The Donaldsonville chief. [volume] (Donaldsonville, La.) 1871-current, 1881-09-03
OUR NEW ORLEANS LETTER
The Council in a nuandary over the Rail-
road Franchise, the Fire Ordinance and
the Slaughterhouse Monopoly-S:,d Sui
eide More Railroads Needed, etc.

New ORLEANS, LA, Aug. 30, 1881.
EDITOR CuIEF:
The City Council is still in a quandary
i'll regard to tho proposed fire ordinance
and tho Carrollton railroad franchise. 1t
is an apparent fact that public opinion
is divided on the subject of paid fire
department. Most Of our leading mer
chants, bankers, insurance and business
men favor the adoption of the ordinance,
but nearly all the politicians champion
the volunteer system, for to the influence
of the fire boys they owe all the promi-
nence they have attained. The contract
with the Fircmen's Charitable Associa
ton will expire in a few months, and it
is necessary that early action should be
taken III reference to the renewal of the
within the corporate limits Of the city.
1t is intimatcd that the Firemen's Cbal
table Association and the Underwriters
will be the only bidders. The manner of
dsposing of the contract is a problem
that has occasioned the Council consider
able trouble. One-haf the Administra-
tors favored an award at public auction,
while the others contcnded for sealed
proposals. A vote taken Oh the question
resulted in tic, which it became the
duty Of Mayor Shakespeare to decide,
and he did it in q characteristic manner.
The sealed proposals men were very con-
fdent the Mayor would side with them,
but he declared himself in favor of doing
things openly and above board, and cast
his vote for the auction method. Consid
Grafton of the other portions Of the ordl
nance was postponed indefinitely.
The decision Of Judge Lazarus i'll the
railroad franchise matter has created
much surprise, as it was generally looked
upon as foregone conclusion that the
Carrollton franchise would be finally
disposed of and that the resort to litiga-
tion was only a ruse to gain time. The
legal profession is almost a unit in the
opinion that the Supreme Court will re-
verse Judge Lazarus elaborate decree.
1t was the almost unanimous wish of the
members of the City Council that por-
ton of the purchase price of the Carroll
ton railroad franchise should be applied
towards paving the streets along the line
Of the road, but the debt syndicate frus-
trated their plan by an injunction suit.
II must be admitted that no better use
could be made Of the funds derived from
such sources than repairing streets, but
the Supreme Court has decided that fran
chises come under the head of property
the proceeds of which must be applied
towards the redemption of the. city debt.
1t is difficult to make heads or tails Of
our municipal affairs.
4 beautiful octoroon woman named
Augusta Benson committed suicide I'M
der distressing circumstances. She had
been living with 4 young white man
named Frederick Lith and the pair were
apparently as happy as doves for long
time. Finally they quarreled and sepa-
rated. The woman seemed not to mind
the separation, and was unmoved even
when Informed Of her lovers attempt to
commit suicide. When told of his death,
however, she exhibited the widest grief
and on Wednesday last she swallowed a
dose Of cyanide OF potassium and put an