The Fairfield herald. [volume] (Winnsboro, S.C.) 1849-1876, 1875-06-02

bio property of Louisiana, and au
thorired them to charge, against tht
great fund, sixty cents per cubic ward
for tbeir work. But a groat part o.
tho lkvee work done by planters fo,
thepselves, cost only from fifteen tt
| Gig heen cents per cubi, yard: and
thi Fly cents for the average Of all
kinds of work all over the State would
bejsxperts tell rae, high rate. In
faSt the first charge was so exorbi.
taht that it has been reduced to fifty
Gems, and in 1874 the levee tax
which the company continues to re.
ceve, was reduced to three mills.
liut the company never had any
nioney ; the lcvees have not beon
kept in proper repair, and the losses
firm overflow have never been so
gnat as since it went into operation ;
and having no capital of their own,
ifthsy are sued for damages they
must pay these out of tho State fund,
and thus, in fuct, the taxpayers pay
ltleir own Insurance. Tho company
rceive about $720,000 q year.
| This was one of tho most notorious
pbs perpotrated bp the Legislature,
md attracted attention at the timo
because u great many members not
'nly received bribcs for its support
which was too common an occur.
renee 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 car.
ried on under Warmotb's administra-
tion. The writer was then mem-
Der of the Assembly, is now State
Senator and member of the State
School Board, and, LIN sorry to say is
u negro
HOUSE RErREsENTArIvEs,)
STATE F LOUISIANA.
New ORLEANS, Feb. 25th, 1871.
Gentlemen ofthe Finance Committee Of
Louisiona Levce Company.
SIRs-Please pay to Hon. a. W.
Faulkner the amount you may deem
proper to pay me on account of Levec
Bill, being absent at the time un>
der orders of the House. But would
have voted for the Bill had [ been
here. Mr.. Faulkner is authorized to
receive and receipt for me. Very
Respectfully Gentlemen Your obt.
servt. Il. B. STAMPS.
Surely the brazonncss Of corruption
could 60 no further than this-wheu
\ legislator claims brite on the
score that he would have rendered
the service had he been in his place,
and asked his friend not merely to
receive'but to receipt for it.
NEW ORLEANS.
The city of Now Orleans is made
to pay very great part Of the Stat
tax, and has been, besides, burdene d
iu various ways by the Legislature
which has set apart large part Of
its revenues fer State or special pur
poses. 1t has now a debt of its own
of about $22, 100000, and it's tax
rate has been run up to three pr
cent. About $lTO0o,oOO of it,
bonds are worth but thirty. live cents
on the dollar in the market. Here
is All example which tells the tale cf
wastctul misgovernme"t An estate
which could have been sold inlS67 fer
over $l ,00O,O 900, showed on its hooks
in 1872, this remarkable condition.
After paying for insurance and usual
repairs, the taxes levied that year on
the property exceeded the entire ren.
tai by $40. In the next year the re
ccipts. exceed the taxes, repairs and
insurance by 5000. Yet, in 1867,
this property netted seven per cent
on over ST. 900, ,0o0-that is to say
moro than $4,000, after paying in.
surance, taxes.nnd repairs. .t
1t is not the wealthy. alone who
complain. L~-havo spoken with at
least a,dazSn Small property owners
In thes6ity and they all toll the same
moi fn the country the small far
to teonpplain that they are forced
maIsy no heavy taxes, while in
SOY eases their rich neighbors re.
!, meAndare allowed. to refuse pay.
tho SnEgo delay. was struck with
nitofy Of oxasperation told mo by
p,aM@ho said "Ohe piece of
, t6pefty after another belonging o
r SMbers of my family had been sold
y Mfor taxes. Two years ago W
sSahe nearly to the end. We could
not sell, and we could not pay the
terrible taxes. I went to the Sheriff
and said TO him. 'This property
which you are advertising is the last
possession Of my mothei and sisters,
and their only support. warn you
that on tho day you put it up at auc.
tion I ain going to attend the sale
with my double -bnrrclled shotgun.
And it vas not sold. Next year
we were fortunately able u pay"
Now | know the man very well who
thus did, and | know hih to be a
peaceable 10 respectable, law }espee.ing
citizen, one of the most imp lrtant and
useful members of the Icommuni.
ty in which he lived. IIesaw that I
was shoDied and panied athis story,
"W hat could | do % We we're
wealthy people before thd war we
| have been cohtentedin OR poverty
since, and I have worked hard and
liyed vcrv eoonotfioa INV a;atera