The New Orleans daily Democrat. [volume] (New Orleans, La.) 1877-1880, 1877-11-22
THE STREET BRIDGES.
Tine Admlnistr atOr Of improvements Or
ders them to be Repaired.

The Admlnistr at0r of improvements Orr
ders them to he Repaired.
Yesterday Administrator McCaffrey issued
orders 10 the city contractors TO have all the
bridges along the street railroad lines repaired
From Mr.. Robt. BARLEY, the general superin.
tendent Of several Of these contractors, we learn
that II s understood that the city is TO pay for the
work 70 be done, without regard to the oblga.
tions Of the street railroad companies, which are
10 be considered ut future day.
From this action IL would appear that Mr.. Mo
Caffrey has decided that the rights and conve-
nience OF the public in general and OF the COM
mercial portion Of the community in particular
SHALL NO LONGER SUFFER-
from The misunderstanding between the city and
the railroad companies.
It also indicates a lively conflict in the future
between the city and these street railroad
companies. On the one hand, the street CON-
tractors claim that they were enabled to under
take their contracts, relating TO street bridges
and crossings, at the low prices paid for them on
the strength OF the contracts between the city
and the railroad companies; and this applies
moro particularly to the Crescent City Railroad
Companys contract, that portion OF which at
issue will bear repeating here. Originally the
privilege Of the Crescent City Railroad Company
TO run their lines along Tchoupitouas and New
Levee streets TO Louisiana Avenue was granted
on condition that they should keep the bridges
and street crossings along their line In repair
during the term Of their charter. About two
years ago the Crescent City Railroad Company
offered to extend their line up to Carrollton, pro-
vided the city should relieve them of this bridge
repairing, the extension to be completed within
two years--expiring on the LIST Of October last
Tho railroad company having
FAILED TO ccSpLf
with their Obligations the city claims that they
are in default The street contractors say that
they made their estimates couple of months
prior to the expiration of the contract between
the city and the Crescent City Railroad Com
pany, with the satisfaction that IL was q matter
OF almost physical impossibility for the railroad
company TO extend their line to Oerrolltun be-
fore they lthe street contradictory could tske
charge Of the streets, and hence with the salts
faction also that the city would require the rail-
road company to repair the bridges along their
tracks. But our city administrators
ARE NOT UNANIMOUS
ID the proposition Of making the Crescent City
Railroad Company responsible for the damage
done, and Administrator Cavanac says that there
are nice points Of law involved in the question,
which was the cause Of his moving reference
Of the matter to the City Attorney when it came
mp on the suggestion Of Administrator McCaffrey
at the last meeting of the Council. One OF the
points which tits commended lies against the street
contractors 10 that the city, during tho two years
intervening between the signing Of the contract
relating to the extension OF the Crescent City
railroad tracks TO Oarfoiiton ana the termlnA-
ton OF the privilege on the 1st Of October last,
has done all the repairing needed to the
bridges along the line Of the street railroad;
hence the street contractors. having now taken
che lien and stead OF the city, are bound to re-
pair the bridges.
Where the obligations OF the Crescent City
Railroad Company come in, however, is not
stated. In fact the matter is assuming COM
plexion which might be likened to the trans
parency of blue clay, aud 1t will doubtless re-
quire few more days to clear 1t up 80 that even
q iynx-eyed reporter can see through it.