New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1875-12-09
[Communicated.l i


Measures Of Municipal Referm-Ne. 4.
EDITOR REPUBLICANS:
In your leeder Tuesday morning, "a
Struggle or q Compromise" }" you say ..Some.
thing more than legal talent 10 wanted to
help the property of the city out of the
present tronhle;" and alter stating the con-
dition Of affsirs and the pressing danger,
add, "how this is to be avoided is just what
we wish every man to begin to think
about" have thought about this for some
time past, end, in obedience to your intima-
ton, give to the public through your col
umns the result 49,
The city debt is, say $23,OOo,0o0. How
can that debt be paida IL must be paid or
repudiated. The present taxable property
OF the city can not pay it-nor 10 it neces-
sary to repudiate . single dollar of the city
Indebtedness, nor burden the property with
any tax whatever to pay interest or prin-
cipal. The city has ample means at it's dis
posal to pay ct once every dollar, and add
iroh, go, ,ooO,o 900 to s5o,ooo,oO to it's aesess-
ment rolls.
The city owns in fee simple large Dor.
ton of the river front and the wharves of
the city. IL is its own private property.
No other city in the United States owns it's
wharves; they are all, or nearly all, private
property. Other cities administer, r4gu.
late, but do not own. Let the city, then,
sell its wharves and rights OF batture, to be
paid for in the bonds and other obligations
Of the city, in sections, say from 100 to 1000
feet, according to plans of the city eur
veyor, approved by the Council. They at
once become private property, subject to
taxation. l have estimated the price which
they would bring at $20,000,000. Others,
more competent to Judge, have estimated
their value ut $50 900, 0O0
Some of the result, of this " ould be that
the debt would be entirely paid off and
property at once relieved from taxation to
pay it, principal and interest; competition
among the owners of the sixteen miles of
to the mere rental, and the port of New Or.
leans would become, in this respect, free
port; the price paid wonld be 50 much in
vested in actual wealth, instead of being as
now tied up in evidt noes of indebted nese;
the purchasers in less than two years would
add an equal amount in the improvements
of the property purchased, and the whole
the city; most OF this capital would come
from abroad, and the whole be added to the
wealth of the city; the purchasers would
have an interest in bringing commerce to
the city, both foreign and inland, to the
additional extent yearly OF the entire in
vestment; trade and business, if re-
lieved at the same time from the
odious monopoly-engendering system of
license taxation, would revive and flourish,
| and taxation be reduced to the expenses Of
running the city government. and be levied
on double the present assessment. Taxes
| need not exceed eight mills on the dollar,
| or one per cent, to support the schools, the
police, and the payment of all legitimate
city expenses. Streets, avenues, parks and
other public property could be improved
| without additional taxation, and property
would soon be worth double it's present
nominal value, by which one-half per cent
within five years would be sufficient to pay
the legitimate expenses of the city govern.
ment.
l have given not only the method by
which the financial troubles OF our city can
be effectually relieved, but have added as
| an additional inducemeEt, some of the re.
suits, sure to follow. trust thic will 90
meet with your approval, as to secure its
publication, and should it meet with objec.
tions, l am ready, with your permission
to meet, and as think, fully answer every
objection that Cal, be made to what have
here proposed. j. Q. A. FELLOWS.