The enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1804-1815, 1809-09-26
NE W-ORLEA.NS

NE W. ORL Fans
Being The Present headquarters Of the army ot,he
United States, ana Of Considerable note in our DO.
Mical relations the following particular de-
sersption Of thar city and ,he adjacent country,
communicated IN letter from Capt. T. 4. Benz
tey TO ths Eiitor # the Moyristospn Paiieaiun, OF
Li6e',y, MAJ NOT Be na;nteyestisS to may Of our
redQerS.-
Having nothing of more interesting nature To-
write. will eud<ayor 10 give you some little
account of lhis p!:re and the adjoining country,
as Tar my opportunities of information will
permit.
The Balize, are number oil low, rnarshy Is
lands a; the mouth of The Mississippi they are
inundated at every freshet. These Islands are
formed by the various channels, through which
the river communicates with the Gulpi, Of Mex
co.--There are no trees on any of them : they are
covered with kind of cane grass. On one OF
them is the Baize fort there are no troops sta
toned there, and think there is bur two houses
at the fOrt-one ofthem is occupied by the pi-
lotsthe other is the residence of the revenue of
hcer There are no inhabitants from this To fort
Piaquemnes this fort is on the right bank of
the river you go up, and about 80 miles from
the Balize. 1t was first built by the Spaniards,
and is now rebuilding by our governmental will
mount 80 or 40 guns, and is garrisoned by half
company of the old artillery corps, commanded
by captain Welsh. There is another fort building
at the English Turn, on the left hand side of the
river: this fort is about 90 miles below New
Orleans, as the river runs, but not half that dis
lance in direct line. The river from the Balize
to New Orleans is from half to three quarters of
mile wide-m the channel it is from so to 10U
fathoms deep, and its current from to 5 miles
| an hour; it is very crooked. The shore is so
bold most of the way from this place to the mouth
OF the river, that ship of 500 tons burthen can
lay along side of it as close az to wharf The
nIo nI,,,. ILL.,.
side, until it is lost in the salt water lakes that
communicate with the gulph of Mexico, which
generally is not more than from to 10 miles
wide. These lakes afford oysters in great album
dance. The surface of the river is considerably
higher at present than the land, on either side, &
| prevented from overlooking by ieuces of earth
! raised on its margin.
There is law of the territory to obiiee the
| owners ofland on The river TO keep up their lie
wees. l am informed that three hundred niles
above this, there are salt lakes that afford
excellent oysters within six miles ofths Mi.sis.
sippi 1 he narrow tract of land contained be.
tween the river and the lakes, on each side of the
MISSISSIPPI, is cut into islands by the innlimera-
Die hdyons, or narrow streams, breaking through
the banks of the river, and making their way in
to the guiph of Mexico. There is no lands worth
setting at present bet ween the BsliZe and Foi t
Plaguernines In the neghborhood of the fort
are several rice plantations rlie land from the
fort 10 New Orleans, grows better progressively
out none OF 1T IS worth settling than from
iislfto three Quarters OF mile back of the river
on either side. There are valuable rice and su-
gar plantationss on the river, between Ne W. Or
leans and Plaquemnes. OIanges grow IN album
dance at almost every plantation. AIligators, at
tins reason OF the year, are to be in the river
in great plenty.
New-Orlesns is situated on the right bank of
the river Mississippi, you ascend it, in lat %
= m FROM Vn,Iy. si,a
city is i'll regular squares. The streets are about
80 feet wide, including the side walks, which
are of brick the middle of the streets IS not pay.
ed.
You may form pretty toIerable idea Of the Sit
uation and extent OF the city by the following list
OF streets--Levee street runs parallel with and
adjacent to tie riyer--the other streets on the
same parallel are Condo, or Charities street, Roy.
al, Bourbon, Dauphin, Burgundy, and Rampant
streets seven IN number. The transverse streets
beginning at the lower end of tho city, are Garri-
son, Hospital, Ursulne, st Peter, Toulouse, St
Louis, Cont, Bienville, and Custom House
streets, thirteen in number.-Between Custom
House street and the upper Fauxbourg,i is a val.
liable rope walk. The public buildings of the
most note are, the barracks, Convent, and Chapel,
which, with their yards, Out-houses and gardens,
occupy the four squares made by the intersect-
on of Hospital and Chartres streets. Three of
these squares belong TO the convent and the o.
thert to the public barracks.
The Principal and Calleboos, or City Fl all and
Prison, is a large building two story high, of
brick, it has been shewy building, is situate at
the corner of St. Peter and Cbartres streets
Next adjoining the Principal, on Chartres street,
is Peters Church, about the size of St Paus in
New York, it is built after the ancient Gothic
form, and has venerable appearance. The pub
lie square IS IN front OF these two buildings aud
extends to the market, which is on the Leyee
The Custom House is a new brick building,
and stands between Levee street and the river,
little above the intersection Of Custom House
and Levee streets
The Exchange Coffee House is in. Cont, be-
tween Cbartres and Levee streets. The Thea
tire and Museum are nearly opposite each other
IN St Peters street, between Bourbon and Roy
al streets. The Charity Hospital is on the Com.
mons, fronting the upper end of Toulouse street.
Ibe public MARKETS between Levee street and
the river, and extends from Main to St Peters
street, across the squares. The houses are most
ly but one story high, and built more for conyc-
nlencc than Tor elegance. There are but few ell
egant houses in the city. There are some very
elegant buildings in the Fauxbourgs and some as
beautiful seats as ever saw a few miles out Of
town. Fort st. Charles is between the city and
the lower Fauxbourg, and about 700 yards from
the barracks. Hospital street is continued from
the city to the Bayou st. John, aboHt two miles.
1t is settled all the way. There is a draw bridge
over the Bayou at tins place, and some very
tasty seats near the bridge, four miles down
the Bayou from this bridge you come to Lake
Pontcba;rain where there is a fort nearly CON-
plete, which will mount about guns
A FLOWERING HEDGE.