New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1870-12-17

10 THE RvHIIC.
The undersigned cstisezA nd messhants q New
Orleans have sceu with regret that petition, bear
ing date December 5. ls7u. dgned b. J. H OglesSy.
}. .. Warren and Others. hes been presented 70 the
Common Council Of this city, praying for the extra
ordinary privileges and franchises Get forth IN the
words following, viz: I'VE axk TO b permitted and
guaranteed the right 70 enter upon said wharves
and ievees, including ~ well the wooden struc-
lures as all other portions Of the public levee be-
tween said streets in the control Of the city, with
the right Of constructing and maintaining thereon
suitable fire-proof sheds structures in no man
ner interfering with any Of the public streets. or
any grants that the city may have heretofore made
any corporation individuals to hold the right OF
maintaining such sheds for the period Of twenty
FIVE years." and, further. they TASK to be exempt
from municipal taxation upon the value OF the
improvements and the capital embarked in the
erection Of the sLeds and maintaining the
wharvee."
1--WE also ask reasonable guarantee against any
future inimical prejudicial or discriminating
municipal legislation, aud that We may be per-
mtted to collect and receive o small charge upon
under the Sheds etc.
not be LED believe that the petition referred to
represents the desires and commercial interests Of
the business men and taxpayers Of the city. We
hereby solemnly enter our protest against the
passage Of any ordinance creating any such asso.
citation that proposed IN said petition, because:
]. 1t would create . huge nsonop poly The grant
would thus possess the entire wharf in front OF
the business part Of the city, between st. Joseph
and Common streets. where the great thorough.
fares Of commerce converge. It would compel all
merchandise intended for or shipped from that por-
ton OF the city be landed in remote and inc0n-
venient places, or to be placed under the custody
Of this pet corporation, and when the goods were
placed there they would be at the disposal and
under the direction Of its managers, who could,
and would, doubtless, police their own premises,
all0tting and ahifting them to suit their
venience, and always in subordnAtiOn to their
pecn,iary interests and euch hypothesis can
be safely based upon the known infrmty of human
nature.
Thus we can readily see that they would he
enabled to force from unwilling consignor or
carrier fees and charges that otherwise they
might avoid, in this way enriching the few at the
expense and Inconvenience Of the many, creating
an odious monopoly. honopotes the growth
Of ty ranny and fsvoritism, and have always been
the enemies of trade.
Already the wharves Of the city have been too
much appropriated TO private uses.
The immemoral customs Of all nations have
considered the banks Of navigable waters as pub
lie property, and most particularly should this be
50 in large cities; but the petitioners propose 70
eubvert these ideas, which have gxOwn hoary
under the reverent respect Of centuri6G
And again, under the plausible pfetences set
forth in the petition Of aiding and protecting
commerce. it is desired that the trade Of this great
port should be diverted from its hitherto bread
and free course into contracted mill race, Lead
ing it through the gates Of highly favored mon
opolv lin passing vhichit veuld inevitably have
to pay regular toll
1t would be laying an additional burden on com.
merce, and in effect refutatlon Of commerce be.
tween the States. vessel would have to leave
her accustomed and convenient moorings, be
forced to pay for covering her cargo when she
would prefer to avoid that expense. Nor storms
Of perpetual and daily occurrence in our mild land
temperate climate. Nor Is or system Of police as
utterly useless as would seem TO be insinuated
Nor are the receivers and guardians of merchar
disc our levee SO irresponsible and careless
Under the old system, our commerce has not Ian
suished and Judging the future from the past OF
monOp0ies, no fattering vista OF increased pros
peTity opens up to our view.
titionl 1t is, in effect modest request that the
city Of New Orleans will give to the petitioners the
free Of her valuable batture. and the existing
wharves in front Of the most valuable portion Of
the city, to enable them to carry an immensely
lucrative private business, without taxation or
competition.
It is not necessary state the great and increas
ing value Of the batture property. nor to suggest
the immense gain the sale Of such property would
be to the city to point out that upon the former
batture the most valuable and useful storehouses
of our city have beeNrecentiy erected nor to show
the derived from the annual taxes paid by
the propretors of this former batture property
to point out to your intelligent body that many
worthy citizens who now pay for their licenses to
carry on their occupations of receivers the
levee would be thrown out of employment.
For these and many other good reasons, we have
and do rotest against the proposed ordinance.
W. E. Harmon. Won Phnl Bros,
John T. Moore 4 Co., Boyle Schexneider,
J. c. Murphy & Co., Chas. z. slayback Co.,
George Martin. William N. Smith,
Washburn Sears, DuSouohet Gilbert,
J. H. Hanna, Eugene Sullivan.
A. s. Huntington. William Gordon.
NJ. bowling III Wilson l. Son,
MADDEN, Ove1ton Bnreh Woodbridge Garth.
H. H. Bryan West Nettelton,
John Chaffe Bro. r. T. Toran,
John e. King, Ed. Pillsbury,
Speake Buckner. Converse, Duxbury & Co.,
Stuart, Norton Co., James c. Harris.
Z. J. Gay Co.. William Dillon,
r. H. Doxe William H. Sommeys,
A. Poincy Son. Kennett Bell,
Thomas Keefe, Glover Odendahl,
R. P. Burton. Howard Prestons,
Colbus AlmendiDser, J. H. Schwartz,
Generally & ALEX. Joseph OBrien,
Samuel Brook P. keenan,.
Pred Del BondiO Schneider Zubefbier,
c. F. Lauman, Schwabacher Hirsch,
Twitchell Gomilla Foster Gwirn,
J. Burnett & Co.. kirkpatrick Kirth,
A. H. Rich & Co., J. c. Huey,
Z. Conery, Son Co.., Margaret Haughery,
Henry Marks & Co., Violet, Black Co.,
J p Harrison Son & Co., T. S. Henderson,
J. W. Champln, William A. Bell & Co.,
II. F. Given, ". B. Camors & Co.,
Moran, Noble Woods Thomas King,
John e. Rogers Co., Shropshire Brothers,
Pascal Ilsey "a and 7s Poydras street.
J. L. Dunnica Il Co., 50 Tchoupitoulas street.
Marks & Pierpont, 70 Poydras street.
T. Paures, -four broker, % Poydras street.
Maxwell & Co., 81 Magazine street.
Gaschen Tiblier, Sc New Levee street.
LAWYER & Selby, IS to 50 New Levee street
r. A. Perdreauville, 30 Poydras street.
J. 3. Vanhern & Co.. corner Poydras and Maya
zine streets.
PM & Sidot, 70 Peters street.
George ". TAFT & Co.. 1C5 Roydras street.
HartwelI Chambers & Sedberry.
Thomas ". Shields, captain steamer Susie Silver.