The New Orleans bulletin. [volume] (New Orleans [La.]) 1874-1876, 1874-08-28

The Special Meeting Of the Council.

The special meeting of the City Counc;l
called by Mayor Writ, W adnesday, on receiv
ing official notification through Mr.. Sturcken
not Turnbull, as was announced yesterday
Of the action Of the employees in the Depart
| ment OF Assessments, was held to-day in the
Mayors parlor.
Mayor Witt, in the chair announced that
at the request of Mr.. Sturcken, without hest
tation, he had called the meeting, to hear wha
he (Mr. Sturcken) had to say on behalf of his
employees.
Mr.. Sturcken submitted. the letter, and said
that he had been asked to call the attention OF
the Council to Ordinance 2375, passed August
Il, 1856, which provided for the payment OF
the claims Of employees Of the city in prefer
cnce t. all others, which, so far as they knew,
had never been repealed, and asked that it be
enforced
Mr.. Wilt desired to know if they made
any suggestion as to how the city could get
an one to sell materi Il. etc, to it after pre-
terrence IN payment had ben given TO the
city officers.
Mr. Sturcken said that he had consulted S..
Howell Esq, late city controller and that he
had expressed the opinion that the ordinance
was Still a law.
Mayor Wilt wanted to know whether or not
it was to the interest Of the city to enforce the
ordlnance-it was question whether the
Council was to represent the citizens or them
selves. He then read his message Of March
IL, 1874, in which he warned the risk they
ran in accepting or retaining positions.
Mr.. Calhoun said that he thought the ques-
ton was easy of solution. The ordinance was
absolute, the city was authorized to eXpend
for city expenses, sixty-eight cents only and
with this amount it was impossible to pay all
employees, and he did not think there should
be any discrimination bet veen Departments
or between the laborers md the clerks He
thought it was an unfortunate thing that it
was necessary to do so, but he would advise
the acceptance Of the designations of the
clerks II they insisted on rendering then.
mayor WIZ again referred to us message
of March 18th, 1878, and said that lie had
frequently warned the employees. There was
only one way to afford any relief, and that
was for the Council to change its whole plan
OF ope rations tending to put the city on cash
basis; to repeal the ordinance providing for
the acceptance Of cash alone tor taxes of this
year. This could not be done.
Further, he could not think it was wise or
proper for the Council to discriminate be-
tween themselves or the employees Of the
hall and other employees of the city. There
was the Flremen's Charitable Association
oicuiu tuo Iuoutt t'diu tueH bc uSCtt iol tAt
benefit Of the Administrators and tneir clerks?
He did not thinn SO.
Mr.. Calhoun thought that the Council
should express themselves emphatically on
the question; as for himself he was determined
on his course, he would rather cut off his hand
than repeal the ordinance.
MIR. Turnbull said that so far from repeal
ing that ordinance he would advise the repea
OF the ordinance which made city scrip re-
ceivable for the tax OF last year.
Mr. Calhoun said that these views conceded
with his own, and that there would, no do4bt,
be full board ina short time as Mr. Schneider
was expected home, and he thought it more
than probable that he would suggest some
action in the matter to the Council.
He then said that he thought it unfortu-
nate that the clerks had acted as they had
jus at the time when their services were most
needed.
Mr. Sturcken then submitted a lette from
the same committee who had presented the
one under consideration, in which it was
set forth that, after consideration, the clerks
in the department, out of considerations OF
respect to Mr.. Sturcken, and appreciation OF
his qualities as man and an Administrator,
and recognizing the serious inconvenience to
which he would be put should they withdraw,
they had concluded to remain with him to the
end of his time, whether the city paid them
anything or not
The meeting then adjourned.