New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1871-07-13
TIE CHAMPION OF roeY1sM.

drainage ana prOCecClOn IeVeeS HAS oaih
for him the title of Champion of Fogylsm'
The Times, his favorite organ, accredlts
him with being the champion OF policy
that has unfortunately prevailed here for
the last fifty years, to the great detriment
of the growth and prosperity OF the city.
The Mayor is brave enough to fight great
public improvements, but has not the
penetration to discover the benefits that
must flow from them when they are ac-
compished. Having become the hero OF
the old fogies, it is glory enough for him
in his capacity as Mayor to act as their
champion. He has even essayed to be
eloquent in defending policy that has
kept New Orleans in the mire and sur
rounded by miasmal influences much
longer than there was any need for There
was wealth enough concentrated here fifty
years ago to have stimulated public spirited
men to works of public improvement that
were calculated to enhance the business
prospects of the city and largely increase
the value of property But, unfortunately,
the city was then cursed with that same
spirit of fogyism that prevails here now
through the championship of Mayor
Flanders, the prince of old fogies.
1t is true, about fifty years ago,
some public spirited Yankees had
found their way here and were en-
deavoring to establish themselves in bust
ness. But they found it har1 to do this
in the portion of New Orleans that was.
then settled and considered the centre of
business. The old fogy property holders
who would neither improve or sell lots at
a reasonable price, compelled these public
spirited Yankees to go above Canal street,
into what is now known as the First Dis
trict, and improve. Their enterprise soon
made this the most fiourishing part of the
city and the seat of business. The men
here congregated, projected and made
public improvements that had not even
been dreemed of by the old fogies who
had been living in the city since its foun-
dation by the French. A few public
spirited men like Caldwell, Peters, and
others of their stamp, when intrusted
with the city government, went into such
works of public improvement as had long
been needed. Large contracts were en-
tered into for paving the streets, at an i'm
mense eose, waterworks were established,
gasworks were erected, public buildings
reared, canals constructed These vast
public improvements, necessarily made
at great public cost, were the cause of
great public and private benefits. There
can not be doubt but that paving the
streets added greatly to the health of the
people residing here, as we'll as to the
beauty of the city and the facility for
through it and transact
ing business. These improvements
were all made by the public spirited men
who laid off and finally built up the First,
and finally the Fourth District, and gave
increased value to property far beyond on
the line of the river. They were made
when the aggregate value of real estate
was not near as great as it is now-and
made at cost that would scare even such
brave men as Mayor Flanders, who can
not be taught how public Improvements
that cost millions of dollars can be made
to pay for themselves. The paving of the
streets alone, of this city, cost millions of
dollars, and all of the money thus spent
has been much more than repaid to the
city and its property holders in the in
creased value of property. 1t is believed
BY men whose opinions are worth some !!
hing in such matters, that a thorough
md efficient system of drainage and pro-
lection levees-though it cost ten mil
ion of dollars to establish the same
would be worth more than fifty millions
n the shape of increased value to pro-
,ety alone, to say nothing of the increase
If business and population that will be |
certain to come when great cause for
disease has been removed from our city. |
The retaining of the swamp lands in the |
ear of the city will not only benefit those |
ands. The work will necessarily benefit |
he best settled portions of our city, be-
,ause it will drain all, and by giving
much purer air render health much more
certain. The land that is to be re-
laimed is assessable now, and when it is
made valuable it will add accordingly to
he resources of the city. Let the back
axes on these lands be collected and they
would help to complete the work that
Mayor Flanders asserts is delayed because
he city is too poor to undertake it. The
,ity will continue to be poor and grow
poorer under the non-progressive policy
by Mayor Flanders. While
he is apprehensive that the completion of
his work would benefit few men who
,wn swamp land, and makes that an OBJ
ection to having great public improve
nent consummated, he does not consider
he great benefits that are to be conferred
IN the many millions of dollars worth Of
real estate within the city. Let
lin and those members of the Council
Who have voted TO delay great and
much needed public improvement reflect
IN the consequences of their course; let
hem reflect that the work has been de-
aged already at cost of millions of dol
ars in the destruction of property,
md that the CITY is continuing to suffer |