The New Orleans bulletin. [volume] (New Orleans [La.]) 1874-1876, 1875-05-19
LEASE OF wHARvEs AND LEvEEs.

40 SOuASAA yDosOAA0y oN"fNS~ -
nance "to provide for building and repair
ing the wharves and levees, and for the pay
ment Of the debts contracted on account Of
them, by transferring the revenues Of the same
for limited time"
By section /, after twenty days notice,
sealed proposals shall be adjudicated for the
purchase Of the revenues of the wharves and
levees as fixed and collectible under existing
ordinances By section the buyer assumes
all wharf liabilities, provides for interest on
outstanding wharf bonds. (about 1852, 900 at
seven and three-tenths per cent? redeems the
principal in monthly installments, and sur.
renders bonds and coupons as redeemed and
paid. He also agrees in sixty monthly in
stallments beginning May 8, 1875, to pay the
$50 900 due by the city to various steamboats,
under Ordinance 31OO-all to be paid within
the term of the lease. The buyer also pays
$500 month for police, lights and ''the
salaries of officers and employees of the city,
engaged in connection with wharves and
levees."
By section the sale is to be awarded to
that bidder who assumes to pay the above
named debts and obi cations in the shortest
time in consideration of the transfer to him
Of the revenues of the wharves and levees for
such time. For example, A may promise to
pay the wharf debt in sixty months, B in
fifty, and so on.
BY section 5 each bidder m ust deposit $40.
&c Ie 20 <ho cf &Q0 000
to be forfeited for noncompliance with the
terms of the ordinance. The transferee of
wharf revenues is subrogated to the city's
right to sue for and collect the same.
By section the transferee is prohibited
from transferring, assigning, subrogating or
sub-leasing without previous consent of the
Council. The city only transfers such rights
as she possesses, all existing contracts to be
fulfilled. Nuisance wharves and ferry land
ings are not to be intsrfered with.
By section the transferee gives $3.50, 900
bond for the faithful performance of his con-
tract In case of noncompliance the City
Council may terminate the contract sue the
transferee for damages, and again sell the
wharf revenues, holding the original trans
fierce liable for difference in price.
BY section II the lessee or transferee is to
take the wharves and levees as he may find
them, to put and keep them in good order
and condition for the whole term of his
lease The levees shall extend back to the
line Of the street. They shall be graded and
covered with rock, shells or gravel; holes shall
be filed as soon as they appear; caving levees
shall be filled with sand; bulkheads shall be
kept up, and when batture forms levees shall
be built thereon. The transferee is to take
charge of the levees only in the First, Second,
Third and Fourth Districts, but collect no
wharfage from vessels landing in other dis
tricts until wharves are built.
Section Is provides that new wharves shall
be built by the transferee to the cost Of not
more than $25, 900 each year of his lease, in
the First, Second, Third and Fourth Districts.
New wharves needed elsewhere shall be
built by the transferee, who shall be paid for
them at the rate prescribed in his bid, and
the party who pays for the said new wharves
shall be entitled to the revenues therefrom.
All works and repairs under this transfer
City Surveyor and the Administrators o.
Commerce and Improvements. When the
transferes refuses to make the needed repairs
they shall forthwith be made at his expense,
after five days notice, he being liable in dam
ages for his default
An inventory Of stage planks, spars, tim
bers and other wharf property is to be taken,
and the same in value returned OF the con-
,lusion of the lease. Damage caused through
neglect of the transferee are chargable to him
Ind his sureties. Existing police regulations
shall remain unchanged without the consent
# both parties In the event of the city be-
ng prevented by overpowing force from pro-
ecting the transferee, or if the revenues from
uch cause fall off more than one third, the
contract may be surrendered. Specifications
or building and repairs are to be furnished
~ the City Surveyor.
REMARKS. 1t is our settled opinion that the
or any period the control of the wharves and
evees. large debt has been contracted for
building and repairing wharves. The interest
IN the debt is about $50, 900 per annum, and
" the terms of the wharf bonds q tenth Of
he wharf bonded debt is to be paid each
'ear, or $40, 900, both payable under special
pledge. Besides this s12O. 900 there must be
'aid the expenses Of necessary repairs, and
he expenses of collecting wharf and levee
lues, etc., about $4,000. The wharf dues
mount to about s24O, 600 year. They ought
o be decreased until receipts were barely
nough to comply with the special wharf
ond pledge, and provide for necessary re-
airs. 1t is to be hoped that by the increase
+ shipping and business the rates may be
aore and more reduced from year toyear, and
hat within five years New Orleans may be-
ONE free port.
Wharf and levee dues work damage to
far greater than their benefit to