The herald., 1920-10-07
THE AIGIERS LANDING OF THE
CANAL STREET FERRY.
Letters from the peOnle.

Algerians who are the main props
of the notorious ferry system, are
again furnished the opportunity 10
view the actions of the "drOne"
known as the Southern Ferry and
Improvement Company. in the farce
service being rendered since the re
cent cave occurred.
Ii the constituted authorities who
We're only recently denouncinE one
OF our foremost citizens. as the in
sect known as the "dronc." but who
finally proved 10 be the best liked
little freshman" in town. would
come out Of their "droue hives" and
enforce as far as practicable the
conditions of the Canal Street ferry
franchise. Algerians who are always
referred to by some as the favored
ones. would not today be herded as
so many cattle. and driven on and Off
a one-legged service which the
Southern Ferry and Improvement
Company has been farcicaIly oper-
ating
Under a political system which
dominated Orleans Parish for the
last sixteen years. much abuse Of
public privileges have been tolerated
in the Parish but none with so much
fortitude as in the case of the fer
ries. The political system at whose
sanction such conditions were al
lowed. was happily banished from
power on September 14th. 1920. a
day TO be st up as a memorable one
in the history of the City of New
Orleans. and Orleanians. and more
particularly AlgeTians are once more
relieved of the yoke Of fear and op-
preston. and should now come forth.
and in manly spirit exercise the
franchise of free speech of mind
handed down to them by that famous
document which was written and
signed on July 4th, 1876.
After December 9th. a gentleman
by the name of Andrew McShane
will administer justice In a fair and
impartial manner, and all good citi-
zens can exercise their prerogatives
in free and fearless manner, and
under such new conditions it will
therefore be possible for all citizens
TO join in one general movement for
the further advancement of our CITY.
If that healthy thought could now be
by our citizens. two fer
rleS, and not one would be presently
operating at Canal Street. If one
can operate. why can't two? View
ing il from the angle of safety. two
ferries would be more preferable as
1t would minimize the danger: as il
is now, one boat making a trim every
half hour. transfers the accumulated
traffic of two boats. thereby forcing
a greater strain on the pontoons and
approaches to say nothing of the
long delay between trips.-a clear
violation of the franchise-and the
jam in the structure at
the head of Canal Street, used for
ferry house, but more nearly re-
sembling lake shore bathhouse.-l
with cobwebs.
Some time back there was a move
ment agitated in Algiers for an ex-
tension of the Public Belt Railroad
TO Algiers to serve its industries. and
to encourage the location OF other
industries on the unlimited space af-
torded by Algiers and which includes
fourteen miles of river front. and
more recently, during the last legis-
latlve session a bill was drawn by
Algiers property holders. to control
and regulate the ferries and a COM
mlttee appointed to go to Baton
Rouge to try and have it passed. but
unfortunately. due to a desire to
localize the bill and not ignore our
sworn local representatives. the bill
was placed in the hands of disinter-
ested or unwilling representatives in
our legislative halls, and the bill died
OF inattention on the part of its in
PRODUCER, and Algiers thereby lost a
golden opportunity so far as its ferry
system is concerned. The bill as
presented had merit. and Governor
Parker had promised to sign it if
passed; but this is all past history
now, and we must set our faces TO
a rising sun of a new day to be born
IN next December with the passing
of the old ring.
While to the knowledge of the
writer no official reports have been
publicly made by river engineers or
experts, | am of the opinion a new
site should be selected for the AL
giers landing of the Canal Street
Ferry.
IL l can encourage thought on the
subject from the citizens of Algiers.
ana particularly the property hold |
ers, | would invite their written opin-
IONS to the Herald for publication.
IN the interest of calling a general
mass meeting to debate the question
and appoint the necessary committees
TO take the proper steps in connec-
tlon with the next franchise which
is TO be sold in the very near future |
The river bank at Pelican Avenue
and at Alix Street lisa stable one |
and the thought occurred to the
hA