The morning star and Catholic messenger. [volume] (New Orleans [La.]) 1868-1881, 1875-08-29
The Drainage Tax.

This is a subject of very general and alb
sorbing interest just at this time. We
| refer to the subject, mot the tax itself, for
that, in many instances, is still more alb
sorbing and swallows up principal as we'll
as interest. Immense regions in the rear of
the city will not sell at auction for the
amount of their drainage tax. This amount
is for an average lot about $12, or $500 a
square, which, including costs, interest, at
torney's commissions, ETC., will swell the
amounts in reality to about Sl6 andsS4OO
respectively. Many of these properties are
several feet under water and their tenants
can only be interviewed by the assistance of
a hook and line. Consequently proprietors
do not see the advantage of giving Mr.. Van
Norden $40o for each of these squares
when they could not sell them for that
amount after paying the drainage.
But, says the Legislature, the health and
prosperity of the city will be greatly i'm
proved. True enough, and 30 would the
health and prosperity of every plantation
be improved by leveeing it all around,
draining all it's swamp lands and turning
NASAA AHSO "St0NOA Pt4SbOAO6' OuO "u6O
would become of the planter during this
process, if he had to pay for it 1t is not
every thing that ia nice and pretty and
good for the health that is advisable under
all circumstances. We cannot deny that
the work Mr.. Van Norden ia doing ought to
be done some of these days, and do not
doubt that it would be, but we cannot see
why he ought to be paid from three to four
times its vGtue, especially at a time of I'M
paralleled depression.
Let US make this plain. Mr.. Van Nor
den is getting SO cents per cubic yard for
excavations, and 81 per cubic yard for
| embankments or levees,-on an average
say IS cents per cubic yard. We know
of most responsible gentlemen of this city
who will have the came work done for 20
cents per cubic yard. That ia but little
more than one fourth of Mr.. Van Norden's
price. Now, is not this paying that gen
| tieman too heavily for having been born
at the North I Exotic plants are always
the most costly, but we are too poor for
| Injuries now.
Let us do Mr.. Van Norden the Justice to
say, however, that, 80 far as we have learn
cd, he is doing his work we'll and skilfully,
and, in this respect, differs from the ordi-
nary carpet bag blood sucker who gets his
bonds first and doesn't do the work at all
afterwards.
People want to know il they are obliged
to pay this tax. Here arc the facts about
that. Some months ago, Mr.. Van Norden,
who is, or claims to be, owner of the fran
chises Of the Mississippi and Mexican Gulf
Ship Canal Co., applied to the Superior Dis
trict Court for mandamus on the city
authorities, ordering them to iasue execu-
tions against all properties which had not
paid the drainage tax. There was q judg-
ment of that Court in favor Of the applica-
ton and the city administrators appealed.
On hearing in the Supreme Court, this
Judgment of the District Court was affirm
ed by majority opinion of three out of
the Ave judges. Judge Morgan took no
part in the decision and Judge Howell dis
sented 10 an able argument. He thought
that the laws on the subject, that is the
statutes of '5s and $50 and amendatory stat
utes of later dates, gave certain amount of
discretionary power to the city authorities
and did not limit them az mere ministerial
machinee, Thus, in the matter of swamp
| lots, for instance, If they had some discre.