The New Orleans bulletin. [volume] (New Orleans [La.]) 1874-1876, 1875-12-30

ment to meet the demands upon 1t Tor repairs.
1t would, in my opinion, require o. ieast
10000 tons of ballast to repair properly the
reefs in the Fourth District alone, and otnef
districts require like attention.
For repairs, stone crossings, curbs ana
wings $1,000. A detailed estimate, made by
the City Surveyor, of work absolutely neces-
tary calls, for S7S44 so. 1t is only requisite 70
cite as an example, the crossings over Canai
street, leading to the Post-Ofhce, etc. now
utterly unfit for the accommodation OF iaoy
pedestrians after every rain
For repairs. cobble stone and square blocK
streets. 500, 625. Permit me again to refer TO
the reports of the City Surveyor, who hles q
detailed statement, showing g. goo feet OF
cobble stone requires patching, lo6 ooo square
wards of cobble stone requires reiaylDg' seVen
squares of square block to be repaired, ana
| ID. 600 square yards Of square block to be
relaid. :,
| The condition of our finances will not ad-
NIT of the expenditure necessary to place all
of our streets in good order, but the necessl-
ties of commerce seem to demand that the
principal thoroughfares should be kept up.
To do this would require at least five times
the amount appropriated. The condition of
the cobble- stone streets is well known and ap-
preciated by every person who may have had
occasion to pass over them for the past two
years. Julia street is an example; broad
street dividing two of the most populous
wards in the city, extending to the levee and
along the New Basin, the natural passage way
for heavy traffic, has been almost impossible
for two years past.
Repairs to plank roads $4,000. When at
tention is invited to the fact that there are
five miles OF plank roads to be kept in order,
and that Calliope and Liberty streets alone
will require 100, 600 feet of lumber, this esti-
mate must appear low.
have reviewed this subject at length for q
double purpose First, desire to place upon
record and before the public correct state
ment Of the condition Of the department;
secondly, wish to correct misappretensi
that seems to have gained ground with some
citizens that the expenditures of the past year
should be criteria for the next
When I assumed charge of this depart
ment q careful examination was made of the
condition of the works, and it was believed
that many needed Improvements could be
deferred at least year The burdens of our
people were so great that the propriety of
deferring every possible expense, and of CO n
Quoting the administration upon strictly
economical basis was apparent A budget
was adopted for this year, about one-third OF
the amount expended last year for the same
bureaus, and 1926, 900 less than the average
ex penses of this department for the years
1870, 1871, 1872. 1873. No Administrator
expected at the time that it would be posi-
BILE to limit the expenditures to the sum
named.
At the expiration of six months service,
the Board of Health, press and citizens gen.
orally reported the streets in better condition
than for several years On the first day OF
December last the condition of this depart
ment was as good as when delivered to me,
except that the natural decay of wooden
structures renders it impossible to carry
many Of them further by patching.
The recent rains and lack of material has
il juriously affected the streets generally, and
there is now no force for repairs.
In explanation of the excess of expenditures
of about $4,000 1 can only refer to the
threatsne overflow by high water from the
lake, the construction Of plank roads rend-
cred necessary for streets leading to the levee,
and to an extraordinary consumption of coal
by reason of excessive rains.
During the summer the public interests
demanded a thorough cleansing Of the city,
and the work was given to starving fellow
citizens who could not procure other labor.
The average monthly expenses OF the bu-
reau in this department for previous years,
viz:
1858 to 1856 Observation-Disclosures. $50, 45l 80
1866 to 1869 Gnclusive). ........ IS $50 20
1870 to 1874 112 5S5 &C
1875 2S,416 90
IF it be urged that $780, of expenses
was taken off this Department by the lease
Of the wharvos in the middle of the year, it
may be safely assumed that the expenses of
Algiers, Jefferson and Carrollton not included
in the average of expenses prior to their an
nexation, would more than Offset the amount
of wharf expenses referred to.
In reducing the amounts necessary for the
administration of this department, | know
that the Administrators have been urged by
the imperative necessity of reducing taxation,
to omit many necessary appropriations, and
this communication is not made for the pur-
pose of complaining at their action, but with
the object of informing the Council and the
public concerning the Department.
F. A. BURKE Administrator