The herald. [volume] (New Orleans, La.) 1905-1953, 1912-10-10
LETTERS FROM THE PEOPLE.
AIgiers, October 9, 1912.

Algiers, October 8, 1912.
Editor Herald:
Dear Sir-The New Orleans Item, in
it's issue of the Sth, in its Algiers col
umn, devotes considerable space to the
proposed ordinance which has been
drawn up by the Ferry Committee OF
the Algiers Improvement Association,
for the sale of the Third District Ferry
| franchise.
AS is usual in cases where the re-
porter gets his information second
handed, and for a publication which
seems to be somewhat reckless in the
handling of important matters, there
are several statements made in this
write-up which demand attention by
said Ferry Committee, both in justice
to themselves and to the city which is
to sell this franchise, as well as to
the people of Algiers who know that
they must do something to better their
| facilities of communication with the
city proper, if the Fifth District is to
make any real progress.
In the first place, the proposed fran
chise was not presented for the ap'
proval of the association but was
! simply read for the first time, so that
the members would understand exact
| ly upon what lines the committee is
working, and so that when the city en-
| gineer will have tentatively approved
of it, said proposition can be intelli'
gently discussed by the association in
the presence of the public, which it is
understood the association will invite
to a general meeting for that purpose
In the second place, the Large eX'
penditure of money" referred to, would
be, relatively speaking, but a very
small expenditure, when it is realized
that the only thing the purchaser OF
this proposed lease is called upon to
do, as far as the said franchise is con
cerned, is to pay for its advertisement
and give the city as small percent
age of the gross receipts as will enable
him to secure said privilege.
II is true that under the terms OF
the proposed ordinance as drawn VI
by the committee, that the purchaser
would be compelled to spend about
$4,000, but he would get paid in full
for this whole equipment, at the end
of his lease, while he gets practically
quarter of a century's GA years. re-
ceipts, which at an average of even
only $175 day for this new era, would
give him over S1,500,O00 with which to
pay his running expenses and get his
profit, after allowing for the deteriora.
ton on said plant
In the case of the Canal Street ferry,
the lessee was not only compelled to
pay some $4,000 for the equipment,
but 1925, 900 in cash practically for a
10 year privilege.
If the Item would send its reporter
to the meetings of the association as
all the other papers do, he would be in
much better position 20 appreciate
what the Algiers Improvement Associ.
alton is trying to do for this district,
in which good work his paper might
then be able to assist and which in
deeds should be the policy of all re-
spectacle newspapers-to build up in
stead of tearing down.
There is no danger that the Improve
ment Association will be instrumental
in forcing the people of Algiers Ito con-
tinue for another three or four years
using the present dilapidated facili-
ties" since the association is made up
largely of citizens who would them
selves materially suffer through such a
misfortune. Careful study of the pro-
posed ordinance will disclose it as be-
ing one of the best business PROPOSE.
lions ever offered an investor in the
matter of the local ferry business.
Yours very truly,
ONE OF THE COMMITTEE.