New Orleans daily crescent. [volume] ([New Orleans, La.]) 1851-1866, 1860-11-30
gOtal SntelItgelrte.

| New Orleans November has ever been able to
boast more perfectly delicious day than was yes
terday. 1t was among US terrestrials, an appointed
day of prayer and Thanksgiving; but if bright
and beautiful appearances he tokens Of joyous
and thankful spirit, the heavens yesterday not only
Wed with, but far exceeded the puny demonstra-
tions of US mortals here below.
Many people, according to ancient custom, con-
fined thanksgiving to their homes, and to that
pleasant social intercourse which we generally see
on Christmas and New Years days. A great many
people closed their places Of business and in dii-
ierent parts of the city the streets had quiet and
sabbath-like appearance.
A great many of the churches were open, and
the usual prayers and sermons appropriate to
Thanksgiving day were joined in and listened to
by deyoutly attentive congregations.
The state of the nation and its caiarnities or Its
prosperities, the year may have developed them,
has always been the leading theme Of thanksgiving
sermons and religious exercises It was therefore
natural and proper that people should expect to
| hear from the pulpit some allusion to the great
event of the present day, an event which disturbs
and threatens the country far more seriously than
anything which has happened since the foundation
Of the country in i776.
I Ministers of different churches, as we under
stand, in their discourses yesterday, alluded, as
the occasion required, to the state of the country
and in this, so far as they could without violating
the sanctity Of the pulpit, they had to allude to
the distraetng event of the day, the nature of
which is understood by all of US. We have al
ways opposed and do now deprecate ministerial
encroaehment upon the domain of national poll
tics; and if there be any who object to what was
heard from the pulpit yesterday, we have only to
request them to remember two things: First,
that the state of the nation has always been the
first and legitimate theme of Thanksgiving SER
mons; and second, that yesterday was not the holy
Sabbath of the Most High, but day selected and
/ appointed by the Governor Of our State, who is
not religious but temporal officer.
OF all the discourses delivered yesterday, that oi
tile Rev. DR.. Palmer, Of the First Presbyterian
Church, Cone of the largest and most respectable
congregations in the city, was the most vigorous
and striking, and best adapted to what people
have right to expect on Thanksgiving day. The
reverend gentleman's address was yesterday after
noon and last evening the talk everywhere. r
was SO full of sense, reason and truth coupled
with text and argument from holy Writ, that mem
bers of the church at once subscribed to have
10000 copies Of printed and scattered broadcas
over the nation.
The people of this city and the adjacent country
will soon have the opportunity of reading what thc
Rev. Dir. Palmer said, not on Gods Sabbath day
but on another day appointed for thanks by the
Governor of Louisiana.
TIE BALL To-NIGHT.--The grand fancy dress bal
of the G. G,'s takes place at Odd Fellows Hal
tonight. We know the gentlemen who have gottei
up this ball. and know that the ball will be not onl
fashionable and well-managed, but brilliant AM
delightful. The managers have our thanks 70
complimentary tickets, which we shall certainl
h9aor.
= BATTALION DRILL.-The Washington Artillery
n the Continental Guards, the Louisiana Grays an
Fthe Sarsfeld Guards were all out last night, b
the light of the moon,' going through battalion
drill under their respective commanders am
Brigadier-G General Tracy. The military spirit
steadily on the rise. Ills only sign Of the times
TRIAL or TWO NEW STEAM FIRE ENatSEs-i
great crowd Of people collected on Canal stree
yesterday afternoon to witness test of two ne4
/ steam fire engines, one for this city and one 70
Mobile; both from Neaiie & Levy's "Penn
Works in Kensngton, Philadelphia; machines o
new and elegant description, and the first Il
come South in competition with the Novelty Work
(New Yorh) machines, which have been thorough.
tested, and have done good service in this city
Both maehiaes were stationed at the Camp ant
Chaires crossing and sucked from the large stean
fre.plug there stationed. The large engine tfrs
ciass9 which is en- route for Mobile made one tia
only, and threw ~ inch stream to distance &
2so feet 10 inches. This was admirable for bra
new machine, not YET pronounced in good workin
order
The other engine is of the third class, and ha
been purchased for this city and placed in charg
of Volunteer Fire Company No. l, who will ru
and work it until further orders. Though consiG
erabiy smaller, it is an exact model of the Mobil
I machine. This was the throwing it did:
Stream of l. inch, 22o feet; II inch stream, frs
J trial, 234 feet; II inch stream, second trial. q
feet: inch stream third trial, 272 feet II inches
Stream of inch, through 1000 feet of hose, owe
! the top of the st. Charles Hotel; two streams
once, 206 feet
+ Time in raising steam, from cold water Z nil
utes; time from lighting fire to throwing water,
minutes.
This water-throwing considerably exceeds an,
thing yet seen in New Orleans. The measuremel
of the throws was carefully and accurately take
by Messrs. James Beggs, A. Reichard and II. ]
: Thornton.
. our young friend Tom Menzes, of American Hoo
| and Ladder Company No. 2, have had the Ne
; Orleans steam engine in hand since it arrivet
= Tom Menzies, who understands considerable if nj
:. more about steam machinery, will have consider
!, BILE if not more to do with the new machine aftt
/, Mr.. Neal leaves.
INCENDIAny FIREs.-On Wednesday night,
about IL o'clock, an attempt was made to bul
: down the carpenter shop of P Middlemiss, at IL
8 corner Of Grayier and Freret streets. It was 70
5 tunately discovered in time and the fire exit
: guished before it had cansed any damage to IL
!, building,
: Yesterday morning at o'clock fire broke o.
\ on the corner of Main and Treme streets, in IL
= dry goods store of John Hewlett, Jr, destroyir
It the premises and an adjoining one.story fran
j; house, fronting on Main street. The fire oris
: mated in the garrett, over the store, and the fam
y broke through the roof before it was discovere
!, The street deserted and the cry of fire beiI
8 given by the nearest neighbors, young lad Ii,
u u tile presence Of miad to run to engine No. 1O
+ honae, square and halt distant, crying ''tirt
as he ran. No. 10 was soon on the ground al
Y manned by the people of the immediate neig
j bofhood.
|. !. The Chief Of the Fire Department, Mr.. A. Bella
ger, was oae Of the first on the ground, and by |