New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1870-03-30

.ofe-NHlcn, expect, the ones ne alluded
TO are before me-that they are at the
as he vetoed this bill before, to take my
mouth away from the mothers teat ! WAS
told, last Saturday. they would invite
the Legislature down to see this
but l have received no in
vltatlon yet this is Thursday-fve days
have elapsed. But volunteered
myself to hitch up my buggy, and 60 down
and see this great machinery, and L know II
you have pump in your house TO pump
water to wash yourself, it is a better ma
chine than that is. Now, sir, the Governor
has vetoed this bill, and propose TO sustain
this veto as much as possible, and every per-
son that may be looking for me to cast my
vote for this bill will be disappointed. There
is better bill introduced by Ur. Ray, and
one introduced by Mr.. Pinchback. Why, this
snip Island stock, that was expected to be at
80 much premium last year, is only worth
eight cents on the hundred dollars. Where Is
the commence IN the Snip Island Canal! l
tell you, l would rather speak from now till
tomorrow morning than to see the Snip ISL
and Canal bill pass. II they get the power
of draIin5 tie city of New Orle4as every
year, the Legislature OF the state VIII
have 10 pass al bill appropriailng
five or ten thousand dollars for the re lei OF
the Door people who will be drowned out On
the banks OF that canal. l know that when
was in this city, at one time the Lleulen-
ant Governor han to take a skIf, and had 10
make his way out of b Legislature, and |,
not being acquainted with the City, have
eometimes bad to wade to my neck. Yet
this same Ship Island Canal Company las
been in existence two years, and has not
thrown TWO spade fuls Of dirt, and am
getting tired Of il. If they could not drain
he city within the two years that they have
had this Incorporated power, L don't thluk
hey out to have any more power. read
in The papers every day what TINS snip
Island stock is worth. Sometimes 1t Is
worth from dollar to dollar aud seventy
five cents on the hundred. An incorpOr-
ated company that has been in existence for
the space of two years, and has not raised
their capital stock to be worth
more on the share than one dollar
and seveDty-tive cents, is not worth
taking about, and y think it is an insult
even TO this Senate for them to come here
and ask for anything more. The gentlemen
themselves ought to be ashamed when they
came before noble and honorable body like
this, to ask Us tRat have a constituency to
represent to pass such bill. My heart is
with Mr. Ray in making these three bills
iuto one, and having delegation Of the
city OF New Orleans appointed to report at
the next session. No man on the top side
of the earth can come up here and appear,
and say he believes the Ship Island Canal
ever was, or ever will be anything. They
propose by this bill to give $1,000. 900 to Ne
Ship leland Canal.
Mr.. Wittgenstein: I wish to correct the
gentleman. It does not propose tog give the
Ship Island Canal one cent.
Mr.. PuiudeXter: The Senator may be
very smart man, but have got. the floor
Gaughter). l ask the Secretary to read
the first section.
The first section was read.
Mr.. Poindeyter: Now, sir, this section has
been read, and it is far worse than / al
luded to. 1t takes all the canals in New
Orle ans without any exception. It takes
the property belonging to those machines,
and even takes such machines as the gentle
men own themselves. 1t takes about $780,
900 worth of utensils that they have bought.
1t takes $500 900 taxation for years, and
have been informed that the whole sum and
substance proposed to be incorporated sin
this company is about Sll 100000. There is
another company that proposes to dig
canal, and they don't ask for any such p1lvl-
leges as this. They propose TO dig the
canal, snd let the little canals that
belong to the city of New Orleans empty
into il. They will build up gates there, ia
order to shut off high water from the city.
and they will drain the city dry. and that is
not all, if / mistake not. / have been in
consultation with Mr.. Ray about this mat
ter, and think that bill Of his. and that Of
Mr. Puchback, will drain about four hun
bred acres Of swamp land that is under
water every year in the city Of New Orleans.
How in the name Of common sense can you
support this bill? Why, the Governor will
veto it before IL gets il his hands, and If he
does veto it. and he sends 1t back here TO
NE, and my vote Will just prevent it from
becoming law, | Will defeat it. Now, |
hope the Senators who are in favor Of this
blll will take warning from my suggestions.
This company don't know where they are
going to end. They don't know where they
began. All they know is the tax4tion of
the people Of the city.
Mr. Wittgenstein: Mr.. President, do
not propose to answer the gentle
man. | have read the bill over, and
it asks for nothing but what has already
been granted to company. 1t merely asks
for the repeal of the drainage laws. It also
provides that the machinery shall be re.
turned to the city after the completion of
the work. The company simply asks to
change the route of the canal and the repeal
of the drainage laws.
The President: The question is on the
adoption of the section.
Mr.. Poindexter: Before that question is
put, | rise to make another motion to post
poue tine bill.
The motion TO indefinitely postpone was
lost-12 yeas, 10 nays.
Mr.. Braughn: Mr.. President, When the
Ship Island Company first came before the
General Assembly it found in me al advO-
cate. | advocated the first bill, in 1868 in
good faith. I believed that the objects Of
that company, asset forth in their incorpo-
ration, were not only feasible, and practica-
BILE and in their execution would redourd
to the benefit of the constituency which
have the honor to represent. IL that first
bill nothing was asked by the company
except an act Of incorporation, and the
guarantee that On the completion OF certain
works the State should donate to the COM
pany certain lands. l looked upon the
measure as one containing nothing In furious
to the State; but much that was good if the
objects of the company were successfully
carried out, and | considered that the city
and the State would loose nothing If the
objects OF the company failed. From the
OF the Legislature. in 1863, to
the commencement OF the SESSION OF 1869,
nothiog was done by this company. They
intact, gathering no subscriptions,
but again come before the Legislature ask
ing further assistance. My confidence IN
the honesty of that company was still IN
impaired, and | again advocated. the meas
ures it proposed to the General Assembly.
What has been the RESULT Nearly two years
have elapsed since. A corporation was Or
ganized. and not spade of earth has been
dug; nothing has been done except the pur-
chase for cash or on credit or stock the
dredge boat, now lying in the Old Basin.
which Senator Poindexter has described In
appropriate, although ridiculous terms. l
ask Senators to contemplate this fact, and
| demand to know whether, in the fsce of
such speaking arguments, they are prepared
to give this company two million dollars
per year to enrich the stockholders of
this corporation. The Senator from
II lance with his usnal SGnG