New Orleans (La.) Department of Public Finance
Correspondence/subject files of the Commissioner of Public Finance,
1913-1950
3 cu. ft.
From 1912 to 1952, the City of New Orleans operated under a
commission form of government, comprised of the Mayor and five
Commission Councilmen elected at large. Each of the Commissioners
headed one of the five departments of city government.
The Department of Public Finance, one of these five departments, was
responsible for assessment of private property, receipts and
expenditures of public moneys and accounts of public moneys. The
Commissioner served as ex-officio City Treasurer, as Vice-President of
the Council, and as Acting Mayor in the event of the Mayor's absence
or inability to act.
The general structure of Public Finance remained fairly stable during
the period covered by these records, although divisions and departments
were added over time. (Researchers interested in records kept by
various divisions or departments within the Department of Public
Finance should consult the City Archives card catalog under the
heading "Finance, general.") Major divisions included the Accounting
Division (previously Comptroller) and the Treasury Division, each
headed by a Deputy Commissioner of Public Finance; the Auditing
Department, headed by the Auditor of Public Accounts; and the Board
of Assessors.
The records are 3 boxes of subject/correspondence files reconstructed
from fragments dispersed in the City Archives' Official Vertical File and
from a small series of files that survived intact. The files are primarily
in-coming correspondence to the Commissioner of Public Finance.
Also included are a variety of reports (financial or otherwise) generated
by the Commissioner or his office. The files are arranged
alphabetically by name of individual or corporate correspondent or
chronologically within alphabetical miscellaneous folders. Clearly
labeled subject files were left intact, and individual pieces marked with
clear filing notes were filed under the subject indicated in the note.
Agencies represented by substantial files include the Federal Housing
Committee, Mississippi River Bridge [Hero-Hackett Bridge], and the
New Orleans Police Department. Among the subjects covered most
extensively are the following:
- Property left to the City by Isaac Delgado--a file exists for
the Delgado-Albania Plantation (containing a copy of
Isaac Delgado's succession, an inventory of Albania
Plantation, financial statements concerning the plantation,
and correspondence relating to the city's proposed sale of
the property in the late 1910's and 1920's) and another
for "Delgado Property" (i.e., property in New Orleans
comprising the remainder of the Delgado bequest).
-
Clean-up of Bayou St. John conducted during the 1930s--
see folders marked "Dabezies, H," "Fernadez,
Congressman J.O.," "Health Department," "Mayor's
Office," "Parker, Walker," and "United States Engineer
Office".
-
Disputed taxes--letters from citizens (or their attorneys)
regarding errors in tax bills and/or requests for refunds
comprise a considerable portion of the correspondence.
These letters are filed under the name of the taxpayer
(often in alphabetical miscellaneous files).
Other files, while not extensive, contain noteworthy material:
-
The "A" Miscellaneous file includes proofs of engravings
for liquor and wine tax stamps (1925). "S" Miscellaneous
includes a letter from the Mayor's Reception Committee
concerning the 1939 visit of Anastasio Samoza.
-
The file for "Blache, J. Hy." includes correspondence
concering Beauregard Square as the proposed site for the
Municipal Auditorium.
-
The City Attorney file includes a 1918 letter from a
descendant of Bienville asking that her daughter be
adopted by the state and the City Attorney's reply.
-
The Distribution of Wealth Program file contains a paper
by Commissioner Jesse S. Cave entitled "A Simple
Solution of the 'Distribution of Wealth' Problem" (1940).
-
The Louisiana State Museum file includes correspondence
concerning the purchase of a painting of Robert E. Lee
and his generals and correspondence regarding World
War I "relics" donated to the Cabildo by the Republic of
France.
-
The file for "Monroe & Leman" contains correspondence
regarding Dillard University's controversial purchase of
property from Rose Hill, Inc. in 1930.
-
The Political Materials file includes a 1935 list of Regular
Democratic Organization ward captains and a resolution
from the Old Regulars endorsing the Long/Leche
gubernatorial ticket, political pamphlets by Huey and Earl
Long, and a list of responses from New Orleans business
owners asked to advertise in a 1943 Choctaw Club
publication commemorating Mayor Maestri.
-
The Tuberculosis Hospital file contains several letters by
early feminist leader Jean M. Gordon.
The following men served as Commissioner of Public Finance during
the period covered by these records:
- A.G. Ricks (1912-1920)
- Richard M. Murphy (1920-1925)
- Arthur J. O'Keefe (1925-1926)
- T. Semmes Walmsley (1926-1930)
- A. Miles Pratt (1930-1936)
- Jesse S. Cave (1936-1946)
- Lionel G. Ott (1947-1952)
Commissioner Ott's papers were received intact and are described
separately.
Inventory
-
"A" Miscellaneous
-
American Bank & Trust Company
-
Amusement Tax Division
-
Auditor's Office/Office of the Auditor
-
"B" Miscellaneous
-
Baptist Hospital
-
Bayou St. John Improvement Association
-
Beverage Division
-
Blache, J. Hy.
-
Board of Assessors
-
Board of Liquidation, City Debt
-
Boggs, Congressman T. Hale
-
Bowen, R. D.
-
Broadmoor Civic Improvement Association
-
Bulletin Data
-
Bulletins
-
Bureau of Governmental Research
-
"C" Miscellaneous
-
Carrollton Avenue Bridge
-
Chef Menteur Highway
-
City Architect
-
City Attorney
-
City Council
-
City Engineer
-
City of New Orleans Statistics
-
City Park
-
City Park Improvement Association
-
City Planning & Zoning Commission
-
City Property
-
City Property Account
-
City Treasurer
-
Civil Sheriff, Parish of Orleans
-
Community Chest
-
Conveyance Office
-
Court Cases
-
Courtesies [Invitations, Meeting notices, Acknowledgments, etc.]
-
Criminal District Court
-
"D" Miscellaneous
-
Dabezies, H.
-
Daylight Savings Time
-
Delgado-Albania Plantation
-
Delgado Property
-
Delinquent Tax Department
-
DeMontluzin, R. E. E.
-
Distribution of Wealth Program
-
District Attorney
-
"E" Miscellaneous
-
"F" Miscellaneous
-
Federal Housing Committee
-
Fernandez, Congressman J. O.
-
Fink Asylum
-
Fire Insurance
-
French Opera House [Proposed]
-
"G" Miscellaneous
-
Gasoline & Welfare Tax Division
-
Guaranty Savings & Homestead Association
-
"H" Miscellaneous
-
Health Department
-
Hebert, Congressman F. Edward
-
Hibernia Bank & Trust Company
-
"I" Miscellaneous
-
Isaac Delgado Central Trades School, 1915-1921
-
Isaac Delgado Central Trades School, 1922
-
Isaac Delgado Central Trades School, 1923-1924
-
"J" Miscellaneous
-
Jones, Governor Sam H.
-
"K" Miscellaneous
-
Knight, F. H. [Building permit clerk]
-
"L" Miscellaneous
-
Leche, Governor Richard W.
-
Louisiana Department of Conservation
-
Louisiana House of Representatives
-
Louisiana Society for Prevention of Blindness
-
Louisiana State Museum
-
Louisiana State Treasurer
-
Louisiana Tax Commission
-
Louisiana Taxpayers Association
-
"M" Miscellaneous
-
Maloney, Representative Paul H.
-
Mayor's Office
-
Mississippi River Bridge [Hero-Hackett Bridge]
-
Monroe & Leman
-
Municipal Auditorium
-
Municipal Boys' Home
-
"N" Miscellaneous
-
New Orleans Association of Commerce
-
"New Orleans: A Folder of Financial Facts"
-
New Orleans Police Department
-
New Orleans Public Library
-
New Orleans Railway & Light Company
-
New Orleans Spring Fiesta Association
-
New Orleans Welfare Committee
-
Noullet, F. A. & Company
-
"O" Miscellaneous
-
Orleans Levee District, Board of Commissioners
-
Orleans Parish School Board
-
Orleans Parish School Board [Financial Statements]
-
"P" Miscellaneous
-
Parkway Commission
-
Parker, Walker
-
Petitions
-
Playground Service Commission
-
Police Jury Association of Louisiana
-
Political Material
-
Port of New Orleans, Board of Commissioners
-
Property Appraisals
-
Property Owners' Association
-
Public Belt Railroad
-
Public Markets
-
Public Property, Department of
-
Public Safety, Department of
-
Public Welfare, Department of
-
Public Works, Department of
-
"R" Miscellaneous
-
Real Estate Board of New Orleans
-
"S" Miscellaneous
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Salary Survey & Recommended Pay Plan (1943)
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Sales Tax Division
-
Sales Tax Division, Legal Department
-
Segregation Cases
-
Seventh Ward Boosters' Club
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Sewerage & Water Board of New Orleans
-
Standard Oil Company of Louisiana
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Statements, Press Releases, Speeches
-
Straight College
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"T" Miscellaneous
-
Touro-Shakespeare Home
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Tuberculosis Hospital
-
Tulane University [Middle America Research Institute]
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"U" Miscellaneous
-
United Community & War Chest
-
United States Department of Commerce
-
United States Engineer Office
-
Upper Pontalba Building Commission
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"V" Miscellaneous
-
"W" Miscellaneous
-
Wisner [Edward] Donation Advisory Committee
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"X,Y,Z" Miscellaneous
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Young Men's Business Club of New Orleans
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Zoning Board of Appeal & Adjustment
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