New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1874-02-26
THE PROPORTION TO ANNEX CARROLL

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TOE.
The old saying, that no man is SO en-
tirely miserable that somebody else does
not envy him, has recently been 'liustra-
ted by petition of certain citizens and
property owners of Carrollton. presented
to the General Assembly:
The petition of the undersigned sub
scribers respectfully represents that we. as
citizens of The CITY of Carrollton, feeling
that we are overburdened with taxation by
our city government, humbly ask that Gar
rollton may be annexed to the city OF ne"
Orleans.
This petition ID numerously signed.
Three others. asking for annexation, have
also been presented. Altogether. more
than five hundred taxpayers Of Carsollton
b ave asked for the privilege of paying no
more taxes than we do in New Orleans.
and about which such vast amount OF
grumbling has lately been heard. Car.
clifton is pleasant little rural village on
the left bank of the Mississippi, about
five and a half miles above Canal street.
Like its younger playmates. Lafayette and
jefferson, it set up housekeeping at first
on its own account: applied for and OBJ
tanned the consent Of the sovereign au-
thority to have mayor, a council, an
official journal and the other incidentals
and Injuries Of metropolitan establish
ment. But the people have either grown
tired Of their mayor. or of the great cost
of housekeeping, and now want to be an
nexed to New Orleans.
The advantages to be gained from Or
ganizing thickly populated communities
into cities and towns are too well under
stoud and universally recognized to re-
quire repetition here. Under the present
charter of Carrollton, however, these ad-
vantages are moro apparent than real.
The people have all the burdens without
any of the looked for advantages. Re-
Gently the public schools were closed for
want Of money to keep them up. Streets
were permitted to go unpaved for the
same reason, and even the public printer
remained unpaid. The community found
itself in the condition of a man who was
ate mpting to keep house and found all
the difficulties and none of the luxuries.
Therefore they want to discontinue their
present unsatisfactory establishment and
CO me under the protection of the great
city. The petitions that have been sent
up in favor of the movement all come
from citizens of Carrollton. No one that
we are aware of in New Orleans has even
suggested annexation. We do not doubt
that our citizens are in favor of it, but
they have not originated the idea. The
NOV ement is supported by the unanimous
voice of the people there who own prop
erty. The opposition has thus far been
confined to corporation officials. who
probably think the city was made for
them, and not that their Offices were Gre.
ated for the convenience Of the people.
In addition to the financial reasons
urged in the first petition on the subject.
more than hundred signers subscribed
to the declaration tLa. there are others
founded upon geographical considerations
in favor OF the proposed change of
boundary and political jurisdiction. Car
rollton has been for many years merely a
suburb of New Orleans; the business and
social intercourse between the two cities
is greater in one day than that between
the right and left banks Of the parish of
Jefferson for month. or perhaps a year.
For reasons which we need not state,
the debt of Carrollton is not large; It is
less, we believe, than two hundred thou
sand dollars. It is true, there are little or
no civic improvements. They have fine
shell-road avenue from st. Charles street
to the New canal. and rassable roadway
on 81. Charles TO Lowerine street. Not
much has been done in the way Of drain
age: but great portion Of Carrollton
comes within the geographical limits OF
the drainage system Of the city proper OH
its upper side. As there are many good
in support of the petitions. and
little or no formidable opposition. we
hope the bill now pending for the COM
of the two corporations will re-
ceive favorable consideration and the two
mn 10 owe