The Ouachita telegraph. [volume] (Monroe, La.) 1865-1889, 1877-11-30
FREE FERRY AT MONROE.
MONROE, La, Nov. ", 1877


). "a MONROE, La, Nov. ~, 1877.
Editor 1tkeyM1A: #l M
In your issue of the 21st there is y
lengthy Communication from Trenton
in reference to the Monroe Board Of
Trade and free ferry ut Monroe,
wherein the Board Of Trade is placed
in an improper light and tho question,
-ofa free fesry is stated as entirely selfish
with Monroe and to the disadvantage
Of the citizens of the parish.
First-It ia alleged that the city ot
Monroe is exempt from parish taxes,
except u very small part Of the criminal
expenses. That Ia erroneous. The city
Of Monroe pays one-fourth of the ex-
penses of the parish Of Ouachita, be-
sides all her own criminal expenses, as
well as three-1ourths of the expenses for
the maintenance of paupers Of the par
ish, which, If the city Of Monroe should
pay parish taxes, would both have to
be paid by the whole parish, and swell
the expenses Of the parish considerably;
80 1t may be estimated that the city oi
Monroe actually pays two-fifths of the
expenses OF the parish of Ouachita.
SecOnd-The .sscheme'' or tssubter-
fuge" alluded to consists In freeing all
the citizens of the parish alike from
paying ferrlage to Monroe, asking the
parish to donate $500, while the city OF
Monroe assumes to run the ferry, which
will cost about 5000. Are her citizens
not also citizens of this parish?
Third-Has the correspondent the
right and assurance to tax One-fOurtl,
Of the citizens of Ouachita parish, be-
cause they live ON the west bank of the
river, to pay for the benefit of those
living on the east bank, to come to the
parish seat where all the legal business
must he transacted? We think not !;
1t Is unjust, AS the property on the west
bank il taxed at the same pro rata as
that on the east bank. i',aas9
/ FOurth-To come to the great injus-
tice of the Police Jury of giving the,
ferry free, let us look at its cost: The.
parish taxes last year amounted t.
l2,O77, of which $500 is the fifteenth,
part, the west bank citizens paying
one-fOurth of it, leaving only little
over one mill on the citizens of the east
bank to pay. Now there are but few
citizens ON the west bank who during
tho year will not Cross the Monroe
ferry once or more free, and this will
re-imb urse them for the small increase.
which might occur in taxes. The citi-
zens of Trenton would have largely
the advantage over all others, her mer-
chants, citizens and their patrons rails
ing on tho east bank between l 900 and
200 bales Of cotton, which under the
free ferry system will have free crossing
to the Trenton market. N.
"a.
largely in the communications. What
does it amount to? The bridge has
time aud again been leased for a Ger
and ut the time Of the lease has been
allowed for paying for repairs, the
actual benefit to the parish being the
paying of the printers fee for aivertis.
ing in the end. If any one would as
sumo the bridge from the parish ot
Ouachita uptler the same terms the
citizens Of Monroe are willing to do
with her ferry, 1 think it would be
granted without II dissenting voice.
Sixth-It would be a great benefit il
the Trenton correspondent or the Police
Jury would have u correct statement
made of each ferry aud toll bridge in
the parish from 1865 to 1877, and show
what the actual receipts Of each has
been, giving at the same time the cost
of collection, and the amount actually
received after deducting all cost for
each and collectively ON all; then and
then only could a correct estimate OF
the terrible sacrifice we ask the Police
Jury to make be estimated.
Seventh-We further ask the Police
Jury Of Ouaci,ita to donate, lease or
sell all the ferries and toll bridges in
her territory under the same terms and
conditions the citizens of Monroe are
willing to take hers. CITIZEN.
FROM TRENTON.