The New Orleans daily Democrat. [volume] (New Orleans, La.) 1877-1880, 1879-01-17

MERGE
ADMINISTRATOR Bshan, In his turn spoke at
dray men. be said that he had had very little
opportunity to apply the remedy. Incidentally
he said that there was In this city an orga AMI
cent for the Improvement OF the streets and q
roads. As to access TO the levee. three plank
portion Of them gratuitously by Messrs. Eager.
Ellermann Co.. the wharf lessees. IN the m
terest of commeree besides ON o.,
| Houston was having plank road iaid on VI oss.
would be begun on Monday They were going
he s money me at their command would permit.
| The cause of the present complalntS ne hs.
crlbed as almost entirely due 70 the recent
weather during which any attempt at repair
| Ing was futile. for as fast as the ballast was
| THROWN into the ruts and holes i would sink out
sg b eS selves 1--WE The ri then
| referred to several important points along the
evee that had been repaired TO that extent hat
| ballast was now getting scarce. He closed by
| sayi ing that he was determined to do everything
| In his power to assist commerce.
| Capt Harris here told the city officials that
| as he had already said before. the delegation
had not come to The Hall for the purpose OF die
| tatng to them. but to ascertain whether they
| needed relief In the shape OF advances OF
money. OF devising means to correct the cOndi-
ton Of affairs. III you need money. ask u.s."
| he said.
Administrator Houston now took the floor to
say that there was only certain amount of
money to be collected for ali purposes Of the
city government. All portions Of the city are In
The streets and cutters the drainage. the
| levees, ditebing. the removal Of garbage, and
everything appertaining to bis department had
to be attended to with only 5000 600 year. And
the gentlemen Of the delegation were aware
y o was n bs ., a had
demic. The, gentlemen ask II Temporary re,
pairss could not be made. All that could
practically be made were made or being made.
but the city did not have money enough to do
all that II was necessary should be done All
the trouble and delay was due to the rainy
effects for forty years. When he came into
olflce there was not q dollar to purchase articles
Of the most immediate necessity The present
condition of the streets and landings was partly
due to neglect during the previous admfnistra-
ton.
II any work had been done last year. the con-
dition would not be what it is now. If the Cot
ton Exchange should advance money to the
budget for the law authorized the Admins
traitor OF Improvements to spend monthly only
onetweith OF his total appropriation. 100000.
Ii everything were spent ON the levee there
would be nothing TO take care Of the city back
Of Tchoupitoulas street. He had already spent
In two months $4,000 on the levee, $500, Of
which on the cotton landing alone. Mr..
Houston. now, referring to the fneum-
branees on the levee. spoke Of those
would he ruined If they were compelled
to send their consignments to warehouses,
whilst the steamboatmen on their, side com.
piained that they were not afforded sufficient
landing facilities. Complaints also came from
all parts If the city upon various subjeeta, but
the city has not the money TO atteh 70 every
thing as perfectly as II could be wished He
then asked why the clamorous dr8ymen's asso-
citation did not come up like all other draymen
Mr.. Burdeau repled that the supreme Court
had decided that they should not pay the licenses
imposed upon them; that it was illegal and
Administrator Houston answered: NO. sir.
beg your pardon. The Supreme Court has
decided that 1t was illegal and unconstitutional
license vehicle
owe license on your calling, which j. i one
d9srs WY do You mot
1t. but we are unwilling TO pay the license of
two years ago. which was thirty dollars on each
Capt. Miller took occasion to say that ballast
should not be scarce here for the ships that
come here In ballast are throwing 1t overheard
at East Bay.
Administrators Houston here limited at the
machinations Of spectators in ballast.
Capt Aiken; after speaking OF the disadvan,
tages encountered by comm rec recently and
OF the amount Of wharfage paid by the shipping.
asked why it was that the wharfage dues were
Mayor Patton explained that the city had no
control OF the wharf dues, q very large portion
OF which tIs " went to paying ne wharf bonds
elusive franchises given to the Sugar Shed
Companyby previous Legislatures and the ina
process of law. This was said In answer to
questions of Capt. Kirk. The Administrator
added that the city officials had been working
engaged with the City Surveyor In surveying
the river front to discover. who was and who
was. not entitled to riparian rights. and to es
tabish the line of sixty feet reserved by law tor
commercial purposes.
Mayor Patton took. the floor to say that the
administration had for some time been en-
gagged in preparing bills. for the action of the
legislature to remedy many OF the evils com
planned OF, and which the city could not apply
Capt. Harris wanted to know whether should
the Cotton Exchange advance money to the city
II would be applied exclusively to the river
The Mayor and the Administrators replied
that under the law they dare not do 80. That
the law, provided that portion should be first
applied to the premium bond fund. another
portion to the school fund, and that the I'M
provem re- Depaftmeh f eould, oesaqessony ex
which the remainder would go.
But" said Mr.. Harris, about two years ago
the Cotton Exchange did advance money to the
city. which was directly applied to the purposes
for when 1t was sent"
but we have already done what was done be-
fore. My department has already spent In ad-
vance, with the understanding that 1t would be
paid In cash In January, about $4,000, and we
cannot go beyond that. However everything is
being done now that can be done, and will be
done II the weather is favorable"
Mayor Patton took occasion at this juneture
to say. In criticism of the contract system that
although 1872 900 had been spent by the city. the
nothing. In proof of this. he aid when the
present administration came into Office the
contractors tailed to do any work or put to work
2 single man at the request Of the city. After
further conference OF u conversational char
acter the delegation withdrew.
PROTEST FROM CARRoLLToN
Five prominent residents Of the Seventh Dis
trict tCarrollton) called upon Administrator
Houston yesterday to protest against the &C.
ceDtance by the city Of the proposition to com
promise with the corporation made by the
Crescent City Railroad Company. and read at
the last meeting Of the Council. They contend
That the privileges granted to the. company
were given to that com pany In consideration Of
3 REDUCTION OF the fare from New Orleans to
CarTollton from ten cents, as now charged by
the rate which the Crescent City Railroad Com,
pany was to charge from Canal street
to Carrollton after extending their line. which
formerly ended at Louisiana Avenue, and that
the citizens OF the Seventh District have long
been waiting for a consummatioR of the con-
tract. The gentlemen told Administrators
Houston that they had visited him on their own
responsibility but would shortly submit
| Ia memorial that would be signed by nine