The New Orleans bulletin. [volume] (New Orleans [La.]) 1874-1876, 1875-04-07
A SAMPLE PETITION.
4 Manufacturing Enterprise
Nipped in the Bud.
Mr.. J. L. Swan. a Crockery Nan, Tells
How High Water and DreAge.
Beats did the
Business.

| AAO AoiAo"Au5 pCtAiiCA WSo PtSSC0Lcu ht III
last meeting of the City Council and referre,
to the Administrator of Improvements 70
consideration, and by that Off aial to the Cit,
Surveyor for information. The petitioner
Mr. J. L. Swan, sets forth his grievances a
length, and in very humorous style relate
the manner in which he was invariabl,
snubbed while sell king for justice Here
with we give the petition: ........ .....
To the Honorable Mayor and Administrators o
the city OF New Orleans gr citing:
| Gsndlemen-Ihe undersigned, your petition
er, respectfully represents that in conse
quence Of bis previous etf5rts and complaint
to previous AdIinis' rators for relief to BIZ:
grievances without avail, and lastly, through
the Superior Court and its denial OF his cause
of complaint, constrains him to submit dis.
agreeably lengthy exhibit of this cause to
justify the presentation of this petition before
your honorable body.
| The petition relates that in the year 1866
he purchased piece of property on Julia,
between johnson and Galvez streets, and
erected thereon an establishment for the man
ufacture Of stone ware and fre-clay furnaces
This site for the mandatory was selected
because it was convenient for securing the
necessary material, such as clay, sand and
wood, all Of which came from over the lake.
He then goes on: In July, 1866, commenced
operations with good patronage, general en-
couragement and every prospect Of remuner-
ating success. Being considerably retarded
and annoyed in my business, consequent on
the city neglecting to keep the draining facil-
tiles in proper condition at that time, ex-
pended largely Of every available means to
elevate the ground sufii ,iently high to pro-
tect my business from any water flooding
from the city.
Having secured my place in that particular,
had fears lest the grant by the State to Gen.
Taylor. OF new charter requiring the wi en-
ing OF the new canal and cutting lnlets would
interfere with my street front and egress from
the premises, called on Mr.. William McCul-
Tough, who was then al alderman from our
ward, and gave him the lines of my property
with a petition for information of the Coun-
Gil, asking if any Improvements that lad or
might make would be in Interrupted BY the work
cf widening the new canal. These papers
were returned about six months a. ter with
the information that the city was doing
nothing in the mat er. /, therefore, desisted
from further improvement but kept on with
my business.
The canal charter was altered to suit the
lessee. The protection bank was cazted
away and left until an east wind and wet
weather caused the New Canal water to over
lop and force the unprotected banks, and so
rapid did the intiowing water rise that. in
saw in short hour my kiln,
which was then full Of wares already engaged |
oy contract and burning at a very high heat,
l smouldering ruin. In two days mere the
water was three feet deep over all nv
premises. Petitioner here gives |
ietails of his general ruin in consequence of |
he food and then proceeds thus: bethougat
ne to ask the advice of the gentlemen whose |
interests had been identified with the wei |
are Of the city asd were selected by the PEG
lie to distribute relief to the OVERT owed dis
riot, Messrs. Cavaroc, Slocum and others. as
,eing most conversant with the cause and its
esults.
wrote to Mr.. Cavaroc, being President of
he committee, stating my predicaments, ask
ng nothing but advice. My letter was un-
needed. In few days ! called to see Mr..
Javaroc in his Office, who, not being in, was
directed to the Young Mems Christian Asso-
,iation, into whose hands the whole overflow |.
business had been transferred. I thought
his "snarling the twist" but, as it cost
nothing, l called on these gentlemen, who
old me the city authorities were the proper
PERSONS to give me the information. l knew
hat, but rs the many complaints of the pre-
lions four years had been UNDECIDED, thought
t like whis'ling against the wind to ask there.
Nothing gained, n thing lost, by trying again,
o called at the City Hall, and was directed
o the Offices Of three Administrators, each OF |
whom directed me to the office OF the other,
angling from the lower to the upper stories of
he building The last, Mr.. Bonzano, di-
ected me to Mr.. Bell, the City Surveyor, who
would show me the plan of the city drainage.
Mr.. Bell, with the civiliy OF genlem in
nrolied before me a map on which was a
Ian, the purport of which was the future
rainage Of the city, and, from longitudinal
xtent, might have been that of the Suez
ANAL, for anything could understand as
Illustrated to the contrary. l said to Mr..
Sell the object of my visit was to ascertain
that protection might expect for the future,
ess again, as did not ike to run SO heavy a
isk without having some confidence in secu-
ity. His answer was: "Tm not God Al
agility thanked him for the information,
ut as it was not the kind | Was after, / left
onsiderng it worse than useless to risk again
ntil that Higher authority wedged in some
ppearances OF greater security. During this
interval of idleness l bit my tinger-uais in
and machinery to the amoant
three or four hundred dollars was stolen.
At last the dredgeboat passed my place and
0 thoroughly flied up the roadway to my
-ont tia. was Obliged to aw it its removal.
beginning to see prospects of safety, I was
epairing and pr pairing to resume business.
ut Mr.. kenner, OF the canal com pany, Was
cry slow to remove the mud dunn ps from the
treets. After calling on him several times he
greed to come and look at it, which he did.
Petitioner here relates, that looking at it
'as about all that Mr.. keuner did, and he
peitioner) had to hire III N and have the
lud carted away to give road access to his
lctory. This he accomplished after three
'eeks' labor, and resumed business. Matters
'ent smoothly on tor six or seven M onths,
hen there occurred another interruption,
Ihich he reltt as follows:
l found ahsut twenty men one morning
bout seven o'clock, picking, digging and cart
,g away the ballast paving OF G,lyez street,
apr,yinp me of the ONLY entrance and tina |