The Ouachita telegraph. [volume] (Monroe, La.) 1865-1889, 1871-10-28
It is perfectly useless to discuss with

It is perfectly useless to discuss with
the Intelligencer, the proper way OF
expanding the city revenue. The etli.
tor of that sheet, ignoring his response.
bility to the wealth and intelligence OF
the city, we are thoroughly convinced
has no object in view, save the gratiti.
cation of spite and mean, low-down
personal and party prejudices. We
never expected that nc would recognize
the claims Il decent constituency may
have upon him as a member Of the
City Council, or that he would do any
thing to show he belongs to the better
class of our citizens. What, therefore,
we have had to say in reference to street
I work in the city, was not said with
any hope of intoxicating Mr.. Ennemoser
| with proper notions of his duty as a
Councilman, but to prepare the public
mind for Il realization of the irresponsi-
BILE character Of those who follow his
counsel, he being, it is understood, the
chief among the majority of the Council
What we have insisted upon, is, that
the cross streets in Harris addi-
ton should be opened. What the
Council proposes to pay for, Is, the
ditching and filling up of all the streets
leading from the river, to Young's
bayou. Young's bayou is a mere slo Ugh
back of the city. To carry out the work
recommended,w will require grading and
ditching worth fully - 900. And when
that is done, Young's bayou still has to
be opened for two or three miles; 9TH
erwise there is no outlet for the water
carried off by the streets leading to the
bayou. This work, therefore, is super
fluous. Even if it Were not, the tax
paying property is not benefited in the
least by the expenditure. Unless the
bayou is opened first, it is folly to open
the streets, because there must be a fall
and a drain to keep them open.
It is said by Mr.. Ennenloser that for
two years nothing has been done upon
the street in front of his residence. This
is true; but he ought to know that
jackson street, the street referred to, has
been twice worked since the war, and
once we'll graded, for not cent of which
has he been taxed. So, Breard, DeSiard
and Washington streets have all been
ditched and worked. Yet a growing
portion Of the city from which tax is
to be collected, is to be left with no cross
streets whatever, and whole ponds of
water to he left standing to generate
miasma and filth and one of the neatest
districts of the city suffered to go with
out improvement by the city. What
has been done in that district cannot
be credited to the ruling authorities,
although the Jntelligencer seeks to
make capital out of the work. 1t is
we'll the work was done; otherwise, I'VE
should have none done at all. New
Guinea is to be the sole recipient OF the
expenditures to be made by the city in
the way of street Improvements. But
New Guinea had better open Young's
bayou to Lafourche swamp, unless New
Guinea wants to be submerged
But what will strike our city readers
as significant, is that the Council COM
plains of an inadequate revenue, and
yet pays the Recorder $1,000 and fees,
the Collector $1,000, Assessor 1888, City
Attorney $4OO, Printer $3.50, Police
about $500, and other beneficiaries in
proportion. 1t is also strange that the
collector must be paid 10 per cent. on
the delinquent list, according to the
Intelligencer's estimate, and that no
account is taken of wharfage dues, fines,
of $115 in taxes assessed, of licenses Of
travelling shows, &C., all of which be-
long to the city revenues.