New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1870-07-17
CONDITION OF OUR STREETS AND
WHARvES.


n6s
Report Of Administrator West.
DxPARrnRNr OF IxPRovKMENrs,
City Of New Orleans, July IA, 1870 ,
Hon. B. F. Flanders, Mayor
SIR-In compliance with section ten,
city charter, have the honor to submit
monthly report of this department for June:
1t can not be satisfactory to the public 10
be inflicted with a reiteratiOn OF the state
ments made in previous reports from TINS
department, that their highways are mainly
in bad condition, that wharves and land.
inps are dilapidated and inadequate to meet
the necessities of the coming business sea-
son, and that the drainage Of the city Is so
imperfect, that cutters, drains and canals
can not be relieved of stagnation; yet none
of these facts can be gainsayed, nor can any
more favorable report be made, beyond say
ing that with the means at my command,
some amelioration Of these eylis mas Oeen
effected in the last three months.
To the officer charged with the RESPONSE
bilities of this department, it is most dis
tressine and unsatisfactory to live in a very
atmosphere of complaints of evils and ap-
meals for redress. It is also notifying to
i,ass no hour Of the day without being pain
fully cognizant of abuses; to look scarcely
in any direction, where the facts permit the
conviction, that there is not something
needed. To listen daily to appeals made
by individuals and delegated representa-
tiyes, that taxes have been and are being
paid, and that the return is not what they
have a right to expect. To continuously
deny applications for improvements, without
being able to convince the applicant that the
small expenditure asked tor in his case
would be augmented by others to serious
aggregate unless an unwarranted exception
was made in his favor.
Against all such evils and their attendant
complaints and appeals the present admin
istratiOn can have but one sustaining assllr- :.
ance They are not of our making, and II
their remedy involves greater financial re-
sources than we are Immediately possessed
of, the maintenance of the city's credit ls
the foundation of relief in the future, and
the evils must be endured meanwhile.
STREETS.
An examination just concluded by the
CITY Surveyor discloses the existence of over
six hundred miles of paved, shelled and I'M
paved streets within the present corporate
limits. To give the details Of repairs made
during the past month throughout such an
extended area would be tedious. They in
volve large expenditure, with but little
prospect of reduction until extensive perma-
nent improvements become possible. The
thOroughfares Immediately connected with
luc WllirNCS IuOSl lduOI Autt-
terial, and though a spell of fine weather,
and limited business being done, has
allowed them to become fairly passable,
they are not in condition to sustain an
incfement season, and the prospective heavy
winters business.
Included in the aggregate of streets above,
are about thirty-five miles of shelled streets
and roads, used for purposes of both bust
ness and pleasure. These had mostly all
fallen into disrepair, and the nature of their
construction is such as to require the con-
tinuous application Of fresh material. Ten
thousand barrels of shells have been used
upon them during the past month, and they
are now temporarily in very fair order
BY constant vigilance and renewals, street
bridges are kept safe. The canal bridges,
under the city's charge, have all been re-
paired, and are being painted for preserva-
ton, a process that has not been applied the
past six years.
The rains of the past month were not af-
forded opportunity to promote cleanliness:
For this purpose there was too great fall
at one time and not enough subsequently.
The river has declined to a stage preventing
the use of culverts, and the only recourse
has been a limited supply from the Water
works, where repairs were making.
your very fattering
of the condition OF the streets of
New Orleans with those OF other cities Wis
tied on your recent tour to the North and
West, we can not congratulate ourselves
that ours are clean. Streets are kept clean
more by abstaining from throwing garbage
and filth into them than by the process of
taking filth out of them. People who wish
cleanliness must abstain from promoting the
contrary condition, and now in the very
crisis of the city's health, when it is yet
doubtful whether we shall be exempted from
an epidemic, the cooperation of the people
themselves toward cleanliness, as well as the
lntiring vigilance of the authorities, NUM-
cipal and police, are necessary.
Repairs to banquettes and the construc
hon of new ones are progressing. The Su-
ports three hundred and forty-six sidewalks
repaired during the past mo nth.
wHARvEs AND LANDINGS.
In contemplation of repairs of general
character, not much has been done by this
bureau during the past month. The land
ngs are pretty well cleared of Instructions,
out the great work of preparation for the
sau business has not yet been entered upon.
The delay is much to be regretted, but
should it result in the adoption of plans i'm
proved by mature deliberation, the interests
If the city and of commerce will be bene-
tied. Before the report of this department
or the current month shall have been sub
nitted, l trust that the Administrators will
,reciate the necessity of providing facilities
or the very large business promising to be
lone upon our landings the coming season.
DRAINAGE.
The operations in this bureau during the
,ast three months, have unquestiOnably
contributed materially to the present excel
emit sanitary condition of the city. The
main work of cleaning canals has almost
)een completed, and after this is done, we
must rely upon such Indifferent means as
he present drainage system affords, to re-
ieve the city of waste water.
GENERAL SUMMARY.
The foregoing remarks are an assur-
lnce that the expenditures of this depart
nent continue to be confined to meeting
current necessities, without engaging in any
system of improvements, The
ollowing statement Of outlay is respectfully
Department Proper
Pay roll of salaries. ........... $4l6 81
Purchases. 100 90
Charity Observation-Disclosures. "a 81
Bureau of Streets
Pay roll Of salaries ........... $500 Is
Pay roll of wages 12,4O6 go
Purchases. 1896 83
Contracts. Il, $3.50 80
Fay roll Of salaries. ...........:.. s1,soa rs
Pay roll of wages ......... 2,494 80
Purchases 1890 AZ
Contracts. Observation-Disclosures. 5S3 80
Bureau of City Drainage
Fay roll Of salaries. ........... 1891 66
Pay roll of wages. ............... 2,609 al