New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1870-08-11


onqbt to be followed till the end OF the year
The petition was referred to the Ao'ni'l''-
traitor of Finance.
number of tax petitions were re1errea
to the Department of Assessments.
The Red River Landing.
Mr.. West presented two petitions on inc
snbiect of the Red river steamboat iandlhs'
The Mayor suggested that as petltlons or
one side had been printed, it would be wei
to serve both sides alike.
Mr. Emley remarked that there was one
petition which went before all these, anu
which had never been printed.
All three petitions were ordered TO ne
spread upon the minutes. They were as
follows:
To the Honorable Board OF administrators OF the
city OF New Orleans:
The pctition Of the undersigned steam
boat owners and captains, engaged i'll the
Red river trade" and commission mer-
chants receiving therefrom, and others, re-
spectfully represents:
That in consequence OF the sugar sheds
now being built on the lower Landing, usu-
ally considered and occupied as the landing
for Red river boats, and the Two raiiroao
tracks now traversing the lcvec, the room
for loading, and especially unloading, the
freight Of the Red river boats, IS totally
insufficient for that purpose; that instances
were frequent last winter VIXEN boats We're
compelled to lay outside for twenty-iour
hours and upward before they could get 10
the wharf to unload ipd were then com
pelled to put their cotton in tiers OF SIX to
high. thereby rendering it Impossible to as
sort it preparatory to delivery, and entail
inr great EXPENSE, trouble and risk i'll extra
labor for handling cargo; also watching,
and the danger of its destruction by FIRE or
the accidents before delivery; that the
dangers from fire will be greatly increased
in consequence Of sparks from the iocomo,
tiyes passing within a few feet OF 1t day ana
night. and that the want of sufficient space
to unload and assert their cargo OF cotton
prevents them from delivering it until long
after their arrival in port; Ill consequence
of which they are unable to collect their
freight bills, and are thereby put to heavy
expense in raising money otherwise 10 meet
the running expenses OF their DOats' tnat
the commission merchants are also greatly
injured by the delay in receiving their con-
signments, i'll consequence of their being
unable to sell cOnslgnments; that there are
frequently large advances on: that the ire
uuent handling of the cotton tears the bag
ginc. detaces and otherwise Obliterates the
marks, rendering it almost impossible for the
boats to deliver the cotton according to con-
81 gnments.
Petitioners further represent that the
crop of cotton of the coming season Will. IN
all probability, exceed that of the last by
at least one-third, and that though their
difficulties were very great last year, III con-
sequence of the insuftciency OF space al
lowed them, they will be much greater tins
year. as the space allowed them for loading
and unloading. is more than one-third less,
and the cotton brought to this port Will pro-
baby be 0nc-third more.
Petitioners further represent that there Is
large space from the foot of ITALIA street
10 the government wharf now almost un-
occupied, that at a reasonable expense II
might he made a good landing for Red river
boats, where they could discharge their
cargo with promptness and dispatch which
would facilitate them greatly In the transac-
j n Of their business.
Petitioners therefore pray that the space
above referred to may he fixed up and set
aside exclusively for the Red river steam
boats cotton landing. or any other place
might be designated which your honorable
body may think proper, and where there
will be room enough TO load and unload
said boats.
Hoping that this will meet with Your
fully sign,
John Haeberle, G. L. Kouns Il Bro.
"kouns' Line" Joseph A. Aiken, William
c. Harrison and forty-nine others.
To the Honorable the Board of Administrators of
the city of New Orleans
The undersigned wholesale dealers and
shippers of merchandise up Red river
would respectfully represent that the re-
moval of the Red river handing TO Thalia
street, while accommodating the cotton
agents interested (which is comparatively
small to the large and general mercantile
interest involved). only about three or four
months in the year. would seriously affect us
as shippers the whole year round. as also
the immense quantity of forwarding of
goods via steamers and sail vessels from
abroad landing in the Second and
Third Districts for Red river, such as
locomotives, railroad iron. etc. 1t is
we'll known that any line of boats
could be moved with less inconveni-
ence to mercantile interests. The Western
produce merchants have no more right to
make warehouse of the levee than the
grocer and, as a general thing. they either
sell of the levee to the merchants here and
European buyers, or store in warehouses I'D
town, it matters very little where it is
landed at. This immense Red river trade
is the most important vein OF the city's well
fare. and II we are to be separated mile or
more from it, paying double drayage to and
fro. and requiring an additional amount of
transportation to expedite the shipment of
our goods, we would suggest to move the
Barge and ST. Louis Line to ITALIA street.
where they can take a month 10 sell their
produce, and give the Red river. Ouachita
and Nicksburg cotton boats from the foot of
Customhouse to Morgan's Line.
1t should be borne in mind that the cot
ton agents interested in the Red river trade
bears no proportionsto the whole interest
involved. Texas sends twice as much
money and cattle as cotton to be returned
N merchandise, not to mention trans-shin
ment from abroad. So far as the cotton
planters and shippers interest is concerned.
it is opposed to the change, as the drayages
OF goods purchased by one draw load of cot
ton would amount to three VI. four or more
loads.
The merchants in the Red river trade. in
. Guiding every branch of wholesale and
retail business connected Herewith. are
located in the vicinity of Canal street sew
erai blocks above, below and back. as also
the hotels, banks, insurance companies
etc. Many OF these stores and buildinos
have been built, or leased on long terms at
heaVy rent, and improved expressly for this
trade and to hold stocks of merchandise
required by 1t; and the heavy cost and loss
OF removal is out of the question. This
trade bringing as it does, besides money. so
many people to the city makes its influence
leit an over the business centre of the city;
| retalltas we'll as wholesale share in its etfecfs
The capital involved in cotton press in
terest being so much smaller, relatively. to
the others, 1t would be much easier for them
to move over to Algiers. and the boats
could put off their cotton and return over
the river for their more important mn
IreiShts, and as ships could also land over.
there, 1t would save all drayages.
Respectfully submitted for YOUR in vesti-
uatiOu and cdarntinp 49,