The New Orleans bulletin. [volume] (New Orleans [La.]) 1874-1876, 1875-09-05

Report of the Executive Committee
Property Holders Union.

The following is the report of the Executive
Committee Property Holders Union of what
transpired at the meetings between the city au-
thorities and the committee relative to the drain
age tax.
Having published the remarks of Major Burke
on the same subject, we give the report in full.
(Copy.]
NEW ORLEANS, Aug. "a, 1875.
Central Executive Council Property Holders
Union:
Gentlemen - Your Executive Committee, to
whom was referred the special report OF the
Drainage Committee" with instructions to
before that body. beg to report as follows
We visited the City Hall on last Wednesday
with reference to this mission, and finding the
administrators assembled in the Mayors parlor,
requested an interview which was promptly
granted. The above mentioned report was read
before them and handed to the Mayor for more
careful consideration. We were informed in re-
sponse that it was their deliberate opinion grow
ing out Of the advice Of their attorneys, that it
was impossible for them to afford us any relief in
thority of legal gentlemen of high standing in
this community, that the present Administrator
had the power to arrest all further work at once
on the part Of the Drainage Company, and we
urged that this relief was of immediate neces-
sity. The Council, however, held to their views,
and referred us for further information on this
subject to their attorneys.
Upon further consideration of this matter of
drainage, the Council admitted that the digging
of . canal on Nashville Avenue was simply CD
tional with them; that if a canal were excavated
here, the city would be compelled to have the
work done by the Drainage Company, because
the city did not possess the means to carry
through the work herself. We were satisfied
with the answer that the work was optional and
not obligatory on the part of the city.
We next proceeded to place before the Council
a few facts with which they were not acquainted.
First in order, we informe them that the dredge-
boats had been, and were now, invading private
property and private rights without due process
OF law, and instanced the work on Peoples Ave-
nue.. which has been going on for upwards of a
year. This fact surprised the Administrators,
inasmueh as they had informed us that they had
been watching for just such an opportunty, i. e.,
they might enjoin this company.
Referring to ordinance No. 2128, passed May
18th. 1873 making the drainage tax in the Fourth
Drainage District payable in ten annual INSTALL
ments, We requested to know if this were the
governing law in the matter, and were answered
that it was. Questioning further on this point,
we asked if fl. fas. could be issued for the total
amount OF this tax, and were answered emphat-
ically, No.
Pointing to the plans Of the projected works,
we observed that by comparison Of the work
already accomplished with that remaining to be
performed, it would seem to us that the funds
provided for drainage purposes would be ex-
hausted before the Fourth Drainage District
could be reached, and upon close examination
into this point, it was unanimously conceded that
the whole fund in question would be expended
before the dredge boats could arrive at the
Fourth Drainage District.
We then insisted that it would be wrong, and
in every sense unjust, to collect tax in this dis
stances, and by their own admissions, could not
be performed, because tax would thus be ex-
acted without possible benefit. We informed
the Administrators that were it possible to push
Peoples Canal into the Fourth Drainage District
it would prove an absolute detriment because q
portion OF that district is lower than the lake
level, and the opening OF this canal would result
in flooding it with the lake water, unless flood
gates and draining machine were provided i'm
upon the completion Of this work.
We next brought TO our assistance the follow
ing array of figures and facts, which are con-
densed from the drainage report, not yet offered
by the committee charged with that subjecs:
The estimated cost in 1872, for drain
ing the four drainage districts Of
this CITY, was. ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS. 81, 393, ST. So
In 1875 the Administrator OF I'm
provements stated in his report
that, although not one-half OF this
work had been done, the city had
paid out. .............. :.......... 1,792.s75 70
1875-This sum was disbursed as
ollows:
Bonds for excavating prior to De-
cember 1s 1874. ................ ,498 671 90
Bonds issued Tor revetments. ...... $1,000 90
Warrants for excavations from De-
cember LIST, 1874, to June Both, 1875 242, 2O3 81
Total :.....:. go. 81, 792,s75 ~
Amount OF projected works for
which lines have been given. .... 1873, 90 90
Total ................. 50, SOS, 1915 70
The figures represent the cost OF the main
annals alone. A low estimate of the necessary
machines and minor works will make these cost.
it OF 50, ssS 10. We next offered for the con-