demanded by its popul alton,
and by its social and commercial impcr-
lance. without imposing an unreason-
! able burden upon the taxpayers.
believe that true economy dictates q
degree of perfection up n streets that would
open 10 new areas t. occupation, and lessen
the expense OF keeping OLD avenues In re-
pair ~
There are already three contracts existing
for having streets, involving expenditures
that probably can lot be met from current
| revenues. These are:
St Charles avenue, with Southern
| Paving COMPANY, about ..-.... S30O, 0Ul
Rampant street, with Coleman & Co. 81 O0(
Javep street. with Correiolles. .. ,50l
Total S4O3, 5O(
Provision for meeting these amounts, il
connection with other Improvements, nigh
be, and will probably require to be made
by issue OF touds d above suggested.
A leading journal of the city s.igmatlzN'
the bsnquette5 of New Orleans As worse
than those of any respectable sized city IL
tie Union. They need thorough repair, anC
The charter says they shall be kept III re-
pair by the owners OF the real property
thereon"
The present means 70 enforce this man
date are to be found in articles llO9, I'LL
I'LL Revised City Laws. They are con
sidered pot only too imperfect for the sub
ject. but as more calculated to involve tn
ci.y in expense aud litigation than to secure
improved banquettes. AS leisure offers,
shall mmend a change of the ordinances
: on the subject.
BUREAU OF wHARvES AND LANDINGS.
Both wharves and landings are far below
the desired standard condition for use
With the commerce of an empire floating t.
our levees, poverty and neglect have para
yzed landing facilities to condition
decay that mole pertains to waning com
muuity than to the vigor that will be forced
upon us. similar system OF supervisor
and control TO that of streets has been pu
| into effect for this bureau. Evils and abuses
are numerous; some of them can be re-
| NEEDED; others will require the assistance
of the Council. The landing places OF tn
several branches Of trade are b OF altogethe
properly defined. Material and merchandise
! are niXed up in way that JeopardIZes IN
safety of the whole. SteVedOres cut up thu
whArves. and gang plank5 are spirited ava.
to the city's loss. But the serious grlevanc
is the diapidation OF the timber works ant
the caving and making OF river banks.
To remedy these latter evils, true econom.
points again to the use OF prospective re
sources. It my be safely calculated that
with a reduction of the present onerou
levee dues, 81 500 coo can be realized iron
!. landing charges in me NJ x ten Years sec
! ton forty-seVen of the city charter wou'
clearly empower the Council to Issue te
year bonds and pledge SO much OF In
wharf revenues to The principal and lnteres
/ of these bonds as would provide Tor thei
payment
The provision for sugar sheds has alread
been made; the first lines for their erectlo
were ordered by this department on tn
} | second instant. Sugar shoes would seem I
be only preliminary to accomm odations c
3 ike character for general merchandise iHnf
6 ing from river steamers. Our landing
are extensive; commerce is facili ate
, by their temporary use. Jt woui
t seem that, when within the city
| means, protection should be for reason
5 able time, afforded to gel eral mel chandis
landed upon our levees. Sheds are required
the city, if able, should build them. lookin
Z TO reimbursement. OF outlay to the gehert
5 ! receipts of leyee dues. Merchandise coui
5 be temporarily stored under prote ctIon
| IL go y1rn