St. Landry democrat., 1886-05-01
The State Penitentfary Ring
Raid ON the LeYee Fund,
From the N. o. Picayune.


From the N. Q. Picayune.
On several occasions we have re-
ferred to the operation of Act IS OF
1884, under which Messrs. James g.
McGinty were given a. monopoly Of
levee building in this State at a price
fixed in the statute.
We are able now to present come
facts showing how much the State lost
by such legislation and favoritism. BY
the terms of this act all contracts were
TO be given to this firm which they de-
sired TO take during the years 1884 and
1885. They were not bound to build
all the ievee, aud could refuse any con-
tract Offered If they saw fit to do SO.
They did, however, take nearly all
offered, and sub-let them at bonus to
sub b-contractors.
Since the expiration of this law es
tahlishing q monopoly, that is since the
first day OF January, 1886. there has
be built have been offered to the public
and awarded to the lowest bidder.
Let us see what has been ther esult.
On Jan. Q, 1885, there was letting of
contracts. The MaFineaux levee, parish
of West Baton Rouge, was awarded to
John McGinty for 15e. per cubic yard.
The contract price under the act of
1884 referred to above would have been
Zoe. There was therefore a saving to
the State on the $4,000 yards built of
4750. The same contractor having the
lowest bid, 16c. per yard, for the Avon
dale ievee, parish of Jefferson, got the
job, but would have received under the
legislative rates 21c., saving of $3.50
for the State on the $1,000 yards.
Bayou Paul levee, parish of lberviIle,
was done for &c.,, whereas the statute
price would have been zoe. per yard
1900 yards. The State saved on these
levees 1920.
The next letting was on Jan. 8. Es-
peranZa ievee, 5000 yards, St. Charles
the lowest bidder, for 14ac., instead of
the monopoly price of 20c The same
contractor got the Story levee, parish
of st. Bernard, $4,000 yards, at 144c.,
for which the C. Ring" price would have
been 20c. The Terra Haute levee, 5000
yards, went to the SAME contractor at
14a, which would have been zoe.
levee under the act that should have
been entitled an act for the benefit of
James IL McGinty, and to enable them
to fatten at the public treasury OF the
State OF Louisiana" MIR. James, who
by the way is not the penitentiary les
see, also got at this. term the Del0ma
levee at 1479c. an 18c. .evee under the
old scedule. He also got the Avoyelles
Dyke ievee, 1000 yards, in Avoyelles
parish, for 15sc. which the monopolists
would have gotten under act OF 1884 at
f8c.
The Morgan levee, ofs 1000 yards, was
yard the old statute price of a month
n~o oxyynr.a srnufd fla vn honu ira
The next letting occurred on Jan. is.
Longview levee. st. James parish, was
awarded to the lowest bidder. p. j.
Tyrreil, at 1876. The monopoly price
would have been 18c. on the 5000 yards
contained therein. Mount Airy Levee,
st. john parish, 900 yards, falling in
the 20c. schedule under the tariff fixed
by the Legislators supposed TO repre-
sent the people, went to Mr.. 2. Burns
for 131c., or about 80 1-3 per cent.
cheaper. T. O. Malley got the KenBer
levee. F1D, 600 yards. at 14c., it, Wnald
have cost before a1c.
On these levees, aEgregating 10000
yards, awarded the first sixteen days OF
January, 1886, after the expiration of
the snoAopoly law, the State saved no
less than S8766, or nearly AZ cents per
cubictyaFd, Had these awards been
N1UG a. MOIlGH GstElaGFy@ HI D6CGHUGfy
1885, there would have been an addi-
tionaI price paid to Messrs.. James g.
McGinty over and above q fair profit
of the above SUN. III u, i. .15s.I ss,s
From the time of the passage of Act
90, ON July 10, 1884, TO the time Of its
expiration, Dec. 81, 1885, there were
constructed 2,143, 600 cubic yards OF |
Ievees in this State at an average |
price of 20 3-5 cents per yard. Under |
free competition and q reduction in
prices on a parity with these first
lettings i'm 1886 the State would have
gotten this work done for $4,000 less
And VET We hear of e the Levee
under such a regime OF
favoritism and monopoly, trampling |
ander foot all the rights OF honest |
free laber. and spoliating the funds |
collected from the people to protect
them against innndatinl.
"1Thomas H. Handy and others" have
given notices of the intended introduc-
lion into the Legislature III its next s6s-
sion OF All act iii favor Of granting them
i lottery charter under the firm name
1f the !. Louisiana and Shreveport Lot
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