New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1873-07-11


On the seventh of June, in an interview
in Administrator Lewis office, between that
gentleman and committee Of citizens of
the Sixth District, Mr. Highly agreed to call
upon Mr.. +. J. Hart and obtain his consent
to an experiment being made with gravel
on st. Charles avenue-Mr. Hart being the
presiden: OF and representing the paving
company by whom the Nicoison pavement
had been laid on that avenue few years
since, when that thoroughfare was part
of the city Of Jefferson-and still having a
claim against the city for the work then
done. The understanding was to be that
the Southern Paving Company should con-
sent 10 the repairs being made with gravel,
and that the work should in 10 way affect
the litigation now pending in the courts
between the company and. tie city Of New
Orleans.
Mr.. Highly called upon Mr.. Hart, and
that gentleman's consent was readily OBJ
tanned. Subsequently some OF the city au-
thorities, evidently not satisfied to take Mr..
Harris word for it, instructed Mr.. Highly to
SO dknlu W -uI. 1ldIb anu La q UAC GS ACC-
ment put in writing and signed. The result
of this interview is explained in the follow
ing note from Mr.. Highly to Colonel Lewis:
New ORLEANS, June 30. 1873.
James Lewis, Administrator:
DEAR SIR called on E. J. Hart and the
Southern Paving Company this afternoon,
and asked them to put in writing what
they verbally agreed to last week, viz:
that they would make no objection to the
city or individuals replacing with gravel or
any other material that part of st. Charles
avenue, IN the old CITY Of Jefferson, which
they had paved with Nicolson pavement,
and had been accepted by the engineer of
city of Carrollton to the city Of New Or
Orleans, or Napoleon avenue. They
no,o say they do not want to give any
rriting, but do want the city to come and
pay for the same and they will release it.
Now, if the city wants any indemnity for
any damage that E. j. Hart can collect in
consequence of the tearing up of said Mic
olsen pavement and putting down other
kind therefor, think the citizens will give
right to tell us you shall have no road to
your dwellings till ! get ready to let you
have one.
IL. H1GBY.
It was after the receipt OF this letter that
Colonel Lewis felt it his duty to neglect
the repairs Of st. Charles avenue and turn
his attention to graveling Canal street. In
this we think Colonel Lewis did very
wrong. He is well aware that St. Charles
avenue. fronting upon some sl,000,O00
worth Of property. had been for months
absolutely impassable, in places, for light
vehicles; that there is 10 place in the city
where repairs are more urgently needed;
that if any experiments are to be made
with a view TO the adoption Of any new sys-
tenn Of paving, this avenue. where one sys-
TEN has been tried and found to be
an absolute failure, should be selected
for further trials. The refusal Of
Mr.. Hart to sign q written con-
tract affects nothing either way. He has
given his word, and that is sufficient. Mr.
Har: is one OF those men who keep their
agreements when they make them. And
more than that, a verbal promise is just as
binding in law as written contract. With
regard to spreading Natchez gravel ON the
macadamized squares on Canal street, we
repeat that the experiment, if successful,
will prove nothing. At the point indicated
By Colonel Lewis ballast was laid eighteen
inches thick by Mr.. William Baker when
he was street commissioner. Thousands Of
dollars we're expended here under the ad-
ministration of General West, and Colonel
Lewis has himself spread two hundred
tons of ballast along these very squares.
Messrs. Higgins & Wilson claim that
they can make good, cheap and durable
streets for us with Natchez gravel Let
them have fair chance to show us what
they can do. Mr.. Casey claims superior
merits for gravel from Paducah. Give him
a chance to demonstrate them. General
Sewell asks trial Of his concrecive gravel
Let him have it. There is no better place
for these experiments than on the naked
soil. side by side with each other, along St.
Charles avenue, under like restrictions and
upon uniform conditions. Then each may
be compared with the other, and it can be
determined readily which system it will be
for the advantage of the city to adopt.