The New Orleans Democrat., 1876-05-09
City WRterWOrks.

MI. BeTtOI, lue huIHihiStIdtoi VI
Waterworks, has force Of twenty men
eroployed in removing the deposit in the
Water rworks reservoir on Tchoupitoulas
street. The accumulation Of river sedi-
ment In three years amounts TO about
two-thirds of the entire depth OF the
reservoir, in some places measuring
nearly eight feet The removal Of this
deposit was being made through q
36-inch pipe leading back into the river.
but it is now proposed to use it for street
filling purposes, at an economy OF
twenty five cents q cart load, which the
city is now paying for river sand.
Buying out the Drainage Contract.
The proposition Of the Mexican Gulf
Ship Canal and Drainage Company, to
amicably settle with the city in the mat
ter Of the stupendous and equivocal
scheme Of the company to drain the
city, IS in progress Of consideration by
the City Administrators. Mr.. Hardee,
the City Surveyor. to whom the appraise-
ment Of the property Of the company.
consisting Of dredgeboats, tools. etc.
has completed his task, and the whole
matter may be expected to be settled
soon. The price asked for by the con-
tractors, represented by Mr.. Van Ordeu,
is between 300, 900 or S800,OOO, payable
in drainage ponds.
A sailor Falls Overheard from the ship
Memphis and Is Drowned.
About nine o'clock, last night, Mr..
Jas Prtchard, boatswain OF the steam
ship Memphis, lying at her wharf, head
OF Jackson street. accidentally fell over
board from the gangway on the star
board side OF the vessel and was
drowned The supposition is that in
falling he struck a pile and was killed
iiniStanter, rs he sank Immediately. The
body has not been recovered.
nescuca from n watcry Grave, but BN-
pircs shortly Afterwards.
About quarter past two o'clock last
evening. Charles richards met his fate
by drowning in the Old Ba5in, at the in
tersection Of JohnSW street. It aps
pears that Richards whs playing with il
companion on board u schooner, and
while playing near the edge Of the craft
fell ovcfhoIrG He stayed u.ftler water
fully ter minutes when the Nlarm was
given and he was re eeued alive, but un
con-. .ious Ee was taken to his honre,
at the corner Of johnson and ST. Louis
streets, where rs expired shortly after
arriving.
Mawkins Successor.
Hawkins is not yet IN his grave, but
several successors afe already named
for his place. The most prominent is
T. Morris Chester, who, VI is even said,
has already been commissioned.
The whisky Case,
In the Fehrenbach case six jurors had
been empanneled at one o'clock to-day.
United states Circutt Court.
In the case Of the United States ex
rel. vs.. Peterson vs.. the city Of New
Orleans, and others VS.. the same, Pc
titioners prayed for a writ Of mandamus
to compel the city to satisfy certain
judgments in previous. cases where GER
tain past due bonds had been sued upon;
also for a similar writ to show cause
why the city should not levy tax to
meet the judgments, there being no
property, petitioners alleged, upon
which they could levy upon. The writs
were refused by Judge Billings, on the
ground that the court had no authority
to order the levy Of a tax, unless it be in
accordance with the provisions OF a law
which makes it the duty Of the Council
toilevy such tax.
The Celebrated Halpin succession.
Judge Tissot, yesterday, in a lengthy
and elaborate opinion. decided this case,
wherein Ann Dalton claimed to be the
wife of the late Patrick Halpin, and her
child, Jennie, his legitimate heir. The
marriage was said to have been realized,
after many years of concubinage, in the
beginning Of June, 1867. Defendants,
the collateral heirs, pleaded that the
marriage certificate was forgery, and
that she was not even his concubine.
| Judge Tissot decided adversely to her
claim, on the ground that plaintiff, after
he death OF Halpin, applied to the court