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

Most oil the money WaB speglt by q estate Board
OF Public Works." whose members were appointed
by Governor warmoth. IN 1871 dinerent system
was adopted. which STA Is in force, and under
which large part rof the revenues OF the state
has been handed over for long term OF
years to q private corporation, with privileges
which enableit Go misuse and squander them In q
'mest shocking way. By the act this corporation,
wnich was to furnish million OF dollars IN capital
STOCK agreed 80 build and repair the levees OF the
State and 20 be responsible in damages TO the
planters ana farmers who should suffer loss BY
overflow or cTevasse In return for this the Legis-
'lature gave them o million dollars down, before
they began work, and the proceeds, annually, for
term OF years, Of tax OF four mills on the whole
taxable property Of Louisiana, and author
ICED them 10 charge, against the great
fuad, sixty cents per cnbic yard for their
work. But great part OF the levee work. done
by planters for themselves, cost only from fifteen
to eighteen cents per cubic yard and thirty cents
for the average Of all kinds OF work all over the
State would be, experts tell me, high rate. In
fact, the first charge was 30 exorbitant that IL
has been reduced to fifty CENTS ana in 1874 the
levee tax, which the company continues TO re-
ceIve was reduced to three mills. But the COM
pany never had any money; tho lsvees have not
been kept In proper repair, and the losses from
overflow have never been so great as since 1t
went into operation; and, having no capital OF
their own. II they are sued for damages they must
pay these out OF the state fund, and thus In fact,
the taxpayers pay their own insurance. The
company receive about $720, 900 year.
This was one OF the most notorious jobs perpe-
trased Dy the Legislature and attracted attention
at the time because great many members not
only received brides for It's support-which was
too common an occurrence to be noticed-but
actually gave their receipts for the money paid
them. The following letter. OF which the original
Is before me, shows how openly Legislative
bribery was carried on under Warmoths admin
istratlon. The writer was then member Of Assem-
bly,. Is now State senator and member OF the stale
School Board, and am sorry TO say, is a negro
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES.
STATE OF LOUISIANA.
NEW ORLEANS, Feby 25th, 1871.
GENTLEMAN OF THE FINANCE COMMITTEE OF
SIRs-Please pay TO Hon. A. w. Faulkner the
amount you may deem proper 10 pay on account
oil Levee Bill | being absent at the time under or
ders OF the House, But would have voted Tor the
Bill had been here. Mr.. Faulkner Is authorized
20 receive and receipt FOR me. very Respectfully
Gentlemen Your obt. servt. i. Is. STAMPS.
surely the brazenness OF corruption could go no
further than this-when legislator claims q
bride on the score that he would have performed
the service had he been In his place, and sends his
friend not merely to receive but to receipt Tor 1t.
NEW ORLEANS.
The city OF New Orleans Is made 20 pay very
great part OF the State tax, and has been Desldes
burdened in various ways by the Legislature, which
has set apart large part OF It's revenues for State
or special purposes. IL has now debt OF
its own OF about s22 900, Ooo and It's tax rate has
been run up to three per cent About ST., 100000
OF It's bonds are worth out tnrty-nye cents on the
dollar In the market. Here is an example which
tells the tale OF wasteful misgovernment:-An
estate which could have been sold in 1867 for
81, 600 900, showed on its books, in 1872 this
msrka0e condition:-Alter paying for insurance
and usual repairs. the taxes levied that year on
the property exceeded the entire rental by $780,
In the next year the receipts exceeded the taxes,
repairs ana insurance by $500. Yet, in 1867, this
property netted seven per cent on over 81 600 600
that is 20 say more than $4,000, after paying in
surance. taxes and repairs.
IL is not the wealthy alone who complain.
have spoken with at least dozen small property
owners the city and they all tell the same tale
In the country the small farmers complain that
they are forced to pay the heavy taxes while IN
many cases their rich neighbors resist and are
allowed TO refuse payment or TO delay. / was
struck with the story OF evaporation told me by
q man who said Zone piece or property alter
another belonging to members OF my family
had been sold out for taxes. Two years
ago we came nearly TO the end We could not
sell, and we could not pay the terrible taxes.
went to the Snerin, and said TO him, This prop
erty which you advertising Is the last posses
sion OF my mother and sisters, and their only sup
port. warn YOU tn. on the day you put IL
Up az auction l aa going TO attend the
sale with my double barrelled shotgun,
And IL was not sold. Next year we were
fortunately able TO pay.n Vow know
the man very well who thus did, and know him
to be peaceable, law-respectlng citizen one or
the most important and most useful members OF
the community in which he lived. he saw that [
was shocked and panied at hts story. and said,
"what could dor We were wealthy people be-
fore the war; We have been contented In our pow
erty since, and have worked hard and lived very
economically. Ny sisters teach school. But the
times are so hard and the taxes so high that it
was all we could 40 to live, and when I saw the
last little dependence OF my mother and sisters
about TO be sold TO satisfy these cormorants and
thieves could not stand itn
SO great Is even yet the distress that the LegisIa
ture has just passed tax redemption law, forbid
ing sherinrs sales where inability to pay taxes is
shown. In the parish OF St. Landry alone, a. I
think have before stated, there were between
November, 1871. and November, 1879 SCI sales OF
Plantations and lands for taxes. The newspapers
IA New Orleans speak OF this TAX stay law as an
act OF benencence. Yet Louisiana is by nature one
o. the richest states In the Union and New or
leans IL one OF the greatest commercial ports Is
IL surprising that the whole white population or
the state except the ofice-nolders and their rela
tives and intimates, united. in 1874 in the en-
deavor 10 overthrow party which has so abused
lie pc Wersp CHARLES NoRDHoFF.
SUICIDE BY ARSENIC.
At half-past seven O'Clock Saturday night Thomas