The Massachusetts spy. [volume] (Worcester [Mass.]) 1831-1858, 1832-11-07
DESCRIPTION OF NEW ORLEANS.
From the Correspondent efMe Young MEMS
Advocate, dated


From the Correspondent fMe Young Mem
Advocate, dated
!, New ORLEANS, May 90, 1892
There is somewhat of wild speculation
connected with the early settlement of th
place. When Ponce de Leon landed in Flor
: MA IN i3i2, rurnor was spread through
out Doth the old and new worlds, that all the
, southern country abounded in the preciou:
metals: This rumor had long died away
ana all expectations grounded upon it had
peeh given up, when. in 17l6 or IL, it was
again revived by Scotchman named Law
VINO formed mining company in France
Inns company were to have the sole trade
OF Louisiana. Their ca pital was soon taken
up, for they received at par the then
Deprecated" paper currency of the govern
meht. Large promises were made to emf
grants. They were to work for the compa-
ny Tor year or two, and were then to re-
ceiVe lands for themselves. The golden
promises operated upon large numbers, and
emlgran's offered from France, Germany,
ann Switzerland. These emigrants were
transported hIther without method, and with
no preparations for their reception on their
arrival. The coast had been Imperfectly
surveyed; instead of landing them on the
MIsslssppi, or some of the other rivers, they
were put on shore amid the sands and pines
where Ybervllle first made the settlement.
Thousands of these wretrhed persons per-
lshed from want and disappointment, and
instead of finding land Astounding in the
precious metals, and .ich in ANIMALS and
vegetables, they found an untimely grave
amid the sands of Biloxi.
bnui fluo C,a, L.. Al
were removed. by direction of the Company,
to where Is now buil the city of New Or
leans. But the charm had vanished. The
country was deserted. Its name became
terror to the inhabitarts of Europe. The
settlement Of New Orleans, however, con-
tinued to increase as the popular prejudice
subsidized. In 1863 it passed under the
Spanish government, and in the French rev.
olutlon 1t was again, with the whole terrific
ry OF Louisiana, ce'led to France. The
government of the United States, during
MIR. Jefferson's administration, purchased
the whole territory, for fifteen millions of
dollars. In 1903, commissioner was sent
out by France to receive the surrender from
Spain. and TO transfer the Jurisdiction to the
United States. The ceremony is said to
have been somes hat imposing. MANY of
the Spaniards left the country.
Soon after it came into the possession of
the United States, the city of New Orleans
hogan to improve, and it has since con,inu-
ed in n steady line of advance. 1t then
numbered about eight thousand inhabitants.
now about fifty thousand, and, in business
season, considerably more. In point of sit
nation for commercial business it is not
eqnaled by any rity in the United States,
If It is 10y any IN the world. You need but
EAST your eye over The vast country which is
drained by the Mississippi, and its tributary
waters, and then calculate, if you can, the
produce which must he poused down them to
this city, when all the valleys and hills shall
he covered with the millions of people who
are ye; to inhablt them. The city is built, as
you are aware, upon low alluvial ground.
which is several feet below the surface of
the river. A levee, which is an embank-
ment raised TO prevent the water from over
flowing, extends upwards to Baton Rouge
The most business part of The city is the
street fronting this levee. Here the YES
sells, and the numerous steamboats,, and 9TH
er water craft, lie and discharge their car
goes. The streets run at right angles, and
are generally wide. The expense of paw
cessity of bringing the stone from the upper
rivers, that few of the streets have ieen
paved. Every considerable rain renders
them muddy and almost impossible. Il was
thought that a substitute for paving wss
found in Smelling the streets. This project
has not succeeded as well as was anticipa-
ted; the ground beneath is too soft. A
proposition is now before the council for
Smelling and for paving the whole city, at an
expense of between Dor 4mllions of dollars.
The Smelling costs considerably less than
the paving, but what the difference is | do
not know. There IS no doubt but the
health of the city will be improved, as we'll
as the convenience and comfort Of the citi-
zens, If either plan shall he adopted. While
under the Spanish regime the city was sur
rounded by wooden wall.
This part still retains the name of the
city proper. The other parts are consider
ell as attaches, and are denominaied faux
bourgs or suburbs. The fauxbourg st. Ma
ry, which is the upper part of the city, has
oeen built chiefly by the Americans, as the
northern people are called in coutradstinc-
ton to the Creole French and Spaniards
This is by far the finest part of the city.
The buildings are large and built chiefly of
brick. There is little to remind YOU here
that you are not in a northern city. The
lower or French part of the city contains
many small inferior buildings. 1t is, how
ever, improving. Here you perceive that a
new and strange class of men are around
you. Here is the market, and it is amusing
to see tine mixed and varied crowd that ev-
cry morning collect here to buy and sell.
They traffic not in articles of food alone
The vendors of little articles of hardware,
dry goods, crockery, shoes, hats, &c, all
are there with their wares laid out upon
cloth spread upon the ground. They are
of all compilations. from the clear ruddy
cheeks of the northern men to the greasy
black African.
Many of the houses in this section are
pastered and whlte-washed; but they re-
tain their color for a short time only, ant
you may see buildings of comparativel,
modern erection, which look as though the,
had withstood the storms and sunshine o
centuries. The cathedral, which is situated
upon the principal square or mall in this sec
ton of the city,i is venerable looking struc
ture, built Of brick, and succeed to look lik,
stone. 1t wears all the external marks o
great antiquity, though it has been built on
ly 80 years. II has two small turiets and
steeple. The walls are thick and massy
so that all noise of the bustling multitude
without is entirely excluded. The pale high
comes in though small and high window
with stained glass. Around the interior {
the walls are hung paintings, images an
crosses, the former representing the varior
incidents in the death of our Saviour. A