The New Orleans bulletin. [volume] (New Orleans [La.]) 1874-1876, 1875-06-19
PROPERTY HOLDERS UNION.

A delegation of the Central Committee o.
the Property Holders Union, called on the
City Council yesterday and through theil
chairman, Mr.. Arch. Mitchell, submitted 8
petition for the relief of taxpayers, which
reads as follows: s.5e.T
To the Hor orable the Mayor and Administrators
of the city of New Orleans: ....
The undersigned delegates to the Central
Committee of the Property Holders Union re-
spectfully submit the following for your con.
sideration, and beg your favorable action
thereon: ss-
1t is needless to dwell upon the distress in
our midst. The fact is as we'll known to you
as to us requiring the most diGgent efforts of
relief committeesin many instances to keep
starvation from the door, These efforts are
extended in some cases to the smaller prop
erty holders, widows and orphans, who have
exhausted themselves and their resources
in meeting exhorbitant taxation in the
past, and who have now no refuge but
despair, as they see taxation exacting and
their property vslueless and unremunerative
upon their hands. All classes of property
holders, whether richer or poorer, find that
their entire energies are expended in saving
their property from the tax gatherer, and
in their attempts to accomplish this
end they are compelled to withdraw
their capital and industry from the
commerce, trades and manufactures which
made the fortunes and happiness of the
indwellers of this State before the evil days
were upon us, and the entire community il
fast dividing upon line which precludes
friendliness of feeling or harmony in action,
as one side swells the advocates of oppression
and the other increases in bitterness and re-
sentiment, as the numbers are added of those
who feel oppressed.
In the interest of the taxpayers of this city,
we beg to suggest the suspension of proceed
ings in tax suits until fall
That an ordinance be passed allowing the
payment of all back taxes entirely in scrip,
and that the taxes of 1876 be made payable
on the most favorable terms to the taxpayer,
by receiving half cash in evidences Of city
debt, including past due interest coupons.
By dividing the tax bills SO that when the
taxpayer is able and willing to pay upon one
piece of property Of the several he may own,
he may receive q clear receipt on the pro-
perty on which he has paid taxes, and by
adopting system which will allow the tax
payer to pay what he is able upon any tax
bill, giving him an ordinary money receipt
for the amount paid and crediting the same
on the face of the tax bill on account OF
which the payment has been made.
Your favorable consideration of these sug-
gestions is earnestly prayed for, and we would
beg to know the result of your deliberations
by the 10Th inst, especially upon the first
suggestion of postponing the law proceedings
until fall.
Your obedient servants, s
ARcH'D MITCHELL,
o. F. Tbeisman, John T. Moore, W. w.
Oarre, Jas. D. Hill, B. Saloy, John H. Wor-
mann, G. E. Girardey, A. Delavigne, Geo.
Schmidt, John G.. Grebe, John Weber, John
Hughes, F. r. Southmayd, G. II. Tebault, M.
D., Joseph O'Brien. A. b. Seger, L. J. Highly,
F. Schiller, Henry Hinohet. ]. A. Morrar.
New Orleaus. June is, 1875.
Mr.. Mitchell said that the delegation was
almost ignorant of the powers of the Council
under existing laws, but if it was possible to
put on them any construction that would re-
lieve the taxpayer, he asked them to put that
on it.
The Mayor stated that the Council would
take the matter under consideration, and
notify the delegation of their conclusions
through the chairman at as early a day as
possible. '-.4ft
After Mr.. Mitchell had expressed, on behalf
Of himself and those with him, the belief and
in the desire Of the Administration
to do all that was possible, the delegation
Withdrew.