New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1871-04-28

s.sar JOHN DAVIDSON
PATRICK IRWIN,
'rh - A. THOMSON,
| 5.ia5s, It's SAMUEL JAMISON,
ALFRED PHILLIPS,
C. 81. SLOCOMB.
New ORLEANS, April 4, 1871.
To the Mayor and City Council Of New Orleans:
GENrLEMEN-Since our last communities
! ton relative to the drainage Of the city, we
have organized - . corporation for the
dredging of canals and the building OF
leveea for that purpose.
I prepared to bid for the drainage work, and
| now do 80 at twenty per cent less than the
price stipulated in act No. 30, session of 1871.
We are ready to commence work immedi-
| ately, and at any time, on three months
notice, will increase our workings to any
| n. E. BAILEY,
President pro tenn. New Orleans Dredging
Company.
| Orr,c. NEW ORLKAHs DHxDslxe ConrAxY,>
No. ITO Carondslst street, -.
New Orleans, April ID, lS7L)
| To the Honorable Mayor and Board Of Admins
| traitors Of the city Of New Orleans E
GENrLEMEN-By resolution of the
| directors of this company l am ordered to
| inform you that it ia ready land now offers)
| Immediately, as may be directed by the
Board Of Administrators, and will take, at
| par, the bonds as proposed to be issued by
the city for the work, at the price named in
,o-'[ 80 CIV. SHEPPARD.
Secretary pro tenn. New Orleans Dredging
Company. t. -..-,
Me-. Lewis moved that the veto of the
| Mayor be sustained. ?, .r
Mr.. Shaw, as q more parliamentary pro-
ceeding, moved that the ordinance be
adopted, the objections of the Mayor not
withstauding. sfteg LII g
Mr.. Cockrem seconded the motion.
Mr.. Shaw said: This is q long and labo-
riously drawn up message You, Mr.. Presi-
dent, have had week to prepare it; we
have had no such, time to answer it. On
the contrary, it comes into our hands only
to-day, and some solution of the question is
required of us at once. That solution I
propose shall be the passage of the ordi-
nance, the veto Of the Mayor pstwithstand-
| ing.
Shortly after the adjournment of the
Legislature there was promulgated bill
strongly imperative and directory on the
Council of the city of New Orleans. 1t re-
! quired the location of vast lines of levees
| and canals, carrying out the most extensive
| system of drainage that has ever yet been
| attempted to be put in operation in this
city. The Council was required within
fifteen days to lay down lines for these
works, otherwise the city would be subject
to damages. We all of US have known the
difficulties which surround the question of
drainage. We have known that, previous
to this act at least, the hands of the city
have been tied, and we had very imperfect
jurisdiction in the matter, and what little
we had to do did not amount to any con-
troll. We were fretted by many acts of the
Legislature, and in fact the whole subject
was SO surrounded by difficulty that
in the year we have been in
office scarcely one man of us
could comprehend it. In the midst of this
| embarrassment comes this act right in our
faces. 1t says this company shall 60 to
work, and shall receive certain prices. 1t
almost locates the lines, leaving, however,
a margin of discretion with the Administra.
tors of the city. What were we to do un-
der the circumstancess We met the ques.
ton as think we only could have met it,
by first denying the validity of the act on
its face, and for the purpose of gaining time
to investigate and consider the matter, we
notified the company that we did not &C.
knowledge the bill in certain of it's parts,
and we wished to investigate it, and We
asked them for such information as they
had in their possession, and for such propo-
sails as they chose to make; and We entered
ourselves into an investigation of this mat
ter. This was done, believe, earnestly and
in good faith by every member of the
Council. We prepared to study difficult
subject; we prepared to enter into it as be-
came men responsible for our acts; as be-
came men holding power for the time over
the corporation of New Orleans. One Of
the first things done was to call together
men having the best information on the sub
ject: We met them in your own Office, Mr..
President, and questioned them faithfully
as to what disadvantages and what ad-
vantages were involved in this act of the
Legislature, and it was almost the unani-
nous voice that we could not do any better
in the matter of terms. All this was done,
it is true, after we made this declaration,
which was . notice and q warning to the
company ON our part; but it did not save ue
rom the duty of examining into that act
critically to see how far it was an advan.
tage and how far disadvantage.
repeat again that the nearly Unanimous
opinion of tho persons we consulted was that
the average terms Of this act were as good
as we, by any system Of adjudication, could
possibly accomplish. can give names
These were opinions you heard yourself, Mr.
President, for you were present. Mr.. Dun
can +. Kenner. for instance, told US that he
/ could not afford to do the canal and pro
lection levee ON our lake front for less
than q dollar and . half. We have con
suited other people at that time and
since that time, and am informed
that Mr.. Raynor, who has had great
deal of experience ON the Chattanooga
railroad, says tho excavation can not bt
done for fifty cents. Mr.. McComb, pres
ident of the jackson railroad, gives
similar information, as / understand
Several persons in my hearing have satisfied
me by statements relative to the difficulties
of digging canals in the cypress swamps o.
the State, that 20 far - that part of thu
| work Il rnncayned f3ftv centa n cuh;c yard