New Orleans daily crescent. [volume] ([New Orleans, La.]) 1851-1866, 1854-01-10

WHITES about Tue year oOuus some Nlcpunr Will
arise, to prove that the whole tale Of his beat
ing or being chased by Spanish hero of the
Press of New Orleans, and Of his invading
great country with but forty five, is all only the
poetical bounce of an old ballad; for that, of
course, nobody would have attempted such
conquest with but forty five men, unless they
had been men at least forty five feet high,
!
coal IND COLD.
| 1t is one of the agreeable results Of this CHI
mate and location that we rarely suffer from ex-
cessive cold, and are exempt from the nunler-
GUS necessities imposed by it. There are many
houses in this city constructed without hre-
places or chimneys, and very few, even OF the
better order, are too well contriyed for protec-
ton against such biting blasts and wintry
weather as we have experienced for a few days
past During by far the greater portion Of the
year fires would only be discomfort, and the
few weeks when they are desirable are passed
! by nearly all the poorer population with but
slight additional expense for fuel. If the amount
Of wood and coal used for cooking purposes, and
| the amount taken up by steamboats, could be
subtraetad from the total amount sold, it would
leave o residue surprising to every citizen as
we'll as every stranger. With such small need
it is not at all wonderful that there should be
something Of improvidence associated, and that
those who obtain their daily bread by their daily
labor should postpone to the last the purchase
of an article which is usually needed last.
| Such at any rate has been the case the present
winter, and cold weather coming on with unusual
| severity has found every one short of fuel.
| Owing to the low state Of the Ohio and Missis-
| sippi very few coal barges were able to come
| down aud very little drift wood has been swept
within reach The natural and necessary con-
sequences of such state Of things has followed.
| The pressing need for fuel and the slight amount
on hand Immediately sent the prices up to such
| mark that only the better class could afford to
purchase it, and the remainder had to suf-
| fer and endure the inclemencies of yester-
day and the two days previous. They could not
afford to expend from three to four bits for the
material for single fire and less than that they
could not obtain it. Coal, which has an aver
age value in this city of about six bits per
| barrel, which we have had by contract for some
years at fifty five cents, and which is provided
| for the steamships leaving this port at sixty
cents, went up dollar-to a dollar and q
half-to Two dollars--to two dollars and half,
and is now sold at about three dollars with some
| likelihood of ascending to five. The consequence
of this state Of things may be imagined but can
not be described Suffering and priyation run
out from it as circles in still water from dis.
turbing pebble. Every family and every indi-
1
or pecuniarily feel the results-and the poorer
| people feel them bitterly.
During the earlier part of the winter, coal
was actually scarce and worth the price de-
| manded. Since then, however, it has been
mora abundant, and the coal merchants have
had and have it in their power at any moment
to turn this want into plenty and at rates sufi-
GENTLY remunerative to themselves They
have nevertheless complained of the shortness
of their stock and convinced any incredulous
individual, by walk to the Levee and an ex-
Dtion Of the few flats fastened there, of the
truth of their allegations. We were convinced
in the same manner, but mindful of some pre-
vious transactions in this market, and aware of
some antecedent occurrences, our convictions
led us to explore the coast between the foot of
Canal street and the great creyasse-a distance
of about fifteen miles. Our explorations were
| rewarded by the discovery of nineteen fat
boats fastened to this and the opposite shore,
| and freighted with cargoes of. coal averaging
1900 understanding in the aggregate to
IS, 500 barrels! which in this cold weather
would be very acceptable in the city. We do
not charge upon the coal merchants that they
own these flats and have fastened them above
with the idea of keeping up, if not farther rails
ing, the price of coal, although it has been so
stated to us but we take the liberty of pub
fishing the fact and apprising our readers of a
probably very considerable reduction in the
price Of coal @
We may add to the above, the fact that there
are twenty four more barges between this city
and Baton Rouge, all deeply laden with coal
and that from Memphis to Pittsburg the river
is black with stranded aatboats--only waiting
rise in the river to reach our leyee.
LADIES' FAIRThe ladies of the Third District are this
week holding fair for the benefit of the Orphan Boys
ASyiu 49, ta HILL fair sill