The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1875-05-29

privilege 10 navigate that bayou and to
charge tolls on It's waters. company
to improve bayous BGuf ana Crocoune
was authorized 10 receive $4,000, a sum asserted
TO be preposterousy beyond the value OF the ser
vice. The Mexican Gulf Canal Company are"
$4,000 In bonds from the State in aid OF It's enter
PRISE then abandoned It and merged with another
company for different purpose; got control OF
the drainage fund; fell into the hands OF one man.
and ne, In the name OF the company, Is now doing
q necessary work OF drainage at cost hundred
per cent higher than responsible citizens STAND
ready TO 90 1t for.
The Legislature even chartered company ana
gave it the sole and exclusive right 10 clean
privies in New Orleans and TO empty their con-
tents into the Mississippi River; made IL oollHa-
tory on citizens TO have this service performed at
fixed intervals, and established scale OF charges
much higher than that at which the service has
long been performed.
PURCHASE or THE STATE HOUSE,
Even the purchase by the State OF the st. Louis
Hotel, TO be used as State House. was swnonng
transaction. Several members or the Legislature
and otherswere chartered as the Louisiana Ma
tional Building Association. They got from tue
owners OF the st. Louis Hotel an agreement TO sell
that building a set price, and, this DONE maze
lease OF it TO the State Tor nineteen years at
$50 900 year and entire exemption from taxation,
They overshot their mark. and the outcry raised
against this act OF extortion compelled the annulng
OF the lease. Thereupon the Citizens Bank pouRnt
the building outright Ior $4,000. The LOUISIANA
Building Association had been enjoined, ana coud
not act under that title. They changed the COM
pany, name TO the New Orleans National Building
Association bought the hotel Tor $l49 600, ana the
Hahn Legislature, which met after the dispersion
OF the Wlliz body, in the spring OF this year. gave
$4,000 Tor the building. These ngures and other
figures above are authentic. 1t is NOT always easy
for men to cover up their tracks, and these men
have not been careful 10 do so.
THE NEW ORLEANS PARK.
In 1870 the Legislature passed a law authorizing
the Improvement or the old city Park, piece OF
ground which had been held Tor the purpose many
years. During the year two politicians, Soatf-
worth and Boomer, got written agreement from
the owners or a large vacant piece or Rround-the
only large tract, except the old PARK, near the
city-to sell it TO them at fixed price-S6OO. 600.
The Legislature or 1871 next amended the Park
Improvement law so as TO allow the Commission
ers to buy land for new park, and made an ap-
preparation or money to carry 1t into effect. The
Governor now appointed Park commissioners,
and one or these, by an odd coincidence, was
Southworth, who was at that time Recorder OF
Mortgages. Plnehback was another Park Commits
sioner ana Senator West another. Soutnworth
and those interested with him next acquired title
to the property they held under agreement, but
paid only sos 900 down the remainder or the pur-
chase money was left on mortgage. Then, on the
18th or August they sold to the city one-half OF
their purchase for $500 900, receiving $65, 900 in
cash. and $685. 900 in bonds while S54o 900 or debt
was transferred from their shoulders TO the city's
1t is the common street talk here that alter this
transaction was completed, Antoine the Lleuten-
80,
back mad cheated him out OF sac, 900, which he
nad in some way expected to get ont OF the al
fair. The park is still unimproved 1t is used as
COW pasture but the city Is paying interest its
debt for a park.
could 60 on indefinitely with stories OF this
kind Tor have only culed here and there out OF
the acts OF the Legislature, and as turned over
the leaves OF the books met with dozens OF petty
swindles. Ferry monoDoiies granted 10 members
OF the Legislature, oitenest at points where fer
ries already existed acts TO remove q county seat
TO some members farm or plantation; tie crea-
ton OF new counties, and acts INCORPORATING
multitude OF petty villages, some having less than
800 inhabitants, afncting their inhabitants with
city government, Mayor ana administrators, au-
tnerlzIng these officers 70 lay taxes mot TO ex-
ceed the parish tax y and providing ices and sal
aries Tor the needless officers. Nor was even this
the worst. know some such little towns which
nave never since their Incorporation been ruled
by the ofncers they chose; on some pretext the
elected men are rejected and me Governor nils
the vacancies thus created.
Ruin CAUSED BY MIsRULR
so severe has been the pressure OF taxation.
and so greatly mas business been Frustrated In the
State Dy the long continued misrule, that, accord
ing 10 an official report, In three years, 1s7l-3
AZ ,491 tax seizures were made IN the city OF New
Orleans by the sheriff; nave seen parish news
papers three ofwRose sides were nIed with adver-
tissments OF tax sales-this not In parishes which
prudently refused to pay taxes, as a few remote
ones have done; and have before me state
ment certified Dy tue Recorder, showing that
from the 10th OF November. 1871, 10 the 18TH OF
November, 1873 S21 tracts or land and plantations
In the parish Of st. Martin we're actually sold by
tue tax collector Tor state aud parish taxes. Yet
In spite OF their exorDitant commissions, the ON
cial report OF the state Auditor Tor 1874 contains
list OF defaulting tax collectors containing twenty
names, who are reported TO be in default to me
amount OF over s200, 900.
Nor can II be said that the valuations are low,
for in New Orleans the assessors receive Dy law
i've per cent for their work, and the assessment Is
made annually. In the parishes the tax collec
tors VINO nave more or less 10 40 with the assess
ments, receive ten per cent or their collections,
received taxes IN greenDacks and turned them In
in deprecated scrip. The city Of New Orleans be-
ing largely democratic, has been AFFLICTED with
double set Of assessors and coectors-one for the
State, the other for the city. The States annual
assessment OF property in New Orleans cost In
1871 $4,000 This wrong was great that In the
Auditors report for 1872 / read the
parish OF Orleans Two per cent on the amount OF
the tax levied would be fair compensation 20 the
tax collector, acting In the capacity Of assessor;
or, should the General Assembly so determine,
an agreement with the city administration,
at nominal expense, 70 furnish complete
copies Of their assessment rolls, would thus
make a iurtner reduction OF expenses without
detriment 10 the interests OF the State.u And
again :-"Wlthin the parish OF orleans assessors
are paid percentage upon the amount OF their
assessment rolls As consequence experience
has SHOWN That great Injustice IL done bJ placing
assessments very nign-in some instances $50 per
cant ahovn inc frua yalua of nrOuorfv. A laFoa