New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1870-12-22
REGULAR MEETING.


Communications from the Mayor.
The Mayor said he had lengthy message
to Law before the Council, but as 1t referred
to the question Of taxation he would prefer
Offering it, with the permission OF the Coun-
Gil. when the tax ordinances came up for
discussion.
Postponed accordingly.
Reports from Administrators
BY Mr.. Delassize:
DEPARTMENT or wArEKwoRKs AND
Public Buildings, December w. 1911.
To the CITY Council of New Orleans:
beg leave to report, that on the four
zane AsyIum became vacant by the resigna-
tion of j. Thezan, Esq, and on the nine
teenth appointed j. V. Lavigne, ESQ.,, to
fill the vacancy thus created.
L. T. DELASSIZE, Administrator.
Received and approved.
BY Mr.. Shaw:
DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC ACCOUNTS,
New Orleans, December IS, 1870.
To the City Council Of New Orleans
The completion Of the registration OF
hlue METROPOLITAN Police warrants and the
uresentation for final reading and passage
Of the ordinance levying tax for the cur
rent year October l, 1870, to October,
1871, render it necessary to make special
report. f .,o h,,,.
warrants have been long and tedious job.
and irksOme also to the holders, because they
had to part temporarily with valuable paper,
much used in business as collateral security.
employed competent men, but the cola
ton and comparison OF $sss9OOO, mostly Of
small warrants, with each other and with
- &c mn han la
was a work that could not be safely hurried.
The work has been completed, and the war
rants are now being returned to such as re-
quest them: but have not stamped them.
for want Of time as yet to do SO; and
because Of questions arising during the IL
yestigation which it could not have been
the purpose of the Council that l should
pass upon; on which only the Council, or,
1Derhaps, the courts should bind the city
finally: and which render it necessary for
me to apply to the Council demonstrations.
In order to arrive at the amount OF the
liability of the present city on account Of
the ANNUAL assessment by the Metropolitan
Police Board, in 1868, for the year ending
Septemb. 1869, the investigation into
the amount Oh he warrants, now well known
as the Metropolitan Police blue" warrants,
outstanding in the market, was animportant
preliminary Early in the year 1869 the late
city of New Orleans paid on its assessment,
to the State Treasurer, as per his official re-
ceipt for the same, eight hundred and five
thousand dollars in bonds, which realized in
cash and warrants six hundred and sixty
one thousand three hundred and fifteen
dollars and thirty-six cents (SfS, ,3l5 36);
and, under date OF December ~, 1867, the
annual report of the Metropolitan Police
Board to the Governor, for the police
wear ending September 80, 1869, fixes the ex-
l,endituresS lie board in warrants, for that
year. on account of the late city of New Or
leans, at $770,87S IS. The present city,
therefore, it is held, owes the difference, one
hundred and nine thousand five hundred
an. sixty-three dollars and thirty-nine
cents i$l09.5 63 39), ON account Of the
late CITY of New Orleans. 1t will be i'm
practicable to ascertain what is due on ac-
count of the late city of Jefferson, until 1--WE
shall have examined and separated the
warrants received by the State Treasurer on
the first Of June, 1870, from the late city OF
Jefferson, as its first and only payment.
against two assessments, of 1868 and 1869,
namely twenty-One thousand three hundred
and twenty-five dollars and seven cents,
C$2l ,322 OIL paid in warrants; some in re,
duction of the dues for 1868, the rest against
those of 1869, as previously mentioned, but
the amount of each not specified. The Pc
lice Jury right bank parish of Orleans
(Algiers) has never paid anything on account
of the assessment of 1868, and hence the
Whole amount of warrants issued against
that assessment is held to be dept OF the
present city, namely, seventeen thousand
nine hundred and forty eight dollars and
ninety-six cents 1917 ,94S 96l.
To recapitulate, the late city Of New Or
leans owes $1O9, 500 80; the Police Jury, right
bank (Algiers). $l7,948 &c; the late city Of
Jefferson, rs yet unknown, -. Neither
of the late corporations OF Algiers and JET
ferson rendered an account OF their affairs
in relation to the Metropolitan Police tax
though it is known that the late treasurer
Of Algiers holds now some $500 OF Metro
pOlitan Police warrants, received by him
FOR general and special taxes, which will
contribute to reduce the sum for which the
present city is liable on account of AL
giers. 1t is also an element in this caicula
ton that it is unknown, as yet, how many Of
the warrants deposited by the late City Of
Jefferson are "blue warrants" and should
be credited against the assessment Of 1868
It is clear. therefore, that it is simply impos
sible to stamp any Of the warrants withou!
exposing the city to liability beyond it,
actual debt. The calling in of the blue
warrants for investigation has elected these
valuable facts and put the Council and the
community on their guard And the regis
tratiOn OF what has been presented is OF
great practical value, because the book OF
registry can be deposited with the Admins
TRAITOR Of Finance, and his receipt of war
rants for taxes and other dues will be
thus secured against fraud and deception.
The work, on the part of the examiners
was attended with much more labor and
care, owing to the loose, unclerical and IN
business-hke manner in which 1t seems these
warrants were issued.
They cover no less than ten large check
or warrant books from which these war
rants We're clipped vi thout regard to rota
ton of date OF numbers, making IL neces
sary, therefore, to have recourse to eacl
and every one of these check or warran
books to verify the credibility Of each ant
every warrant.
The examiners called my special attentio,
to the following:
90 warrants presented by William Roy
amounting to $5l99 20; Carrollton precinct
warrant presented by William Roy
amounting to SOB 49, scratched and altered
warrant presented by William Roy
amounting to $44 81; st. Bernard.
warrants presented by +. Merle, no
Endorsed, but having written on the bacl
the words "good, C. d. Ludeke, chic
clerk"
2 warrants presented by E. Merle
scratched and altered from st. Bernard t
first precinct.
l warrant presented by E. Merle
scratched and altered from Carrolton t
sixth precinct.
/ warrant presented by E. Merle
scratched and altered from seventh to sixtl
precinct.
warrants presented by E. Merle; belong
ing to st. Bernard.
warrants presented by E. Merle; belong
ing to CarrollrOn.
5warrants presented by E. Jumonville
belonging to St. Bernard.
warrants presented by Sam Smith
Co.; belonging to st. Bernard. o.,