New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1871-07-25


to foreclose their mortgage, but their failure
to realize 100000 out of the Lake Borgne
Canal Company seems to have torn with
anguish the tender bosoms of the association
managers.
A fair. honest statement of this transac-
ton would have said that | had no interest
whatever in the $4,000 paid into court,
and that this whole business was transacted
in strict accordance with law and equity
Did or did not Mr.. Davidson, about that
time, desire to become director of the
Lake Borgne Canal Company! Did he or
did he not offer swamp land in the rear of
New Orleans for some of our bonds and
stock
Every reader of the article in question
must have finished with the conviction that
had a hard battle to fight even before a
stroke of work was done on the canal and
the public know that Wickliffe, the Ship
Island people and Mayor Flanders, have
kept up vain but constant warfare against
us ever since. The first two of these are
bOrs du combat, and Mayor Flanders, in
attempting to break down the canal COM
pany, has undertaken a JOB vastly beyond
his capacity, notwithstanding his recourse
TO such falsehoods lin his official capacityl,
as that the State bonds issued in aid of the
work are given to the company, that they
have abandoned the work, and that the
writer hereof, with others, has purchased
65, 900 acres of land in the rear of the city.
10, We men in buckram y whereas the whole
area to be drained by the protection levee
comprises but 10000 acres.
Now, as to the State bonds issued in aid
of the canal Do the Citizens Association
managers pretend that the amount is I'M
proportional to the magnitude of the work;
that the proceeds of these bonds have not
been iudiciously and economically expended
for the sole purpose fer which they were is
suedl Has not the work been carried on dill
gently and theoretically They dare
make no assertions to the contrary. Is
not the first mortgage held by the
State upon the franchise, upon the
canal itself. land and machinery-ample
security-better, in fact, than the State pos
sesses in any other instance where aid has
been granted!
The company still hold the bonds, and
next winter will ask the Legislature to can
Gel them. this course having been recon-
mended by the New York bankers inter-
ested in the canal. Everybody knows that
the $3.50 600 realized from the hypothecation
of these bonds would scarcely pay half the
cost of creating the machinery owned by
the company and of the work performed by
them during the last TWO years. The balance
of the money has come from the pockets of
those interested in the work
Irresume to say that have furnished the
canal out of my own means, during the last
six months, more money than Is invested by
any one of the managers OF the Citizens
Association. if not all of them together in
public improvements, exclusive perhaps of
of CITY railroads and Mr.. SlocOmbs Sunday
race course. The other directors, including
some of the wealthiest men in New Orleans,
and men, too, of the highest character for
honesty and ability, have given the canal
not only faithful service, but have also con-
tributed largely of their means. They are
not ashamed of it.
The Citizens Association makes no direct
charge of fraud or wrong on my part, or the
part of the company. But supposing its
innuendos, its insinuations, its half truths,
(which are often worse than downright Ees),
were all true, would that justify them in
attempting to ipiure the credit of a com
pany CARRYING on, with its own means, a
great public work which is nearly COM
pleted a work in which the State is
largely interested, and the completion of
which is essential, of course, to secure the
State against loss This whole procedure
on the part of the Citizens Association is as
impolitic as it is unjust, uncalled for, and
cruel TO ourselves. The Lake BOrgne Canal
has multitudes of friends in the Mississippi
Valley who believe in it. who are anxious TO
see it opened. who know how diligently we
have prosecuted the work, and some of
whom. unlike the managers of the Citizens
Association, have travelled a thousand miles
TO see the work itself. What will these
large-hearted, enterprising men think of
this milk and water manifesto against the
canal in the household of those who should
be its supporters OF this stab in the back
from the citizens of New Orleans!
But" say these selfappointed managers,
in substance, the canal will never be fin
ished.' Have any Of them visited the
work to examine for themselves Not
one The fact of the matter is. less than
100000 will open the canal for naviga-
ton. and on its completion the company is
entitled TO $4,000 in bonds from the State.
1t is being carried to completion as fast as
possible. The value of the opinion of
these self-appointed regulators of things in
general may be learned from their own as
seFtiOn that thorough system OF drainage
and protection levees for New Orleans can
Immediately be had at a cost of 100000.
Why attempt to deceive the people with
such statements!
The gentlemen ask why we do not con-
fine ourselves to the canal Do they pre-
tend to dictate where we shall use our ma
chinery or employ our means! Ii so, let 1t
be understood at once. The objective point
of the article in question Is the defeat OF
the protection levee required to be built by
act No. 80, and, if possible, to stop the canal
excavation no" gong Oh. MllllOllS VI "a
penditure are mentioned in connection with
the projected protection levee, whereas our
work in building and grading the same
ready for use would cost only about SlOO,OO0
per mile. The entire drainage system con-
templated by act No. 80. and embracing
some twenty-five miles of large canals and
levees with interior reservoirs, ETC., will
cost for excavations only about S2,O00O0O-
less, in fact, than was lost by the recent
overflow, and a mere trihe compared with
the enhanced value given to the lands re-
claimed, TO say nothing OF the health,
beauty, comfort and prosperity thereby
secured to New Orleans. And for this out
lay the drainage tax assessed upon the
swamp lands to be benefited by the work,
and not upon the business capital of the
city, is amply sufficient Only-and here's
the rub-sOme of these self-appointed cen
sors have refused to pay their tax, and
there fore labor to defeat the whole thing
1 wish the public to understand that our
canal company raised this whole drainage
matter out of the mire into which it had
been dragged by the Ship Island Company
and men like Messrs. Davidson and Bailey,
and placed it voluntarily in the hands OF
the city administrators, where it properly
belongs. 1t procured the repeal of the Ship
Island Canal scheme, a company TO when
Mr.. Flanders wished to give $780, 900 for no
services whatever, and to which Messrs.
Hill and Davidson, it is reported and gen
orally believed. offered to deliver the books
of the First Drainage District, if they
would cancel certain outstanding notes for
drainage tax to very large amount, say
$4,000. The name of Mr. CGthbert ii.
Slocomb appeared on the original petition
to the Legislature for transferring the
drainage of New Orleans to the Ship Island
Canal schemers. Rare appreciation, that
Work is now being done by our six ma
chimes in the rear of New Orleans cheaper