New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1870-07-17

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make a perfect contrast.
It was in 1S4S that Melpomenia-then
like its benefactor, lean and spare-owing
to the crowded condition of Poydras
Market, wanted market Of its own, and
asked the Second Municipality to build
one on property of the city-the present
site of the lower half Of Dryades Market.
The corporation made a contract with our
sagacious and enterprisipg fellow-citizen,
Patrick Irwin, in which he agreed to expend
not less than $4,000 of his own money in
building, on his own plan, markethouse,
and to receive-modesty permitting-the
nice little recompense Of ten ensuing
years market revenues. We recall the
statement, then popularity believed, that
on the very night on which the ordi-
nance passed the Council MIR. Irwin
was offered, and would not accept $780,
600 for the contract. In two or three
years, however, as we believe, he tired of
his yearly profits as too slow and labor
producing, and sold out at his own price.
The poor corporation, by its contract, did
not even get the reversion of the building
at the expiration Of the time, but had to
pay for it. On the other hand, all our old
citizens are familiar with the rapid ensuing
growth of that vicinity. Let the curious
reader estimate the interest on $4,000,
which the city saved by using its con-
tractors funds, and subtract it from the
sum Of market revenues during ten years,
which the city lost as the equivalent Of
such interest, and the result will give the
measure of stupidity that distinguished
the Council of that period, and will illus
trate an example of economy which our
more sagacious commissioners will know
how to use.
Every mind familiar with the natural
laws governing the growth Of cities, with
the ordinary rule of investment and re-
turn, with the enormous accretions of
wealth consequent on the flow of popula-
ton and trade to any point, will see at
glance the inducements, for the first time
in our history, that now invite the con-
struction of park on scale at once
grand and costly. The Southern Texas
Pacific road being about to be national
lied into certainty, our Southern roads all
rapidly extending, improving, prospecting
beyond example, the labor problem prom
Using speedy solution in favor of the in
creasing demands of the South for cheap
and reliable labor; in short, the magnif-
cent future of New Orleans, opening at
just this point of time; what more appro-
pirate recognition of these facts could be
conceived than the initiation of measures
for bringing into tangible existence that
splendid park which we all have in ideal
perfection, and daily externalize over our
heads in the smoke Of our regalias, while
awaiting, in pleasing meditation, fancy
free, its GENERALIZATION under our feet, be-
tween "Metarie road and the lake"
If the enormous proper cost Of this
great work, supposing that when done it
were we'll done, were likely to remain
without commensurate return, there
would be room for an adverse or cheap ar
gument. But it would enrich the
Treasury, augment and solidize the pub
lie credit. The increase in value Of all
that mass of eligible property extending
from Claiborne street to the Lake, will set
in with the adoption Of design full of
and promise. The outlay
from almost the start will not outstrip them
creasihg revenues. Then, too, private thrift
and numberless individual fortunes will go
hand in hand with these universal bene-
fits, rewarding sagacity and securing its
normal rewards to capital. 1t will hence
offer premium to enterprise, open and
enlarge the avenues of industry, procure
for all our people unexampled means of
health and enjoyment, prepare our city
for its coming metropolitan career of
prosperity and influence, and confer gen.
orally blessings manifold-without leav-
ing vision Or ghost Of single pretext for
doing anything cheap. On the other
hand, start and carry out the cheap plan
of creating park, and no such results
will be realized. An occasional ride to
the park in a street car with the children,
as now to the Bayou st. John or the
Ridge, which will remain rival attractions,
will measure its benefits till new start
shall be made by more capable minds and
more dexterous hands than ours.
But we trust the commissioners, who
ever they are to be, will start with the
New York scale, outdoing, however, after
a time, it's Central Park 1t is the popu-
lar wish that this work be done grandly.
No other measure thus done could make
men SO famous or popular, nor could any
other measure of Importance be half so
practicable and easy if done on a scale
needless of cost and in style exhaustive
of ingenuity and art. In ordinary times
a great outlay, if judiciously made, would
involve no risk; but now, standing, as New
Orleans does, on the Threshold Of an era
when she is to strive with energy and
power for championship as the queen city
Of the world, the magnitude of the scale