The herald., 1914-02-12
OUR FUTURE.
In Reply to a Request, Mr.. Joseph
w. Lennox Gave His Opinion
Of Our Future Prospects and
Agrees With the Herald That
Our Ferry Service Should
Be Operated BY Our
Municipality.
Gentlemen:

In replying to your request relative
TO my opinion of the future of the Fifth
District of the city of New Orleans,
am pleased 10 state that | have been
la resident of same for fifty-two years,
and can say without fear of refutatiOn
that the prospects for its future have
never been brighter than at present.
We have experienced in the past few
years a steady natural growth, the re-
suit of which, at present, there are not
as many as half-dOZen for rent or for
sale signs in the entire district. More
than - per cent of the residences are
connected with the sewerage system,
valuable asset to properties in this
section, besides commanding an ad-
vance of 20 per cent in rentals. We
have many paved streets which have
been so widely distributed SO as to
make any part of our district acces-
sible regardless of weather conditions.
We also enjoy public roads connecting
with the parishes of Jefferson and
| Plaquemines, which provide convent
ent medium for the truck farmer to
get his products to the city market.
We have a number of energetic resi-
dents who appreciate that they owe an
obligation to their city and state and
devote a great part of their time and
energy to the advancement of this sec
ton. With that purpose in view, they
have aligned themselves with the Al
giers Improvement Association, civic
Organization whose watchwOrd is the
welfare of the masses. They are al
ways on the alert for the pro rata of
| improvements that may be due this
section of the city. This means a great
deal; not because of the equity of any
claims that may be made in this direc-
ton, but because of necessities which
will arise, due to contested conditions
opposite side of the river. | refer to
the Belt Railroad, wharfs and ware
house facilities, all of which will most
lassuredly be established on this side
of the river. owing to the facts above
stated. With these facilities at hand,
and having fourteen miles of river
front, an asset which is ndisputably
second to none and equal to the COM
bined frontage on the opposite side of
the river, together with the acres of
desirable factory sites, and three large
railroads entering here that tap the
richest States in the Union. Thus it,
in my humble opinion, makes it almost
impossible to overestimate the future
that is in store for this district, and
will most assuredly in time rebound
to the benefit of the whole city to the
extent of making it the best revenue
producer of any district in proportion
to its size.
Again We are looking onward to
great advancement in a change of the
ferry system "a legacy which has been
handed down to us by our forefathers
since the time Algiers was first an
neXed to the city of New Orleans) be-
tween the First and Third District of
New Orleans to that of public owner
ship at the expiration of the present
| franchise, which is but a few years
hence. This, in itself, will be a great
boost in the way of eliminating a tax
of at least $3.50 per day that We are
now so unjustly compelled to stagger
under, and at the same time put us on
an equal basis with that of other dis
tricts that are separated by body Of
water such as We are. | refer to the
New and Old Basins, where numerous
costly bridges have been built and
maintained by the city from revenues
that are collected from all districts,
Including that of the Fifth, without
any cost whatever to them for trans
portation of either pedestrians or We
hicles. Just to think, if such condi-
IlOUS were 10 6AlSl III the HelSuDOT-
hood of the Esplanade Avenue bridge
that spans the Old Basin which sep
arate two of the most valuable sec
tions of New Orleans, particularly that
section opposite the City Park which
is so beautifully built up. Is it not safe
to say that all of that land would to-
day be condemned to vacancy.
Now l think some day in the near
future this imposition that is heaped
upon the residents of the Fifth Dis
trict by the here-before-named fran
chises, one of which brought at the
last sale the enormous sum of 1925, 900
to the city, and only small portion of
which was invested here; yet all of it
must be paid by the residents of the
Fifth District in the way of transpor-
ltation. That is, every pedestrians 5
cents a round trip and every single
team of provisions or building material
has to pay forty cents for the same
privilege. This, of course, is not the
fault of the present lessees who, as be-
fore stated, paid an enormous price for
this franchise, and it is with pleasure