New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1871-12-06
REGULAR MKRTERG.

The Council met in regular session at
noon.
Present. Mayor Benjamin F. Flanders
(presiding); Administrators John Cockrem
lImprovement), Alfred Shaw Public Ac-
counts). L. T. Delassize (Wa1erworks and
Public Buildings), James Lewis (Police),
+. c. Remick (Commerce), John S. Walton
(Finance), and H. Bonzano (Assessments).
Monthly Reports.
BY Mr.. Cockrem:
DEsAnTHENr OF IMPRovyxEv1s,
December 1871.
10 Hon. Benz p Flanders, Mayor:
In presenting the monthly report Of the
Department Of improvements, / take adj
vantage of the fact Of an unusual amount
Of public interest being manifested in city
affairs to explain some matters which APP
pear to be imperfectly understood, and to
state facts which ought to be placed on
public record.
! am glad to zee that the attention Of
property owners and taxpayers has at last
been turned to the interest of the city of
New Orleans. As the junior Administrator
in the present city government, advance
my opinions with Difference. but from the
experience have had during my brief term
Of office, the conviction has been forced
upon me that the present condition Of city
affairs assuming it, for the sake of argu-
ment, to be as bad as represented) is due
more to the apathy of the people, to their
want of appreciation Of the resources of the
city, than to the corruption or mismanage-
ment of those entrusted with the admins
tration of its affairs. Attempts at good
government have had little popular encour-
agement, and the many and frequent
bad governments have not been suf-
ticiently controlled by public reprobation.
The present administration is the first for
some years that has entered Office by ap-
pointment, and this administration holds
office only in part by appointment.
elected by the people, as was part Of the
present administration. Had the same
close scrutiny been applied to the annual
estimate of Expenditure and liabilities of
the preceding Council-elected and placed
in Office by the pe0ple-had every possible
item of liability been charged against the
city, and every uncertain item Of receipts
showing Of the city's condition could have
been made then more gloomy even than
that which your honor has now laid before
the Council. A rapid examination Of the
accounts Of the city would show, believe,
that the condition of the city three years
ago quitting aside the extraordinary and
not to be fOreeeen emergencies since occur
IAuk u al OSCIAOW, anu EoNcXa1 OlcdetIOuS
caves Of the levee) was worse than it is to-
day. The difficulty in the city's finances is
not of recent creation, and believe the re-
sponsibility does not rest with the present
city government.
With regard to my own department, l
desire to evade no accountability. assume
the responsibility for every contract en-
tered into, and every work under
taken by my recommendation. The
Council, by unanimous vote in al
most every instance, have sanctioned
everything which l have done, and your
honor has approved and promulgated the |
requisite ordinances. So far as regards the |
merits and dement's of the acts themselves. |
! am willing to take whatever blame may
attach to them; nor do think in 40 doing |
l manifest any great disinterestedness. |
On the contrary, l think that the opera
tons of the Department of improvements,
and the results obtained therefrOm, will |
compare favorsbly with those of any other |
department, and most favorably with the |
expenditures for similar purposes under |
previous administrations.
The city Of New Orleans comprises q
greater area Of streets paved and unpaved |
than any other city in the United States. |
The Department Of Improvements has !
under its charge six hundred and fifty |
miles of streets, classified as follows: