New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1871-12-02
IMPROVEMENTS VS.. REPAIRS
True Economy Consists in Doing
Your Work Well.
SQUARE BLOCK PAVEMENT THE CHEAPEST
Administrator COckrenl Interviewed

judging from the contradictory state
ments Of our contemporaries, and the con
tlicting opinions of Mayor Flanders and
Administrator Shaw, that the questions OF
city finances and the economy of our mu
nicipal government had vet to be fairly ex-
planned, our reporter interviewed Admins
traitor Cockrem yesterday. Ii what he fur
nishes below is correct, the inference is
natural that the distinguished citizens who
addressed the public last evening had not
properly studied the subject they designed
to instruct others upon; and if these State
ments are not correct, we hope the Citizens;
Association or the reform" journals will
point out wherein they vary from the truth:
Reporter: Mr.. Cockrem, will you be good
enough to explain WHY at this time YOU
propose To add to the already great debt Of
the city by an extensive system OF improve
nents that a majority Of the city press deem
not to he a necessity!
Administrator Cockrem: MY dear sir the
subject is not understood at all Let me il
lustrate. 1t will require the annual expen-
diture, on the levees and around the New
Basin, of at least a hundred and twenty
five thousand dollars for shells, ballast.
material, labor, etc, in order to keep land
ings and street outlets in a passable condi-
tiOn-a condition absolutely requisite for
the landing and movement of the immense
commerce arriving at this port. At the end
of ten years $l.25O,000 would be thus ex-
pended, without any permanent improve
ment to show for this great outlay.
Reporter: But will not square bicck paw
ing paid for in deprecated bonds leave the
city still worse off!
Administrator: No. The square blocks
on the levee, including the New Basin and
The streets leading thereto. as contemplated
by the resolution now pending. would be
about 100000 in cash or $S0OO0 in bonds.
Absolute test has shown that the city would
ltor the $oO0,0DO, say thus secure an i'm
provement lasting twenty-five years with
out further material outlay; whereas, no
substantial improvement will necessltatc
the expenditure in ten years of 81, l,25o. 900.
and in twenty years OF s., l25, 900. leaving a
difference in favor of the proposed plan of
t2.325 900. to say nothing OF the great SAM
tary advantages that must result.
Reporter: Why, then, does the Mayor OPP
pose You
Administrator: Tell me wherein lies his
boasted economy, Does not his standstiIl
policy end in an INCREASED outlay without |
visible results in the way OF improvements |
Reporter: should like specific knowl- |
edge as to comparative expenditures be- |
.ween the Department OF improvements as |
low administered by you and the CORES
bonding departments OF the city govern
nent under the previous regime.
Administrator For ten months of this
-ear this department has expended s6.5,-
Isl 6S. the budget for the year being SSl3-
100. OF this. $4,000 has gone Tor per
nanent improvements on ST. Charles avenue.
he new street and canal bridges. plank
Dads. intersections. etc. Now for the of
ct. An examination (which has failed to
et bring to light the entire amount, into
he expenditures under the old Council
hows the expenditures i'll 1868 to be
i 900, and ia 1869, Sl,03o,000, with no
ppartnt improvements and during this
lmc, it must be borne in mind, there were
wo districts less (the Fifth and Sixth
OF then being Unexpectedly, while
he Old drainage commissioners operated
and their outlay is not in
lutled in these figures. This indiSputabiy
hows a balance i'll favor OF the pre- adj
Illustration of from two hundred thousand
, quarter of million dollars. notwth
landing an additional area of two districts
, keep in order, the added duties and bur
eng OF the drainage commissioners and :.
realty extended system OF drainage de-
diving upon the department. And | may |
. well mention that out of the eXpendI-
lres this year two new drainage engines
nd wheels have been purchased. at "a cost
about $4,000.
The above closed the interview We
ink there is some food for rejection in it. +,
ill not our sober minded taxpayers bear
r. Cockrems representations in mind
hen next he is the subject Of partisan
tacks