The New Orleans daily Democrat. [volume] (New Orleans, La.) 1877-1880, 1879-11-12
AN ASSESSMENT CASE.

| An interesting petition has Just been pre-
sented to the City Council and to Attorney
, General Ogden by u Mr.. John M. Beath 6
practical builder of Ice manufacturing ma
, chimes, who has recently come to Louisana
under somewhat peculiar circumstances 1t
appears that, some few years ago. an Ice fac.
tory was established, at the corner of Delord
and Constance streets, by corporation
known as the IN A. Ice Company" The
company erected the buildings and placed
therein the machinery supposed to be neces.
sary, and entered into the business of manu-
featuring Ice upon q large scale. After prac-
ttcal test, however. 1t was discovered that the
machinery would not accomplish the results
expected. and that In u word the venture
was d failure. From that time to the pres
ent. with perhaps the exception of a few I'M
avaling efforts to remedy the fatal defect,
the factory has remained idle. the buildings
suffering by neglect and disuse and the prop
erty generally deteriorating. Quite recently
| the company effected an arrangement with
MIR. Baath, who as we have already stated
ID a practical builder of ice machinery. Their
means had been exhausted In the unfortunate
venture, and they were at the end of their re-
sources. Tho arrangement with Mr. Beath
contemplated the reconstruction of the ma
ohlnery upon an effective working basis and
its adaptation to the purpose for which 1t
was originally designed.
With the details OF this arrangement the
public have little or nothing to do further
than this; the usefulness Of the establish
ment depends entirely upon Mr.. Beath.s
ability 10 remodel the now worthless ma
chinery In the n. A. Co.'S factory. and his
undertaking the work is conditional upon
their paying up all liabilities AMI piaciug TIT
property On q footing of absolute freedom
from debt But herein lies the gist of the
matter. Mr. Beath finds that the property
has been assessed upon valuations ranging
from $4,000 to S125.oOO, and that the resultant
taxes with penalties have been accommodating
since 1876 until they now aggregate the enor-
nous sum of $4,000. This sum the company
are unable to pay and Mr.. Beath could hardly
be expected to disburse, oven II he were In d
position 70 do SO without crppling himself.
Still, the $4,000 Is due or, at least, claimed bv
the city and State and, pending the settle
ment OF that claim. the enterprise remains In
suspense. Ii the city and State insist upon
their demands for tribute of $4,000 from this |
worthless property which. instead of possess
sing q value, represents loss of at least
$4,000, then manufacturing venture will be |
suppressed and business and industry will to /
that extent be discouraged.
II would scarcely be an excessive request
In the company to ask for remission of
taxes altogether under the circumstances.
the property being absolutely useless In
Its present condition. Mr.. Beath, however.
does not ask this. He is willing to have
the property assessed at O fair valua-
ton, to be fixed by appraisement-in view
OF the contemplated rehabilitation OF
the factOry-and proposes to guarantee the
payment OF the tax upon that basis provided
he be granted one years time in which to
make the payment. IL he obtains this con
cesston ne will at once enter upon his work
and put the factory into shape to do a bust
ness OF ten thousand tons of Ice per annum,
thus adding largely to an important trade,
contributing handsomely to our local indus
tries, creating new fields for our Iaboring
population and increasing the aggregate OF
our taxable property. If not he will aban-
don the undertaking and leave the State and
city TO get their money out of the worthless
wreck Of the N. A. Ice Company. It seems
% Us That this Is case into which 1t will pay
5he public to have an inquiry made by the
authorities. We shall hardly make an ausni- I
''ous start at Industrial development by !
'nafi1ng out feeble and helpless enterprise. (