New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1871-05-04

copies of daily Republican 81 90
A Hero. copy of contract. 4 w
A. II. Nj. Peterson, stencil
| plates, etc. Is 90 ll9 q
1 Total. .-..........SlO,Ioo ~
! Read twice and laid over.
! BY Mr.. Shaw:
An ordinance to abolish the Office of Keeper
of Archives.
| Be it ordained by the Council of the city
| Of New Orleans, That the office of Keeper
| of Archives be abolished from and after the
| passage and approval hereof, and that the
incumbent of said office be notified accord
ingly.
Mr.. BOnzano asked that this ordinance
should lie over for week He did not like
to abolish any office until he was convinced
of its utter uselessness.
Mr.. Shaw consented, and the ordinance
was laid over accordingly.
Claims of w. j. Castell, S32; P. II. Quin-
Ian, s.; j. A. Mascot, s97 50 and S7S; Fire
mems Charitable contract, $4,000, and New
Orleans Times, S6l, were passed.
Mr.. Shaw called up the pay roll ordinance,
read twice last week. The expenses of pub
lie squares were reduced to 1897 so, and the
Boys House of Refuge to $445. The pay
roll of the Department of Public Accounts
was corrected to S2496 S.
Mr.. Walton said he would like to ask for
information with regard to the item: "Ofi-
GERS, clerks and employees in the Depart
ment of Commerce, S2249 81" The ordi-
nance organizing this department had been
vetoed, yet there was large appropriation
asked for before the veto had been acted
on. He was sorry the Administrator was
not here to explain matters.
Mr.. Shaw said, as the Mayor had that
day reminded Administrators, nearly every
department had been working up to now
with provisional appointments. If ever
there was department that had an excuse
for provisional organization, it was the
Department of Commerce, and he thought
these provisional appointments should be
recognized as much as any other.
Mr. Bonzano moved that this item be laid
over.
Mr.. Walton seconded the motion.
MI. Shaw called attention to the great
hardship of laying over salaries of clerks
and officers, none of them any too large
The Mayor could veto this item if he choose
The Mayor remarked that he would much
prefer the Council should act upon it at
once because he found his yetoes not very
palatable to the Council. What harm could
be done by laying over this item for officers,
many of whom were unnecessary? Would
these men be paid next week if it were
passed.
Mr.. Shaw: 1t is my present opinion that
you will not find any cause to veto this ap-
preparation. The Administrator of Com
merce, in the absence of a full ordinance
under which he could work, has made pro
visiOnal appointments. For us to pass these
salaries for one month will be no argument
will have no binding force for the future
1t is true that the ordinance creating sOme
OF these appointments is pending, and is
under the veto of the Mayor, but these men
have been Professionally employed. They
have done the work, and will have to be
paid, even if this ordinance is amended in
some particulars. You have asked, Mr..
President, If to lay this over will affect their
payment next week. No; but it will lose
them their turn. l pass everything exactly
in its turn and nothing can make me break
this rule.
Mr.. Walton: consider this a very bad
precedent. Here is a gentleman comes in
and takes charge of the Department of
Commerce, department which has been
suspended. He comes in and fills up the
whole course, and more than the whole
course, and puts all these men on nav roll.
and we pass it. Suppose were to employ
fifty men and put them on a pay roll, would
this Council pass it! l don't think thew
would.
Mr. Bonzano: | renew. nv motion. Az
stated by the Administrator Of Finance, we
have not been notified of one single an.
pointment made by this officer-a most IN
usual mode of proceeding!
MIR. Shaw reminded the Administrator of
Finance that there was a standing ordi.
nance authorizing acting appointments.
Mr.. Walton said that referred to depart-
ments before their organization.
Mr.. Shaw mentioned that he had that dav
notified all departments that their officers
IN future must be approved by the Council
before being put on the pay rolls.
Mr.. Lewis asked if there were not some
OF these employees on the pay roll of the
department of Commerce, who had been
transferred from the Department of Police.
Mr.. Cockrem: Such is the case.
ME- Bonzano said he believed all these
men so transferred had been confirmed bv
the Council, and of course they must be
pald. lie moved that the item for the nav
rolls OF the Department of Commerce. ex-
cept SO far as regarded the wharfngers
who had been approved by the Council. be
laid over for one week.
The motion was lost, only Mr.. Walton
and Mr.. Bonzano voting for it.
Mr.. Shaw called for the yeas and navs on
the whole ordinance.
Mr.. Bonzano voted no.
Mr.. Walton said he would divide his vote
He voted nay on the Department of ,Com-
merce item, with the qualification inserted
by Mr.. Bonzano; he voted yea on the rest
of the ordinance
MI. Lewis said he voted yea because the
men would not be paid next week and If
there was any error it could be corrected
before they were paid.