The New Orleans daily Democrat. [volume] (New Orleans, La.) 1877-1880, 1879-09-13
CITY RAILROAD FRANCHISES.
The Widows and Orphans
What the People Demand.

This Is from the columns Of the Pcaywne Of
The twelfth:
Below we publish another communication
from MIR. q. r. Parker relative to the sale OF the
City Railroad franchises. The rumors that are
4 mBnts upon them indicate that there are grave
doubts tnfhe public mind as to the result Of this
A4esvSIalion' TO THE PUBLIC.
1aairs have. taken singular turn recently,
and On effort is being made TO work up public
ecee a1etih the Bid q the 6ity Railroad Com
many for $3.50, 900. when an equally responsible
party. 4 man c.oable OF controlling large cap
; ital, Mr.. anBenthuysen has since offered
u $3.50 600 for the same property, accom- panying
The bid BY q check for $4,000.
The tendency seems to be to bring the dis
cussion Of the subject to a melodramatic base.
The widows and Orphans
who own stock in the City Railroad Company
have been brought forward to gain the sympa-
honest and wise administration OF public affairs
phans. whose heritage has been snatched away
taken from over their heads by fraud and ra-
Dacity In the name OF government. We're tn Id
mournful band to file by the City Hall In solemn
procession. they would need no words TO teach
and warn. Their tattered garments and bare
feet would speak more eloauently than any pen
Tor reform. and their wrongs would nerve the
heart Of every patriot to labor for good govern
ment.
suspect. however. that there are few orphans
owning this stock tn # are not too aged to need
parental care, and that most Of the, widows are
spending the summer At q fashionable resort.
But neither the stockholders Of the City Rail-
road Company. nor any other capitalists. are to
be- considered In fair and Just disposition Of
\ this property.
If 1t is to he Gift,
\ I am In favor Of giving 1t to the widows and or
phans. provided they are poor widows and little
orphans i Il y to BE- awa y On any Pther
NJ the city treasury, and good and sufficient rea-
son can b given 'or disposine OF public prop.
6rty In such manner. the whole matter should
at once be clearly put upon that basis.
II bidders are 10 come bsfore the commupit
not On 9 square business footing to pay 49,
" highest cash price. but claiming to have been
public benefactors and putting up supposed
Past services against somebody eses g2d coin
think can safely say. however. that
Public Sentiment
10 not to be swayed BY such pretenees. nor are
the people to be deceived by arguments so finn
~ and considerations so irrelevant rs those by
The duty OF the agent is to sell at the best
price obtainabe. The servants Of the people
ers executlng trust and they can 1t have neither
transaction Is concerned. No sophistry can
change the position OF affairs. and no pretext
excuse a strict performance of duty. The fran
$500 nave Been O6ered once,
and q higher bid y made after the day 40;
81 ali bds nd
\ readvertising: The right was reserved to refuse
any and all offers. Not only Is 1t very common
thing to reject bids In public matters. but prop
6rty Ii sometimes put up at our auction marts
q dozen times before sale. The
Difference or $I2O,00O
between the highest price IN the sealed pro-
pOeRis and the subsequent open offer Is too
large O sum to be ignored. Besides. it indicates
clearly that the first petition did MOI develop
the highest Views OF capitalists. and ads to the
expectation that even much more than $75O.00O
will be offered hereafter.
It Ii stated on good authority that when the
franchises for the Magazine and Prytania and
Rampant and Dauphine lines were first adver.
fiSed for public sale in 1852 the highest sum bid
~ was SIS 900. When these bids were rejected. and
they we're put up second time. 100000 vas
realized.
Tor the whole term, wish. In common with
nearly every other citizen II 1t is to 20 that way.
II should bring as large price az can be OBJ
tanned. @. d. PARKER.