New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1871-07-13

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less able is the city to meet these Tenor
| nous and unknown amounts" to-day, wher
heavy judgments have been given against
| the city, when the anticipated revenues
! from licenses have fallen off hundred
thousand dollars, from markets fifty thou
| sand dollars, and in other anticipated re
sources considerable deficiencies exist
when fve-eigbths of one per cent Of
the tax relied on has been declared
| illegal, and when, in the mean
time, none Of the ordinary expenses OF
the city have been diminished. but on
the contrary, have been largely increased
1t is believed that for the balance of the
year there will be no money to pay the cur.
rent expenses OF the city. All its expendi-
lures and all the salaries of its officers will
have to be met by the issuance of certifi-
Gates of Indebtedness, which will be thrust
upon the streets at large depreciation
they are now at twenty-five per cent?, and
whatever is to be paid to the Mexican Cult
Canal Company for the construction of this
levee must be in an issue of paper, which
will also be thrust upon the market, and
thus accelerate very greatly the downward
tendency of city securities. In this aspect
of affairs it seems the very height of folly to
enter upon a work of this magnitude at the
present time.
1t may be said that the law requires this
thing to be done. The law requires many
things to be done, upon some of which the
company have already been set to work
with sufficient promptitude to comply with
the strict terms of the law, by causing them
no unnecessary delay. They are now en-
gagged in widening the existing draining
canals to sufficient capacity to thoroughly
drain the city by the aid of the new ma
chinery already ordered by the Council for
that purpose. This, with the protection af
forded by the strengthened ridges, the food
gates and the raised banks of the canals, will
afforded the city all the drainage and pro
lection needed or practicable at present.
The city can not be expected to perform
impOssibilities when all the means and re-
sources at her disposal have been cut off
In the ordinance by which the Mississippi
and Mexican Gulf Canal Company were
originally set to work, it is laid down
That the city expressly declares and
notifies the Mississippi and Mexican Calf
Canal Company that it does not waive its
right freely to contract for the work of
excayating the canals and erecting the
levees required, with the said company, or
any other party, as may hereafter appear
TO the best advantage Of the city; and that
the directing or allowing the said company
to enter upon and perform any portion of
the said work laid down is not to be con-
sidered as implying their exclusive right to
its performance and completion, or to con-
tinuing the same further or otherwise than
during the pleasure of the Council. The
said company is further notified that such
work, and no other, as shall be performed
with the consent and approval of the
Council, will be settled for as hereinafter
provided.
We recommend that the city avail itself
of the powers thus reserved, and proceed
with no other works at the present time
than those absolutely necessary, and which
have been actually entered upon.
BENZ. +. FLANDERS, Mayor.
JOHN S. WALTON,
Administrator of Finance.
The Administrator of Improvements pre-
sented the following minority report:
DEPARTMENT OF IMPROVEMENTS
July II, lS1l 5
To the City Council of New Orleans:
The undersigned believing that under
the act of the Legislature, No. 80, entitled
IAN act to provide for the drainage of New
Orleans it is made the imperative duty of
this board to proceed as promptly as pos
sible to lay out the lines and directions of
the levee for the protection of the city from
overflow from the lake. and the other work
required to be done by the Mississippi and
Mexican Gulf Canal Company, and that
the interest and security of the city demand
such action on their part, begs to report
that he has had under consideration the
the resolution of the board passed at its
last session, to the following purport:
RESOLVED, That the committee on drainage
prepare a plan for the construction of pro-
lection levee on or near the lake shore,
which, after being approved by the Council,
shall be the guide for the contractor and
surveyor, under the direction of Admins |
traitor of Improvements, in the construction
Of the work.
After mature deliberation of the plans
and views submitted to him, the nnder-
signed has concluded that the safest, most
practical and permanent plan for lake
shore protection levee is one which, com
nencing at Upperline protection levee. ex-
tending out in the lake to a depth of not
over one foot of water at low tide, running in
an easterly direction along the lake shore
to intersect the proposed lower line protec-
ton levee below the Pontchartrain railroad.
JOHN COCKREM,
Administrator of Improvements.
Mr.. Shaw moved that the minority re-
port be approved by the Council, and on
that motion called for the yeas and nays.
Mr.. Cockrem seconded the motion.
Mr.. Bonzano, as preliminary, suggested
that both reports be received and printed.
Mr.. Shaw said of course he accepted that
as an amendment to his motion.
[Mr. Lewis called to the chair
Mr.. Shaw: In moving the approval of
this report l have one regret and that is
that the report is not thoroughgoing enough.
would much rather we commenced be-
tween the Bayou st. John and the New
,anal, and performed the whole work as
quickly as possible. The part to be COM
nenced upon, according to this report, is
not, in my opinion, as important as the
other part but will vote for any part of
this protection levee. Ivote for the minority
report simply because it does mean doing
while the report of the majority
loes not indicate doing anything at ALL The
appear DESTROYS, like the Mayor