Baton Rouge tri-weekly gazette & comet. [volume] (Baton Rouge, La.) 1865-18??, 1865-09-28
roR HsEcREArfoN.

prising to see how little interest is mani
tested in this particular in many portion
/ Of our countrys whore circumstances of eli
mats and sedentary occupations would
seem imperatively to require such means
| OF relief from mental and physical toll az
would be afforded in the exercises of the
gymnasium or in numerous other life
prolonging and agreeable pastimes that
might be named.
AS h general thing, lameutable def
cheney he's eristodin this and other South
ern localities with respect to .elseap rs well
no attractive resources of amusement and
relaxation for the million. Public parks'
gardens and esplanades, like those Of the
European cities, and few of our Northern
cities, with their hundreds of acres beauti-
fed and adorned in every conceivable
manner by the hand Of art 40 we'll rs mo-
ture, and ftoe to the enjoyment of the poor
ns well as rich, arc what our Southern cities
very much need.
Men living in cities, whether pursuing
mental OF physical occupations, require at
times relief from their treadmill routine
Of duties, or they sicken and die before
their time, from sheer monotony. They
must have breathing spells" occasionally
outside the dull, insipid atmosphere of
their everyday oircumscribed haunts, or
their lungs will fail to perform their func-
tons properly.
II is sound philosophy that seeks to
adjust tho reoreations and avocations Of
men in such q way as, by alternate indul-
gences, to season one TO the other, and rem
der each in its turn, enjoyable and bene-
fetal to both mind and body.
We can well conceive the zest which
those peripatetlc philosophers Of old So
crates, Plato, Aristotle and their eonso-
have turned from the thor
oughfares Of the forum and the temple to
the peaceful shades Of the Academic grove,
there to enjoy, while they dispensed, oraeu-
lar wisdom, and fashioned for future ages
their undying theories and principles Of
philosophic science.
But, to return. We need in this country
q much greater amount Of facilities for
public recreation. The few we have are
too expensive, and Therefore unattainable
to the poor. A horse and vehicle for
day is an extravaganza beyond the limited
means Of the poor man. A steamboat trip
to be made Mt cost which places that
species Of luxury among the rarest Of his
An excursion across the river
by the ferry, (going and returning,) eS-
tracts from the poor mans pocket foe Of
forty cents; 30 that even this slight means
Of recreation is dcbarred him, whom It
comes to more than a very rare Indulgence
of his desires III that direction.
We were pleased with the suggestions
thrown out by writer in The Airocate Of
the goth inHt., favoTing the plan Of selling
tho ferry lease. ia which our city aud the
parish Of West Baton Rouge arc Interested,
TO the party agreeing to carry passengers
freight, &c, at the IoaocSt rates, instead Of
leaving IL to, and empowering the lessee,
SO under present rules, to charge three or
four times as much MS ought in Justice TO
30 charged. The exotbitant rates of fer
rage which have ruled here for years, ia
subject of serious complaint with the pub
tic, mud should be reformed. Let the
schedule Of charges 10 brought down TO a
ust aud reasonable standard md the pro
portionate Increase Of business would after
luction Of toll. No doubt that in the sin
yle it0m Of passenger terriage during the
year, there would accrue to the lessee
business at least four-iold greater than he
would derive from the same source under
,he existing exorbitant toll. Hundreds
would thou avail themselves Of the ferry
facilities whore only dozens now do Pub
tic interests would be promoted and oppor-
,unities given to every one to indulge
more frequently than now in those little
aquatic excursions, for phrpores Of recrea-
ton.
We sincerely trust that the authorities
controlling this matter will signify their
disposition to give it u liberal and enlight-
oned consideration aud adopt the earliest
practicable measures to give to the public
l system of cheap ferriage, such as we find
n vogue elsewhere and which works with
marked satisfaction and advantage to every
one.
saE A foreign paper contains the fol-
lowing in relation to an underground thea