The New Orleans bulletin. [volume] (New Orleans [La.]) 1874-1876, 1874-04-01
The CarrOllton Elephant.

1t is comparatively an easy thing to obtain
an elephant, but to manage the beast when
we have him, is another and much more Sc
rious matter The city of New Orleans has
lust had present made to her of a very
fine looking elephant, and the Mayor and
Administrators are busily engaged in trying
to see what they will do with it.
A cursory examination into his past his
tory proves that he has been very badly
managed, indeed, and that his keepers have
SO mortgaged him, and so made way gene
rally with the money which he made for
them when he was on daily exhibition, that
he may prove to be an extremely dear pres
ent, and very annoying customer to deal
with generally.
In view of the anticipated transfer OF
Carrolton to New Orleans, the individuals
who were running the government seem to
have been seized with mania for improve
ments, and the most enormous contracts
were let out, at the most eXhOrbitant rates,
for banquetting. Smelling, etc. Contracts
were given out for banquetting almost every
thoroughfare i'll the city, and some idea
may be had of the muniiicence of the mu-
nicipal authorities, when we state that the
contract to shell Green street was given ont
at the modest sum of $40 per lineal foot, the
city agreeing to pay separately for the
grading, bridges, etc.
| According to law the city pays one-half
for street improvements, and the property
holders one-half, but by some hocus pOcus,
known only to modern legislators, the entire
amount was saddled upon the city, and the
City Of New Orleans, it is claimed will have
to foot the bill. Some Of the aldermen who
arranged the matter live on Green street,
and the manner in which they have avoided,
or endeavored to avoid, paying Tor their
share of the improvement is to say the least,
suggestive of We heather Chinese.
The amended charter of the city of Car
rollton, which was passed some two years
ago, authorized the funding of all the out
standing indebtedness contracted for
streets, wharves, gas and other improve
ments. Under this act the authorities went
to work issuing bonds for all classes of in.
debtedness. They used the bonds for pay
ing the current expenses of the city, and
for debts contracted since the passage of
the act
This was bad enough, bnt the most out1a-
geous and illegal thing that was done per-
haps, was the issuing of $1,000 worth Of fund
ing bonds for no improvement or indebted
ness whatever, and pledging them in loan
and pledge Office in this city as collaterals
est on other bonds. This was clear and
violation of the plain letter
Of the law, and the bonds SO issued are mere
waste paper.
In the plentitude of their bounty they
made large donations to fire companies.
schools, ETC., and no set of highway robbers
ever displayed more lavishness in disposing
Of their booty than these sworn officers of
the law, the money of the people of New
Orleans, for New Orleans will be expected
to foot the bill after all, and it was in anti
,ipation of the annexation that these things
we're done.
Shortly before the expiration of their off
;ial existence, the members of the Council
passed a future salary grab, or, in other
words, passed resolution providing for the
,ay of all the city officers for the entire
ear of 1874, in the event Of annexation.
This IT soluton was vetoed by the Mayor on
he ground Of the citys poverty, not on the
ground Of principle, but his veto was pleas
ntly overruled This quite over tops the
modest back salary grab Of Congress.
Nobody knows what the debt Of Carrolton
5. No statement of the city's Indebtedness =
las been made ont since the time Brisbee {
vas Mayor, and the reason for this failure
nay be readily inferred One thing, how
yer, may be regarded as certain, and there :
n is grain of comfort, that three-fourths
# the Indebtedness is fraud, utterly illegal,
ull and void, and the Council Of New Or
cans will, of course, see to it that we pay
or none of the fraudulent contracts, and '
ecognize none of the fraudulent bonds.
Carroilton, like Jefferson City, thought to 4
addle New Orleans with large indebted
ess, and, like Jefferson City, it will proba- i.
ly find that it is much easier to project a
raud than to make it a success.
|