New Orleans daily crescent. [volume] ([New Orleans, La.]) 1851-1866, 1857-03-16
PUBLIC IMPROVEMENTS.


Building improvements have been by no means lag
gard during the commercial rush of the past few
months. Though the clank of the hammer, the ring
of the trowel and the screech of the ackplane have
not sounded SO sharply as in the season, they
have nevertheless been in full activity. If we have
not heard them with summertime distinctness, it is
because their chorus was lost in the more ponder
Gus roar of commerce which has ragged vorteNlike
about u.s.
A number of fine mercantile buildings and resi-
dences we perceive are in course of erection in diff
erent parts Of the city; and the work the differ
ent public buildings, or of them at least, has
made very handsome strides since we last made no
tee OF them
The First Presbyterian Church, on Lafayette
Square, though it lacks a great deal OF being finished,
is still SO far advanced in its main essentials to be
the most classcay beautiful edice in the city. It
has rot its shape and size but lacks yet its filling and
finish. The fine proportion of the edifce, its numer
Gus turrets, its lofty spre and the general harmony
of ALL strike every eye and command the particular
admiration of amateurs in architecture. The build
ing is of the rich Gothic style of the fourteenth
fury and Mr.. Howard, the architect, has added not
little to his fame in bringing forth the old idea il
shape so beautiful. The church will not be finished
for several months yet.
The Jewish Synagogue on Carondelet street, be-
tween Julia and st. Joseph, is complete i'll its eXter-
mails, and nearly complete inside. It is expected
that it will be ready for conservation by the close of
the present month. 1t is q building of the Grecan
stye--beng modelled after the Temple of Erechtheum
at Athens-and with its neat side buildings, adds a
dignity to the whole vicinity. This is generally
known, is the phoenix of the Synagogue torn down
at the corner of Canal and Bourbon Streets
The Church of the Christian Brothers, on Baronne
street, and the Chufch DIST Aphonsus in the Fourth
District are progressing at their usual slow rate. 1t
will be long time before either is finished but when
finished they will be something for this and future
generations to look upon and admire.
The St. Louis Cathedral is at last receiving its
finishing touch in the encasement of the tall central
spire, which has stood skeleton ever since its
erection. This operation, when finished, will add
much to the outward beauty of the edifce.
The Mechanics Institute, Dryades street, pro
crosses but very slowly 1t is still in the rough brick
andmortar stage.
The government works are progressing as usual
The new Custom House-which is getting rather old
for new building-still gives work to crowds oil
men, who pour in at morning and out at night. Elk
ternally, no visible progress has been made in the
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great deal of their intended height and the gigantic
scaiolding and railways all in good preservation
inside however, the work appears to be going brisk,
on. We stepped in the other day and found the marble
work of the great central chamber far advanced al
to give us very good idea of its expensiveness ant
beauty. We noticed, also, an architectural change
which had evidently been made necessary by the set
Ting of the exterior works. The large groined archie
in the center which weakened several years ag
by the settling of the immense weight either side
have been removed and large beams placed on tn
pillars 1t is staggering to go into the building, lool
around and think of the work yet to be done. Bu
Cor the occasional oscillations of the big derrick out
side passers-by would hardly suspect that labor wa
going on inside.
The work on the U. S. Marine Hospital, on th'
Common street shell road, seems to be progressn!
brsly. We passed there the other day, and grea
numbers Of men and mules at work, up to their knee
| in mud and doing we could not tell what, thOug
we had a general idea that the foundations wer
being laid. The steam pile drivers were han
mering the piles in the earth at great rate. TIL
work is all i'll the mud as yet.
Corporation improvements progress slowly in spo
here and tlere-chictIy in laying out and mprovin
the public thoroughtares The most noticeable in
provement of this kind is Common street, betwee
Carondelet and Baronne. The round stones have bee
taken up, and a sodsquare block pavement put dow
instead. 1t has been graveed over, and the mult
are now sharpening their shoes upon it.
The Touro Almshouse and the Metarie Ridge Par
are still purely imaginative.