New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1874-06-02
Chamber of Commerce,


The regular monthly meeting of the
Chamber OF Commerce, took place last
| evening.
Present-Hon j. H. Oglesby, president;
Hon. w. NJ. Burwell, secretary, and quo
rum.
| The committee on railroads, through G.
w. K. Bavley, Esq, its chairman, reported
in substance as follows:
They give a complete history of the origin
of the corporation owning the New Orleans,
| Mobile and Texas railroad, from its harter
by the Legislature of Alabama, November
| "a, 1866, with a capital of 81, ,00O, 900; the
| act OF Louisiana, 1868, recognizing it and
| the subsequent acts regulating it; the build
| ing of a road to Donaldsonville to obtain
the 100000 subsidy, which only amounted
to its cost; the obtaining of s., 5000 bonds
| BY act of 1871 and of unlawful back inter-
| est; the embarrassed condition of the COM
pany and its failure to pay the contractors;
the sale of bonds at fifty cents on
the dollar, with gifts of stock as
an inducement that the State, on
| the sixty-seven miles of railroad, has
| paid 81, 900, with no security except
| second mortgage for SS75,OOO; the sale
of the road, its present condition and its
status in the United States courts. The
committee submit the conviction that this
company bars the way to Texas, and there
l Is uO Io1AcA w NO AoPON AAOAA AZ NAu CA0t
| the only remedy is a speedy sale Of the
road for cash, and recommends the State
| authorities to resist, by every means in their
power, the payment of the fraudulent bonds
on the Shreveport branch, and favors the
| formation of an entirely new and trust
| worthy company.
The report was received and adopted.
| Mr.. Armstrong offered q resolution rela-
tive to action by the Governor on the case
| Stoto which n
| iected to by Messrs. Howe and Kennard,
| and subsequently withdrawn.
| On Mr.. Kennard's motion the committee
were instructed to investigate and report
on the North Louisiana railroad.
| Mr., Highly. chairman of the committee on
| river distractions, read an interesting re-
port, IN which he says that ships can cross
| Southwest Pass bar drawing eighteen feet
four inches: that there are sixteen feet at
| Of Congress giving the Secretary of War
control; that Major Howell will have a
| depth of twenty feet in few days; and
that strong party has offered to build the
| Fort S. Philip canal for 81, 500, 600, and take
the pay when the work is done.
| A communication from Z Jacobs, ESQ,
| consul to MontevideO, relative to a line OF
| South American steamships was read and
referred to the committee on navigation.
/ r.
| United States Surgeon Eli Mcclellan. rela-
| tive to quarantine, which was referred to a
| speciaE committee composed of Messrs.
| kennard, Bayley and Coyie.
| President Oglesby brought up the matter
| of supplies to the overflowed in connection
| with EatiOnal aid in building the levees.
| He said it was national and not local
| work, and the half million Of dollars Con-
gress was about to appropriate for relief,
should be used in giving employment to the
distressed on the levees.
Judge Howe read a memorial to Con.
gress, stating the Importance of building
| the levees: that the country required pro.
| lection by the national governments; that
| the interests were of the nation, and not
| merely of Louisiana, and showing clearly
| the necessity for aid from Congress.
Colonel Sandidge read to the Chamber a
declaration of the sentiments of the Cham
ber of Commerce, similar in import to the
memorial of Judge Howe, which he desired
| to make supplemental to it, and which was
| accepted.
| Judge Burwell said another point had not
| been noticed and that was the interest the
national government should have in the
cotton and sugar productions of Louisiana.
| The documents were referred to special
| committee consisting OF Messrs. Howe,
| Woodward and Burwell.
/ r.. w
| delegate from the Chamber should proceed
| to Washington in the matter. The Cotton
| Exchange was taking similar action and
| he learned through the papers that the State
| would send one. The three delegations
| could meet in Washington and act together
! for the common good. For the Chamber, he
hoped to induce Colonel Sandidge to 90.
| Colonel Sandidge said few words eX-
pressive Of his desire to serve the interests
- ~, fnd fho firms
A communication from Governor kel-
! logg, indorsing bill relative to immigra-
| ton now before him. and asking if it could
! in any way interfere with commerce, was
| referred to a committee consisting OF
| Messrs. Howe, Seixas and Cranwell.
President Oglesby then called Colonel
| Sandidge to the chair, and said:
Mr.. Chairman and Gentlemen of the
! Chamber of COmmerce-I want to detain
you few minutes on question of privi-
| lege. For few weeks variety of in
| sidiOus attacks have been made upon me in
| a portion of the daily press OF this city. Ii
| these attacks had been made upon me as an
| individual only would not have deemed
| it necessary to notice them. But in every
| case almost the style has been with the
| title of president of the Chamber of Com
! merce attached. If these attacks are al
lowed to go on longer without refutation
/ tuOy duOCC luUCAOSVS "a pAO Sh1u oOA
| which l hold as dear as any man. And
| say to you now, and hope the reporters
| will take note of my words, that there is
| not the shadow of truth in any of these
| charges, and that there is not the slightest
| foundation for them in any respect. One
| charge in particular l will notice.
1t is stated that have been interested in
| special legislation, connected, as the term
| is, with legislative jobs and rings. That is
I Ii rfa
| directly or indirectly, been interested in
any measures before any Legislature of the
! State of Louisiana, except as every Amer
| lean citizen is. l have never appeared in
| the legislative halls except as representing
| YOU and doing your bidding. l have never
| interested myself in any measures before
| the Legislature except, as member of a
committee authorized by the Chamber. 1t
| is said was interested in the State House
| bill until after the adjournment of the
Legislature. Since l have had financial
relations with the State, l have never. al
| though it was my right if had so chosen,
| traded in any public securities. l cOnsid-
cred it was better to abstain from
doing so because it might be said
| that, having the custody of the public
| funds used them to advance my private
interests. And l caused it to be
entered on the minutes OF the institution
| that no one connected with it should do it
| either These things are unpleasant to
bring before you. 1t is unpleasant tor me,
after being thirty five years before the peo-
pie, to be forced to contradict such state
ments And l do it because they are not
made against me Individually, but because
| they are calculated to do damage to the
| Chamber kthey remain uncontradicted.
Ihave now to ask. on my individual &C.
| count, that the chairman appoint commit
| tee of three to investigate these charges and
| report to thus Chamber whether my con