The Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1837-1867, 1844-06-03
Miscellaneous.
CITY OF NEW ORLEANS.

REV. GEO. PUNCHARD of Plymouth, N. II. now |
journey South, for his health in u letter TO the
Congregational Journal, gives the following interesting
description of New Orleans:
The city lies in n crescent formed bend, along tho
eastern bank of the Mississippi, plain marsh.
several feet below the high water mark OF the river
II is preserved from nundation and destruction only
by embankment of earth several feet high called
the Leree, which extends for several hundred miles
up and down the river. Along this Levee, before the
city, in unbroken line, moored from three 10
five abreast the vessels which crowd this great
mercial emporium Here may be ships from
every clime pouring out the productions OF the world
into the lap Of this queen of exporting cities. Here,
too, may be seen coming and going, hundreds Of
steamboats,, of all sizes and descriptions. These
traverse every part OF the immense valley of the Mis-
sissppi, for more than 1000 miles crowded with pms
sengers s. loaded with the produce Of the richest and
most extensive agricultural region of the known
world. To get some conception of the productive
ness crhe region which these boats traverse, and Of
the quantity of merchandise they bring to this city,
look for a moment, at few figures which happen 10
lie before Within six months last past begin
ming September LIST s43 and ending March IstlS44,
there have from tho INTERIOR into New
Orleans in round NUMBER, 80 900 barrels of apples:
$4,000 hogshends, boxes and casks OF bacon, and
26s 900 pounds in bulk about 800 barrels of beans;
5000 kegs and frkns OF butter; 36, 900 hogsheads
and barrels Of sailed beef besides nearly IL 900 lbs.
ofdried 1900 barrels of meal, 107 900 barrels
in the ear and 900 sacks Of shelled corn; ESQ,
600 hogsheads and barrels OF pork besides thNn
and Ia millions Of pounds in bulk; los hogshends,
73, 900 barrels and 252, 900 kegs Of lard; 2G5, 900
barrels Of flour; 66, 900 barrels and sacks of oats;
80, 900 hogsheads ofsugar; Al 900 barrels Of moNs
But, must stop. / have given you only
tithe of the commodities which continually pour
ing into this great depot of the Southwest; have
mentioned only some Of the chief articles OF food,
which brought TO this market, emitting the mea-
sureless quantities of other articles fer the comfort
and convenience of man, and emitting even that great
staple of the country cotton. half million bales Of
which have been rolled out on the Ievce, within the
same six months. But what view do these figures
give of the country about which am writing, and Of
the commercial importance of the city which is the
! pot Of this country! Nothing about New Orleans
has so much interested and astonished this
same LeveH 1t is this that all the productions of
the vast valley Of the Mississippi and its tributaries
poured out. Here may be seen, at one tlme ten
! thousand bales Of cotton-perhups might say with
| equal truth-ten thousands of bales; here you may
pass Of hogsheads and barrels Of sugar and mo-
lasses, in a continuous mass; here is pork and beef
and hams enough TO feed of Nnpoleon's grand ar
mics; here. too, is enough Of the "vle weed" If
properly masticated to float rigate; here is cotton
| bnggng and bale rope enough we might say, almost
without hyperbole, to furnish wrapper and string
for the solid contents of New England State; here,
too are the products of other landsn astounding pro-
fusion. Here may be seen "heaps upon heaps
| every thing, which man eat, drink, wear and
use. And what most astonshes the befo'der, is that
| though scores OF truckmen and draymen are inces-
| sanity employed and greve to say, even on the
Sabbath-in removing these productions to the stores
and warehouses of the city, yet the Levee is never,
for hour empty; for new freights are continually
filling up the vacancies, which these busy carriers
continually making the grooming Levee. And
when tell you, that there were on the second day
of March, lying at the Levee, no less than 1877 ships
SO barques % briggs and 80 schooners besides scores
Of steamboats, and flat boats, and that there were dali
Iy and hourly arrivals,-you will be more ready
to believe my assertions respecting the immensely OF
the importatons into the single city Of Orleans, and
| the expectations from it. But must not detain you
on the Levee any longer, for though place OF I'M
mense commercial interest and Importance, 1t rs a
place where all our moral feelings are constantly
shocked by the profaneness, drinking and gambling
which here abound. The street which runs along
the Levee, is faced with g,og shops and gambling
houses and the gate ways Of death: and these pol
lutte the whole atmosphere around them.
Passing back from the Levee. you enter the city
This is laid out with great regularity, in streets Of
good width, and for the most part as well paved as
the nature Of the soil will admit, running parallel OF
at right angles with the river. The sidewalks are
bricked, and remarkably good. The city is also vel
lighted, partly with gas, and partly by means OF large
oil lamps which are suspended across the street,
from opposite posts But. the cutters! O,the cutters
Every street is supplied with these on each side o
the pave, which are fed by countless sewers, which