New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1871-08-23

Z
| the several departments of the city govern
n1ent to which 1t may be furriished
SEC z. Be it further ordained, ETC., mat
for the purpose of showing the terms anu
| conditions under which the bonds autn0r
| lied by this ordinance are to be issued, the
| Mayor aud Administrator OF Finance are
hereby authorized to cause this ordinance
TO be printed ON the back of said bonds;
| SEC. g. Be it further ordained, etc.. Ihat
| this ordinance shall take effect from and
after its passage.
| Mr.. Shaw said this was very long ordl
nance, long, dry and uninteresting. He had
considerable power of endurance, but he did
not feel prepared to listen to this to-day the
| Administrator of Assessments Mr. Bonzano)
being absent.
Mr.. Walton said this subject had been be-
fore the Council ever since they had been in
| office, and while there had been no active
opposition to the plan proposed by the ordl-
nance, there had always been an underlined
something which had prevented the matter
from being brought to an issue. Soon after
this present ordinance was introduced. theIe
came the proposition of the New Orleans
Waterworks Company, a company or
| gained under most extraordinary
! charter, who asked the Council to
| give them the Waterworks: proposition
which he considered an insult to this COun-
ell, for he thought any body of men who
| asked the Council to lease to them, for a
mere nominal sum, works which had cost
| the city at different times some three or four
millions of dollars. and to give them in adj
| dition the privilege of mOrtgaging those
works for the purpose of raising money,
simply insulted the Council. Why the city
should give up its Waterwoiks at all he
could not understand. He moved that the
| first section of the ordinance be amended
so as to make the interest payable half
yearly, aud that the ordinance pass its final
reading.
Mr. Shaw said lie had not risen to any
point of order while the Administrator of
Finance was making his address, although
there was nothing before the Council. He
confessed the underlined something the
Administrator Of Finance had been de-
scribing made him very unwilling to take
mp an ordinance like this, when he was
fined something was very natural disposi-
ton not to vote away millions of dollars
worth of bonds without knowing this was
the best way Of disposing of the question.
The Administrator of Finance had taken
occasion to attack a proposition which had
been made in respectful terms to the Coun-
Gil. 1t was not his (Mr. Shaw's) province
to defend that proposition-he did not
know that it had any defenders in this
Council-but courtesy should have dictated
to the Administrator not to express opinions
on this question pending its reference to
another Administrator the Administrator
of Waterworks and Public Buildings), who
had not yet reported on it.
Mr. Delassize remarked that he had had
two propositions referred to him, and he was
prepared to report unfavorably on both of
them.
Mr.. Walton: l consider a matter as be-
fore this Council when introduced, received
and ordered to be printed. This proposition
Of the Waterworks Company was offered in
open Council. 1t was square proposition
to make them present of our Waterworks
it was received respectfully and ordered
printed. Our custom is to receive things
without reading,and we know nothing about
their contents till We get them in the printt
proceedings. This matter has been before
lis ever since we have been in office, and
with due respect to the Administrator of
Waterworks and Public Buildings, and ac-
h, Of oil I
have acted more like children than sensible
men with regard.to the Waterworks. We
have lodged the question every time it
has been brought up. All along there
has been this underlined influence to
which have alluded, which has prevented
the question being brought before the Coun-
ell. Whenever the Administrators of Water
works has tried to get the question up be-
fore the Council he has always been quietly
extinguished with wet blanket. Generally
the Council was not ready-"this is an i'm
portant matter; we will consider it some
other time" Such has been the plan ever
since this subject was started. If what is
currently reported on the street be true,
there are influences being brought to bear
on the Council in this matter, and person
ally, want this thing disposed of to rid
myself of approaches which do not fancy.
l am pretty reasonably sure of my own sta
bility, but don't know how long may be
able to stand this pressure, and l want this
matter disposed of. Every consideration
in the world calls upon us to dispose of it.
Public pressure, the increasing excitement
among the citizens against the alienation of
the WaterwoLks, and the necessity of i'm
proved works urge us to action. We are
just as ready to act to-day as we shall be
hundred years hence.
Mr.. Cockrem: AS the Administrator of
Assessments especially desired to be present
when this question was discussed and as he
will DE here next Tuesday, move that the
matter be laid over till next meeting.
Mr.. Shaw seconded the motion.
A oiga c0ce vote was taken, and the Mayor
declared the motion to postpone lost.
Mr.. Cockrem remarked that there were
three for postponement and three against
The Mayor: decide it shall not be post
poned | agree with the Administrators
who want this question decided. 1 don't
know how long my own virtue may stand
out.
Mr. Remick: If the question is now before
the Council for discussion, | would like to
say few words. 1t seems to me this ordi-
nance is now called up under rather extra
ordinary circumstances. 1t is true, the
question has been before the Council ever