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


Mr.. Duncan f. Kenner. And here let mo "a.
mark that / told the gentlemen who went ont
to Investigates. this matter that Mr.. Kenner
would give them an opinion 'sas i An opin-
ion." Mr.. Kenner has himself Abig job on
hand. When said that one Of the most
Infamous things passed by the Legislature
was the Mexican gulf drainage bill had
forgotten this job Of Mr.. Duncan F. Kenner,
passed by the Democratic Legislature Of
1866, when he himself was President of the
Senate. beg pardon of the Mexican Gulf
Canal Company. But next to that-and by
the way 1 think the Ship leland Canal Com
pany ought to come armin-arm- comes the
Mexican gulf drainage scheme. But these
are the acts Of the Legislature Of Louisians'
When they become burdensome what are
we to do-what is our duty? 1t is to COM
bat them, if you can fairly.
1 Iput the question right here: If this is q
binding declaration on the company, that
they shall not work more than the Council
shall decree-if this binds the company,
why do they object to insert it in their own
handwritingi If that notice Of reservation
is good and legal act, why don't they
acknowledge its validitys They say they
want nothing Of the city but what il fair
and right. l put it to them that it would be
fair and right to put up the job at auction,
and whoever bid the lowest and gave secur-
ity for commencing the work within twenty
or thirty days should have it. "No, that
would not be fair and right" If these
gentlemen who have haunted the corridors
of this hall for the last three weeks will
accept, over their own signature, the reser-
vations laid down in this ordinance, then
much Of my objection to it is gone. But
they will not consent to that. They don't
them to do it. .
l ask pardon of the Council, but say
this is big job. What is the enormous
haste Of this thingi They have crowded
the City Administrators in this matter.
They have urged and pushed this thing at
every minute. don't mean it - any inn
putation. There is nothing wrong in urging,
but it has been urged, and urged too strong
~. The more examine into it the more
objections l find, and l find nothing in
favor of it. Whatever may come of it,
here pronounce this scheme, in my judy
ment, q big job, which the city will find it
impossible to get rid of after the first step
is once taken. If there is any mechanic
here present, let me ask him how 1t is pos
sible to dig canal sixty feet wide and ff-
teen feet deep along the shore of the lake,
which is quicksand All the engines in the
town would not keep it dry. I have quoted
facts, and tho Administrator of Public Ac-
counts has not contradicted them. have
shown documents, and they are fled in con-
junction with the message. have given
my authorities, and he has not controverted
or disproved them. Whatever decision the
Council may come to, have done my part.
Mr.. Shaw: / now desire to answer the
questions put to me by the Mayor. One
was as to some private remarks ofmine in the
Council. 1 did raise every possible objection
to this bill before we entered upon our exam
ination and inquiry, to satisfy my own
mind. Ny first proposition always is
"What are the faults :" 60 as far as any
man on the negative side, but l also look
at the affirmative. The Mayor puts the
question: ''When this bill is carried out,
can we collect the drainage fundp After
had raised that point went to the re-
cords of the courts, and read the decisions
of the judges, which declared that the
change of the direction of the funds was not
unconstitutional.
The Mayor: Has the Supreme Court de-
cided that9
Mr.. Shaw: In effect it has, as far as any
one case is concerned. There are other
cases pending, but suppose by the passage
of this bill they fall to the ground. The
right of the Ship Island Canal Company for
damages for a deprivation of its franchises
is matter for future consideration; but the
power, the drainage power Of taking pos
session Of these assets has been taken from
them forever. The present act takes that
right from the drainage commissioners and
from the Ship Island Company, and gives
it to the city of New Orleans. If you carry
out this act, will you be able to command
these assets9 Twill ask you another ques-
ton, if you do not carry out this act
The Mayor: There is not dollar of assets
to be commanded. They owe fourteen
thousand dollars which you have got to pay
as soon as you touch them. y
Mr.. Shaw: will answer that am told
by the drainage commissioners there are
assets collectable to the amount Of five
hundred Thousand dollars in the drainage
districts, and the act itself assesses tax Of
two mills upon all lands not in the drainage
districts. If we can take possession of
these funds they will 60 far toward accom-
plishing the work. We can not take pos
session of them unless we do our duty
under this act. Mr.. Mayor can not say We
have no necessity for drainage. The question
is knocking at our. doors to-day. It is
the duty OF the Council to wake up to the
danger this city has been in for several
days past and may be again. There is NO
power can protect the city from overflow
except the Council. The Ship Island Canal
Company can not do it; the drainage COM
missioners are defunct. The Mayor has
told us the Judgment Of the court solemnly
the cost Of drainage to be
certain amount. He must be laboring under
q considerable mistake. This judgment
the bills against the tax
payers and assessed the tax. l venture to
say when these bills are examined this will
be found. The Board of Commissioners
fled their tableaux, and on their being no