The New Orleans Democrat., 1876-05-02
THE WHARF LEASE.
Meeting OF the Bondholdcrs Who Own
the Bonds

Editor Democrat-As citizen inter
ested in the welfare of New Orleans. and
speaking from the standpoint of some
little acquaintance with the subject, ]
wish to say that ! am gratified ut the
stand Won have taken in this matter Of
the wharf lease It Is humiiating
spectacle that Of the four English
dailies in this city purporting to he de
voted to the people, yours Is the only
one that is not either actively or tacitly
in favor of the moDstrous proposition
Just made by the wharf lessees to tho
City Council Such is the fact, however.
and to YOU the people must look, in this
matter at least, for protection and fidel-
ity
About year ago, when the question
Of the lease was first agitated, the on
ponents thereto were many and enthu
siastic. The Bulletin and the PicdvHne,
especially, protested loudly that the
idea was outrageous-as indeed, it was
and for time they almost arrested
the contamination Of the job. But the
Bulletin fell one morning. After being
quite positive, and urging the simple
and unanswerable reasons.that must oc-
eur to all wcll-meaning citizens, the
Bulletin, one bright and balmy morn
ing paused and considered.
The effect was that the contractors
lost an enemy and gained n friend-a
| friend, too 50 fervent, 40 active, so indie
fatigable. that one might reasonably
suppose it WAS endeavoring to atone for
past opposition by frantic md uneeas-
ing advocacy in the present. There
/ were other ardent opponents Of the pro
posed lense. notably Administrator
| Burke For some time Major Burke
was u marvel of strategy He fought
the lease in Council and in com
mittee; he delayed IT by tricks
speeches and brstled with statistics
But about the date OF the Bulletins
conversion. II was observed that Major
Burke changed from q violent partisan
into calm and pensive philosopher.
He cultivated n profound respect for the
inevitable, and. in fact, was shortly
aftcrward on terms of truly Christian
fellowship with the amiable spectators
who craved the city wharves and bis
richest slice of patronage.
SO. one by one. these giants fell, and
finally the wharf lease was left with
but ono adversary PicnVtne
which situation having been IF
fected, the lease went into ac-
tive operation amidst the plaudits
of the henchmen, and tho suave pro-
phecies Of tho innarruptihle press. We
heard the reasons then. These unselfsh
gentlemen tho lcssees-- were cXper |
euccd wharf builders; they knew all
about it, they had been in the business
all their lives and could do the work
better and more cheaply than the city
10y many, many per cent. They under
stood the subject in all its details they
were responsible men, prominent cit- |
zcns. / am not sure but the Bulletin
said genial and accomplished and,
altogether, there never was rs good and
wise, and patriotic thing as
this selling of the wharves of
New Orleans to a firm Of
spectators. The city wouldn't have
any more trouble now. It's sufrerings
were over. The lessees were going to
build the wharves and pay off the
bonded wharf debt, and, generally, help
the city out of its difficulties. The !
Picdy,u,s insisted that the city ought
not to put its commerce at the mercy of
a private business corporation for
term Of five years. and protested that if
these people could make such lease
profitable, the city ought to be able to |
do equally well. There were the talented |
Administrators, elected at great expense
to serve the people. and paid lib |
eraI salaries to attend To their |
duties. Why should they be denied
the privilege OF serving their beloved |
city, and airing, as II were, their vast |
abilities? All this availed nothing The |
wharf lessees Were the only persons ex-
taDt who really understood the business.
and as it would be such relief To the |
city to get rid of the matter, with all its
annoyances and complications, and as
these unseltsl gentlemen were kind
enough to offer their services. the thing
positively must be done.
And SO il was. The lessees took pos
session. did some work, collected all the
wharfage, and now, after years time,
come before the City Council with the
modest request that they be relieved
Of some of the more disagreeable
and troublesome features OF the
contract, given two additional years
in fact, presented with some
hundreds Of thousands Of dollars by
the tax payers Of New Orleans. Instead
OF this extraordinary proposition being
promptly rejected by the Council, and
Indignantly denounced by the press, we
have the spectacle of the Mayor sum
moning a meeting OF the wharf bond
holders to consider the subject, and the
spectacle OF the outspoken and fearless
press alluding TO these leSseeS as gentle
men who deserve great tenderness of
and the most sym pathetic Of
consideration.
The Bulletin, indeed has demon
strated tby its own tigures) that the
is mathematically vrtu
Gus, and we are daily expect
ing its enun riation Of the theory
that 1t Is morally obligatory on the
Council to accept. The Times is evi-
IDENTIFY in favor of the plan, and the
Picdyane, after one feeble little throe-
recalling its vigorous and uncompro-
missing course last suggests that,
IL the bondholders are willing, it might
not be such "A bad arrangement after all.
The bondholders! Significant term,
The Picdytne thinks it ought to be left
to the bondholders, whom the Mayor
has summoned to meet him in consuita-
ton. Fortunately, there are many
who know or conjecture the identity of !
these bondhOlders, that they are prin-
cipally the lessoes themselves, and when ,
the Mayors meeting takes place, he
and is constituency will find that he is {
II jicn ciy,sv vvrith O., |