The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1875-05-24


collected in taxes from the people Tor the support
Of the state governments III seven years, besides
city ana parish taxes.
The various petty monopolieS and swindles to
which State aid was 50 proiusely gwen, and some
OF which mentioned In a previous letter, account
Tor . small part OF this huge debt and expenditure.
Such extravaganza as Is mentioned by the Auditor
In his last report uS75l, In the following words
accounts for more:-
Thus the number OF pages On the Legislaturel,
which by act NO IL OF 1872 IS limited TO ten, at
compensation Tor eacn OF $3.50, increased
more than sixty, and vouchers issued TO them az
from $3.50 10 $3.50 eacn, nor TINS practice con-
nned to this particular class OF employees, but was
carried 10 other classes, such as enrolling and
committee CLERKS, porters, 6e.
He also, In the same report, complains that he
has vaInly tried to get the Legislature 10 adopt
new plan or assessing property for taxation which
'would save the state $l56,C00 year, In the
Auditors report for the year 1871 complaint
made 10 tne.Legislature OF the great cost OF col
lectlng the taxes. 'In 1901 says this report,
'the actual commissions paid on account or asses
sors was s1sl g75, ana the amount paid TAX col
Iectors S2l5.4II. In 1871 the commissions OF tax
olec:ors amounted 70 ts2o,252. ana that or
assessors 70 $3.50, $751;
PENITESTIARY.
or course there were some heavy Jobs, which
helped 10 run up the DEBT For instance in the
Auditors report for 1871 ind a statement that
curing the two previous years the state, under an
arrangement with the firm OF Jones d Hugez,
lessees OF the Penitentiary. had issued
100000 in State bonds Tor machinery
for that Institution. The lessees we're to pay one
half their clear pronis 10 the State. they paid
nothing, and In 1870 transferred their contract
another set OF men, the State agreeing thereafter
TO accept 81, 600 year In lieu OF ali profits, with
an increase Of $1,000 year. Between 1869 and
state S7eGooO"
RAILROAD JOE.
In 1868 the New Orleans, Mobile and Chat
tanOoga Railroad was chartered ia louisiana, and
II was determined 70 connect Mob&s and New
orleans with Houston, Texas. In 1869 the Legls-
lature agreed to indOrse the second mortgage
bonds OF the road to the extent Of t12,5o0 per
mile. and 20 make the indorsement for every
section OF ten miles built. They built
seventy miles, and the State Endorsed
$4,000 OF their second mortgage bonds.
The next Legislature agreed in addition 10
give the ROAD state subsidy OF $sO 900 OF bonds
and OF this they drew $4,000 The company now
proposed TO build railroad from Yermillionvllfe
20 Shreveport, and In 1871 the State agreed to
take stock In this enterprise, Ooo paying for
~ 10 bonds, and the whole OF these bonds were
delivered to the company when they had done
one days work on the road They have never
done any more. That Is to say, the company have
built in all seventy miles Of an uncompleted, and
therefore, worthless road, and received from the
state $4,250oOO, or over SIS, 900 mile, besides
grant OF the use OF part OF the New Orleans
leyee, valued at 100000, and they have kept IL
ALL Finally, IL remains to be said that two differ
ent companies OF Northern capitalists offered to
build the Houston and New orleans road without
subsidy OF State aid OF any kind, but the Jegisla
sure would not give them charter
THE LEvEE COMPANY.
great deal OF money has been spent and
squandered since the war on the reconstruction
OF the leVees and their repair, and democrats as
well republicans have taken part In this jobbing.
she greatest waste, however, being since 1868.
Between 1868 aud 1871 s4,7So,ooo OF state bonds
vsEe issued for leYee purposes, and st no IsYsea.