New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1872-08-09
SPECIAL MEETING.

CRY HALL, NEW ORLEANS,
Thursday, August 8, 1872. )
A special meeting Of the Council was held
today at noon in pursuance Of the follow
ing call Of the Mayor:
MAYoRA1TT OF New 0RLEAEg,
August z, 1872.
To the Administrators Of the City Council:
beg specifically to call your attention to
the excessive number of officers and other
employees on the weekly and monthly pay
rolls Of the city, against which have so
often demonstrated in open Council and
still more frequently in committee and pri-
yately with the Administrators. The num-
Der Of officers has even recently been
largely increased, without any assigned
cause and without any occasion, unless po-
litieal exigencies can be so considered. The
evil has reached enormous proportions, and
demands immediate remedy.
] hereby call a special public meeting OF
the Council for tomorrow lIhursday), at
noon, to pass the pay rolls for the current
week under a rigid and thorough scrutiny
90 that the names Of any officers whose EN-
plOyment has not been sanctioned by the
Council, and of any other employees not
proved TO have rendered the services
charged for NAV be stricken off, so that all
whose services are not indispensably neces-
sary may be dispensed with, and an organ
lied plan for reducing the pay rolls to
limit more consistent with the condition Of
the eity's finances may be discussed, and, II
possible, agreed upon.
Very respectfully,
BENZ. +. FLANDERS, Mayor.
There were present, Mayor Benz F. Elan
ders (presiding), and Administrators Alfred
Shaw Public Accounted, L. T. Delassize
IWaterworks and Public Buildings) James
Lewis lPolice), and John s. Walton
lFinancel.
The City's Pay Rolls.
The Mayor said: have convened this
special meeting for reasons stated in my call
At meeting of the Council in committee of
the whole, while in the Mayors parlor,
stated that was about to lay before the
Council in open session summary of the pay
rolls, whereupon it was suggested that this
subject had better be discussed in commit
tee of the whole, to which con-
scented. But, found subsequently, that
the pay rolls for the current week
showed a still further increase upon
previous weeks, and / felt that prop
erly they could only be passed upon by the
Council in open session. Thursday and
Friday nights are the usual periods for the
payment of the weekly rolls, and there is no
time to be lost if the laborers are to be
paid this week. see no necessity for
heated discussion, but I think it is due to
all parties, particularly to myself, if there
has been any want Of care in preventing
the undue increase Of pay rolls, that this
should be set right at once, and that we
should know exactly what we are doing.
have received a letter from two OF the Adj
ministratOrs, which i have partially an
Rwered in these few remarks, and which,
will now ask the secretary to read.
The following communication was read:
DEPARTMENT OF CoMMERoEl
August 9, 1872.
Hon. BENZ p. Flanders Mayor Of New Orleans:
We hereby acknowledge the receipt of
your call for "a special public meeting OF
the Council for this day at - NJ. and beg
leave to state our reasons for not respond
ing in person to said call.
First-Because it was understood by the
members of the Council in committee as
sembled on Tuesday last, and, we believe,
assented to by your honor that the discus |
sion proposed for this Especial public meet /
ing" could better be had in committee, and /
the members promised to meet you in com
mittee to-day at II A. NJ, and discuss the |
object proposed by you, with view to act
Second-Because we believe from past /
experience that the possibly heated discus:
sion which might take place upon this
subject might lead the public to false con-
illusions, and therefore injure the already |
suffering credit Of the city.
Third-Because we believe that your call
for special public meeting, is without any
occasion, unless political exigencies can be
30 considered.
Again promising to meet you and the
other members Of the Council in committee,
for the purpose of discussing and acting up
on any questions your honor may see fit to
lay before the members, we subscribe our
selves, respectfully
y q PEMTHK