The Constitutional. [volume] (Alexandria, La.) 1860-1861, 1860-08-20
New Orleans according To Capt
Wayne Reid.

In Once Month, new publication issued in
London, each number of which is complete
story, Capt. Reid thus writes of the Crescent
City:
Among the cities Of America New Orleans IN
joys special reputation. The important position
!: holds as ;hc key to the great valley If the
Mississippi, of wI"sc commerce it i, TN, natural
cnfrcpot and dcch0rqc-its ate rapid growth and
aggrandizrm'nt-all combine to render tho
Crescent CRY on" of The most interesting places
in the world, and by tar tho most Interesting in
the United States of America A variety of other
circumstances have contributed to invest New
Orleans with peculiar character in the eyes of
the American people. The romantic history of
its early srttlcmrnt-the sub-tropcal stamp of It's
vegetation, aud the truly tropical character of its
cmntr-tlIe repeated changing of it's owncrs, the
intlnx and commingliug Of the most varied and
opposite natonalitics, and the Ji,0rrcrie of man
nrrs and customs resulting thcrcirom, could not
do otherwise than produce n community of .e-
cular kind and such has been the result Go
where you will throughout the Atlantic States,
or even through the States of the west YOU will
find n certain sentiment of interest attached TO
the name of the Crescent City; and 10 one
talks OF 1t with indifference. The young Ken
:uckian, who has not yet been down the river"
looks forward with pleasant anticipation to the
hour when he may indulge in visit to that place
of infinite luxury and plcasurc-thc Mecca of the
Western world.
The growth Of New Orleans has been rapid
almost beyond parallcl-that is, dating from the
day it becam" arepubcan city. Up to that time,
its history is scarcely worth recording. Sixty
years have Witnessed its increase from village of
i00J6-of little trade and less importance-to a
grand commercial city numbering population of
100000 souls. And this in the teeth of pcst-
Ien;ia epidemic that annually robs it of its thou
sands of inhabitants But for the drawbacks of
climate New Orleans would ere this have rivallcd
New York. but it looks forward to a still grander
future. Its people believe it destined to become
the metropolis Of The rorid and, regarding its
position, there is no great presumption in the
prophecy,
New Orleans is not looked upon as a provincial
city-it never was one 1t is a true metropolis,
and ever has been from the time it was the head
quarters and commercial depot of the gulf pirates,
to the present hour. 1t is a true metropolis, and
ever has been from the time it was the head
quarters and commercial depot of the gulf pirates,
to the present hour Its manners and customs
are its own its fashions are original or, if bor-
rowed, il is from Broadway The latest couture
of Partisan belle the cut of a coat, or the shape
of hat, will make its appearance upon the streets
of New Orleans earlier than on those of New
Notwithstanding the advantage which the
latter has in Atlantic steamers and, what is more,
the coat and hat of the New orleanois will be
of better fabric and costirr materials than that of
the New Yorker. The Creole cares little tor cx-
penSe he clothes himself in the bcst-thr finest
linen that looms producc-the finest cloth
that can be fabricated Hats are worn costing
% dollars and the bills of tailor Of the Rue
ROyale would aStonish even a customer of Stultz.
/ have n,yself some remembrance of twelve
guinea coat, made by one of these Transatlantic
artists; bat remember also that il ,cas coat.
New Orleans, then, may fairly claim to BE-
considered a metropolis.
In literature and in love, generally begin in
bad taste lv experience and observation we