New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1876-01-28
MUNICIPAL REFOESMS
The City Debt-Eow It was Created
and How It Must be Met.
Address Delivered by General Leonard
SeWell,
Before the Southern Republican Asso.
citation, Wednesday Evening,
January &c. 1876.

appear before you tonight to deliver
discourse on the financial condition of th
civ of New Orleans. Introductory to m
remarks on the conduct of city affairs an
tempted to look back upon the origin
tais interesting city, tine numerically pr
TIE punctillious Span:ard,- the vivscioui
impuisive Frenchman. and the phlegmati
Saxon all combined in one nationality.
Taking the city all In all it il architec,
urally picturesque and unique, the climst
il enjoyable, society select. and its fai
daughters beautiful and refined.
In 1852, nearly two centuries back, Ii
Sale, in the name Of France, took posses
sion Of this tract of country. but 1T was no
until 1897 that q successful effort was mad'
10 COLOMBO it. A company under the com
macd of Iberville Lemo;ne landed on thu
coast at place which they called Bay st
Louis, and subsequently established thu
headquarters of the Louisiana colony a.
Biloxi, viii b had until then been an Indian
settlement.
Sauvolle Lemoine and Bienville Lemoine
brothers of Ibervllle, were appointed sever
ally the first Governor and Lieutenant Gov
error of the Louisiana colony. These
pioneers have 'lef. their imprints in Oul
midst, for we find their names, as we'll al
others not mentioned here, COMMUNICATED
in our local history as landmarks in various
parishes and districts Of the country.
In I'LL, when the Western Company was
of this colony did not exceed 200 persons. To
this company Louis XIV. granted charter
securing to them for period of twenty-five
years all commercial privileges, and the right
Of selecting their own Governors and ccm-
handing officers. About this time Bienville,
wisely Judging that Biloxi was Ill adapted
for the seat Of government, proceeded to
select . favorable site. and in accordance
with the ideas prevalent at that time, great
cities must be placed inland 60 as to be out
Of the reach of foreign enemy, he chose
for his purpose the spot where this city now
stands.
It is to be lamented that the situation of
our city, not being ut the debouchure of the
river. entails upon our commerce all the
disadvantages of . costly pilotage, heavy
towage charges, additional insurance risks,
and now, to cap the climax, q doubtful jetty
experiment to contend against.
In 1922, when New Orleans became the
seat IF government, it consisted of about
seventy or eighty log huts, and contained
not more than 200 Inhabitants. being quar-
ter O: the population OF the entire colony.
In l762. by q secret treaty, France coded to
Spain part of the province Of Louisiana, in
GLIDING the city Of New Orleans, with all
lis municipal rights; but it was not until
possessed OF Louisiana, which was handed
over to the Spanish commander, O'Reiliy.
At this time the habita:ions il the city had
increased to over 400, with population Of
over 5000, while the population Of the whole
colony numbered 1900. II
During q lapse Of thirty years Louisiana
was governed successfully by seven Span
in 1909 to Salcedo in 1900, in which year
Spain, by treaty, coded Louisiana back to
France. In the early part Of the year 1903
France took possession of the province, but
retained it only for a'few months, for We
fad it WAS given up to the United States,
who took formal possession OF Louisiana in
December, 1903.
The rapid growth of the agricultural and
commercial interests of the country may be
dated from that period; for in the space Of
seventy years the city of New Orleans has
been secured from inundatien by an expen-
give system of grand levees, the habitations
have improved from log huts and quaint
Moorish buildings to palatlal residences.
and the city has extended to miles of
streets, while the few thousand Inhabitants
have increased to upwards OF 100000.
It is, however, q notable fact that the
progress of the rural districts has not kept
pace with the advance OF the city. The
agricultural interests were formerly de-
pendent on peculiar class Of labor, which
with other causes needless to mention here,
have combined to prevent the increase of
the population in the rural districts. Hence,
it lie that while New Orleans has 200, 600
Inhabitants, the entire population Of the
State does not reach 900, 900; if you deduct
from this number the population of the
towns and people engaged in trade. you
will find how small q portion of the popula-
ton is devoted to agricultural pursuits. and
how much has yet to be done before the
resources Of the State are fully developed.
A second issue of consolidated city notes,
amounting to 81 SOC, 600, for the purpose Of
retiring municipal bonds to the same
amount; but it is well authenticated, that
neither the old city notes, nor the munich.
pal bonds were destroyed. There il NO
legal attestation, such as is usual, proving
the fact that these notes and municipal
bonds were destroyed; the only evidence
that can be found in this matter consists
simply of some letters from the secretary
of the finance committee, notifying the
treasurer of the Council that the notes were
destroyed.
extent these irregular proceedings were
carried, and from the second Monroe ad-