The New Orleans bulletin. [volume] (New Orleans [La.]) 1874-1876, 1875-07-01
n. A. Burke's Remarks to Council on the
Water. Works Ordinance.

H. A. Burke'S Remarks TO Council on III
Water. Works Ordinance.
Mr.. Ctairman-I am surprised that any Al
ministrator should assert in this Council tbs
no facts, figures or statements would Undue
the Administrators to change their opinion
concerning this ordinance The fact that
have co-operated with the committee in pr,
pairing the ordinance is certainly no refectio
upon me while am opposed to it, yet so ia
rs the preparation of the ordinance is cor
cerned, or any other ordinance that ma
come before this Council, 1 shall always us
my best endeavors to make it protect the In
terests Of the people as far as possible, whethe
/ favor it or not. There are great man.
considerations presented to the mind of al
Adu illustrator with regard to proposition
like this, that are separate and distinct from
the consideration that he would give to tn,
framing of the ordinance itself
Now one objection that l have to the pas
sage of this ordinance is this: there has beer
yery wide divergence Of opinion in th'
minis OF the people OF this community, con.
eerning their legal and equitable liability fol
certain bonds and obligations that have beer
put forth bypast administrations. 1t is proposed
by this lease to absolutely cure, to the extent
OF three or four million dollars any legal de-
feet that may exist with regard to these
bonds. There are large amount of bonds
and obligations that have been issued by the
representatives Of this city government, which,
If not absolutely void upon their face, moth
ing but equitable considerations would re.
guire them to be paid by the people.
BY the passage of this ordinance or by the
acceptance Of these bids, you take all obliga-
tons of every character. and you put it out
of the power of the people, to make any in
vestigations that will show the frauds or the
Ia I'D 80 h. -
these bonds and obligations.
There has been a demand by the people of
this community for an investigation Of the
means by which the existing burden Of debt
was put upon them. When the burden was
equitable and just they never failed to pro-
vide for the interest, and never failed to show
. disposition to come forward and provide for
their obligations. What is the reason now
that there is this intense feeling against the
bonded debt of the city? 1t is because the
people have reason to believe that large por-
lion of these bonds were improvidently is-
sued, and that they should be dealt with only
on equitable terms.
take the wharf bonds land it is one of my
objections to the passage of the ordinance
providing for their lease), and do not be-
heve there is anything but On equitable liza
bility upon the part of the city. The Su-
preme Court has decided time and time
again. that municipal corporation can not
issue bonds, without fhe authority of the
Legislature, and there was no sanction for
the issue of these wharf bonds but we find
$l,042, 900 issued within the past four years
and nine months, and we also find $p76, 900
spent in cash ostensibly for the wharves, the
whole cost of which should not exceed $780,
900 to $500. 600.
There has, then, either been fraud or great
improvidenee upon the part of the agents Of
the people, and you take the wharf bonds and
the drainage bonds, $l,620,000 have been
issued to do the work that could have been
performed for $450,000.
You take in every obligation that is out
standing against the city without giving the
people any opportunity to investigate it and
have the rights judicially tried; you cure all
these defects in the lease of the Water Works
and the wharves; you turn over all the most
valuable franchises into the hands of the
bondholders, and it is extremely doubtful to
me If you will ever gain the benefits you are
booking for.
know. in these times, when the weight Of
the debt is so heavy upon the people, we are
willing to do almost anything to save the |
ship from going down; yet / believe this-I |
believe the Administrators will rue the day |
when they put out OF the hands of the people |
their valuable franchises, and that the day |
will come when the people OF this community |
will say to the Administrators of this govern
ment: We knew of the existence of the debt
when we put you into office; we knew Of the
onerous and burdensome laws that embarrass
as; we knew that it was out of your power to
remove the volume of debt; We knew that it
was out of your power to change the legisla-
ion and do away with those laws that embar-
'ass you; but we put you into office repre-
Ienting the interests of the people, expecting
It your hands an honest, efficient and an Geo.
aomical administration OF the powers of local
we placed in your hands certain
interests to administer for the good of the peo-
pie.
We put the Administrator of improvements
md the Administrator of Commerce into power
o administrate the markets, and the wharves |
md the commerce of the city. We put the /,
administrator of Water Works into power to
dministrate the Water Works of the city, and
ghen you come to give an account of your
stewardship, when you find, as you will, that
on have placed out of the hands of the peo-
'le and into the hands of corporations !
hose valuable franchises which should be +
sed for the good and the interest of the peo-
lie, and you have cured by your actions the :
legal acts of your predecessors in office, the
eople will condemn your action.
/ believe it is to the interest of the people :
nd the policy of this Board of Administra-
,rs to continue the execution of the func- 4.
ons that have been placed in their hands. 1
elieve that the people of this community do
OF expect and that it is not the wish of the J
lajority, that these valuable franchises which
feet the veal of the whole community,
Mould be placed in the hands of bond d
olders, contractors and others, who will
srtainly not have in view the interests of I
le people at large, but administer them for
leir own profit. :,
1t will pay to buy your coffee, parched or II
found, at the Tea Depot, Camp street.
Buy your carriages, buggies and baby
agons of l.. T. Maddux, 35 Carondelet street.