The New Orleans bulletin. [volume] (New Orleans [La.]) 1874-1876, 1876-02-06

for work That would not have cost over 81 800 O0t
if the work had been let by contract to the low
est bidder and had been paid for in cash.
The vast amount OF drainage warrants which
are being issued, largely in excess of the collec.
tion of the drainage taxer, must certainly de-
preciate their value, ana whilst this depreciation
may not exceed the enormous margin between a
fair cash price for work and the prices stipulated
in act 3d. yet the ultimate result to the taxpayer
is the same.
The property of the city is ultimately forced to
pay thrice as much as the work is worth,
although the transferee may not realize such a
profit
Under the law vast protection levee along the
lake shore is provided for. The transferee is
demanding lines and levels for the work.
A work of such magnitude is not required, and
il this work should be continued as directed by
existing laws, and the collection Of drainage
taxes should be enforced for warrants fssued for
work to be done during this year, the exaction
would equal three-quarters of one per cent taxa
tiOn on the entire real and personal property Of
this city.
We respectfully ask at your hands such legis-
latiOn will place this work under control OF the
city government in order that the work may be
limited to present exigencies and the cOst there
of be reduced to q legitimate amount.
COURT EXPENSES.
Under this head the expenses for the year 1879
have been:
For maintenance of prisoners, Parish
Prison. .................... s94. 1888 80
Court fees-Superior Criminal and
First District Courts. .... 2s,732 so
Sl23,566 10
Superior Criminal Court
Salary and expenses. SIT ,938 ~
Clerks fees. ............. 21,0l9 Al 1887 ST
First District Court-Clerk's fees Is, 499 rs
haperior District Court-Cierk's costs
in tax SUITE. 23 ,lOO w
Municipal Court exoenses.. ....... 1882 76
All Of the above expenses are regulated by
Legislative enactments, and we earnestly urge
such action will best enable the city to reduce
taxation for these purposes.
The criminal sheriff has repeatedly assured the
administrators OF his Willingness to reduce the
expense OF maintaining prisoners If the LegisIa-
ture will afford the city such general relief will
enable the city to pay cash; he asserts that the
exactions for other purposes fixed by legislative
enactments has heretofore imposed rates of tax
alton that has re dertd the collection Of the tax
uncertain, causing delays in payment and forcing
him to make sacrifices In order to procure funds
to advance for provisions and expenses:
The amount due criminal sheriff, account
1874, 500, 900 amount due criminal sheriff, ac
count 1875, s50,0u0.
The civil sheriffs costs in tax suits are not
advanced by the city as in the case OF clerks fees,
but are collected from defendants, and we there
fore have no record of the amount at the City
Hall his regular fee is one dollar upon each
writ, two per cent commission on tax ana interest
upon sums OF five hundred dollars or lees, and
one per cent upon sums over five hundred dollars
This city is required to maintain seven NUM-
pal or police courts, including the til and
seventh Justices at cost of ov $4,000 per
year, when one or two courts would transact all
the business.
The city of Cincinnati, with & larger population
than New Orleans requires but one police court,
and the cost of the same does not exceed the
amount which the city OF New Orleans is forced
t. pay for each one of her courts.
CITY INSANE ASYLUM.
This institution contains one hundred and
thn topf
SIS. OOU.
Notwithstanding the fact that the city of New
Orleans pays nearly two. thirds OF the expenses of
the State Asylum at jackson, it is impossible TO
procure admission for any of these patients in
said asylum. Only one-half Of the present in
mates OF the City Asylum are from the city of
New Orleans. Provision should be made for these
unfoi tunates IN the State Asylum, or the State
should repay the amount dsbursed for their sup
port.
DISTRACTIONS TO BATTURE AND STREETS
For several years past the right of the inhabi-
tants of the FIRST Distrcs to free ingress and
egress to and from the levee, has been outraged
by railroad corporations, who have closed to the
public all the Streets leading to the levee, from
1iirod to Calope, distance Of 1888 feet, except
Julia street. Valuable batture property and
wharf room has been seized upon and spilled to
railroad purposes, without compensation to the
city, under color of legislative authority. The
courts have been appealed to IN vain for redress,
and we now ask for such legislation as will best
protect the city from these wrongs.
SMALLPOX HOSPITAL
Act No 60 of 1872, designates Luzanburg Hos
pital, DR.. Hayes, proprietor, as the pest-house
for small poX patients.
The city contested the act until June 81, 1875.
when the Supreme Court affirmed it, whera upon
the city discontinued the city small pox hospital
and turned the patients over to DR.. Hayes. The
average cost of each patient, under the law
which gives DR.. Hayes charge, is $6O each, say.
an average OF each case, twenty days, at 50 per
day. The average cost of same under treatment
Of city physician, 1874 S25 per case, although
Ill supplies were then purchased upon the basis
Of the deprecated city credit. The average cost
IF each smallpox patient in the City Hospital
from January j. 1875, to June So 1875, was SIT 70
each including salary Of city physician, rent and
supplies.
ASSESSMENT.
BY act No. -, 1875, the assessment OF real ana