New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1870-12-23
NEW ORLEANS REPUBLICAN, FRIDAY, DECEMBER 49, 1870

NEW sOkLEANS i
tainly seems an exorbitant expenditure.
It viii not be readily understood that an
outlay of sixteen hundred dollars worth of
stationery a month, an average of two hun
dred dollars for each department, can really
be required. One-fourth of the amount
would seem to be ample.
REPAIRING STREETS.
The cost OF repairing streets and side
walks ranges IN table E from hundred and
twenty-one thousand dollars in 1858, to four
hundred and ninety-fve thousand dollars in
1868 The estimate in the budget for the
coming year is $550,00o. There are six
hundred and fifty miles of open streets.
paved and unpaved. considering the
extent of the streets andthe char
acter Of the soil, four times the
amount thus set apart might be expended
upon them to advantage; but at the same
time it is believed that less amount
than the estimate in the budget, efficiently
and judiciOusly expended, might serve to
keep the streets in passable repair.
In the present condition of the city's
finances it is suggested that the Council
ought to limit the expenditure on streets to
four hundred thousand dollars.
wHARvEs AND LANDINGS.
The receipts Of and expenditures on the
wharves from 1859 to the present year are
shown by table +, by which it will be seen
that the expenses of the wharves for the
last four years have been double the re-
ceipts. In 1867, the expenditures reached
the extraordinary amount of $667 600. This
year they have been upward Of $1,000
while the receipts will not exceed $3.50, 600.
l believe the cost of keeping the
vrbo ,,,p 1o Nd ,puhf
to be, brought below the receipts of levee
dues.
LIGHTING THE CITY
is done under contracts made before this
Council entered into office, and though the
cost is high amounting, lat the rate OF the last
monthly appropriation, to nearly S24O0 600
a year-it can only be reduced to a small
extent, where the gas is paid for by a meas
urement Of the meters in the public build
ings.
THE FIRE DEPARTMENT
is also under contract, entered into with the
old city. and the estimated expenditure,
under this head, is nearly exact, and can
not be reduced.
PUBLIC INSTITUTIONS.
considerable expense. II ough. to he self
sustaining.
The cost of the BOYS House of Refuge
and the Girls House Of Refuge is
thought to be much too high for the number
Of inmates they accommodate.
The City Insane Asylum costs the city
about twenty thousand dollars year.
There are one hundred and twenty-three
inmates in the institution, and the accom-
mediation for them is very inadequate. The
city pays more than half the expenses OF
Tho Stnto Ipcoua Aavll1n, ~. .I2cESOn with.
out being able to obtain admission thereto
for single patient. Application has
been made to that institution for
the admission OF the insane from
New Orleans. and the reply has been
that the institution was so crowded that 10
more patients could be received. The city
certainly is entitled to ask that this class OF
unfortnnates, now supported by the city.
should be placed in the State Asylum; and
it ia suggested that the next Legislature
should be requested to correct the injustice
under which the city ROW suffers IN tins
respect, either by charging the State
ASYLUM to q capacity sufficient to admit the
insane OF New Orleans, or Icy providing
that the State should reimburse to the
city the amount expended 1or the main
| tenance Of its insane here.
The average daily cost OF the inmates Of
! the charitable and correctional institutions
Oh NEW OTltdbS. ti4C IA
| in the city JAIL is over sixty cents each.
| The cost in similar institutions in New York
| is about thirty cents day. 1t il sug-
| gested as measure which should be imlne-
| diately entered upon, that all the properties
occupied by the charitable, correctional and
| penal institutions of New Orleans should be
| sold. and the proceeds invested in land Eeal
| the city, upon which should be erected
| proper buildings for charitable, correctional
| and penal purposes, together with q poor
| house in which the inmates can be set to
work, thus contributing to their own sup
! port. and relieving the city of a very great
| burden The Council has had this subject
| under consideration since shortly after its
| coming into Office. but there has not been
| sufficient time and opportunity to mature n
| plan OF action. l respectfully urge upon
| the Council to take early steps to carry Ont
| its views inthis matter.
GENERAL CONCLUSIONS.
In the comparison of the estimates of the
| budget with previous expenditures of the
| city, it must be borne in mind
| that we are comparing orr eXpen-
| ditures with expenditures which have al
ways been believed TO be extravagant, and
| which have brought the city into its present
| great difficulties and still the comparison is
| not favorable to our estimate.
! | have pointed out few Of the items OF
| estimated expenditure wherein | think re-
trenchment and economy may be pr;icticed,
| and express an opinion that, with ade-
| quatc efforts in these directions, the est
mated amount of current expenditure foI
| the year 1871, may be reduced four hun.
bred thousand dollars. This, added
to a reduction of the police and
other changes, which may he asked the
Legislature to authorize, will relieve the
| city to the extent OF at least eight hundred
thousand dollars. Now, if we turn t.
the estimated amount of receipts 10,
the coming year, l think it may
he easily shown that, through an ex
cess OF caution, the estimated receipts were
made two hundred thousand dollars less
than by a vigorous collection OF the revenues
| can be secured to the city. 4 total relic
| will thus lie afforded Of one million Of dol
| lars.
| TO secure this result, it is, Of course. neces
sary that rigid economy and relentless re
| trenchment should be exercised. No charge
or intimation of delinquency III these
respects Is intended against any department
! of the city government. 1t was, of course
| expected when this new charter went into eff
feet that the result would not only be greater
| vigor of administration, but greater economy
also. The new plan of city government
| has unquestionably many advantages. L
has also many defects. Among the latter
may be pointed out the fact that there is :
natural tendency to have seven city coun
ellis, acting independently, CT nearly so, o
each other, instead of one, each admins
traitor expecting and assuming to contro
affairs within his own department. and only
reluctantly interfering with the Jurisdiction
| of others; and if the administrators Shout,
ever be less Jealous in the performance o
| their duties than al present, or subject Il
| IL. of r,uyljc7pal Hltfip1IItia-
possible the expenditure of the city Will b.
| nntch nreater under the row charici tia,