The daily Mississippi clarion. [volume] (Jackson, Miss.) 1866-1866, 1866-05-03
correspondence oClhe Clarion
LETTER FROM NEW ORLEANS.

Gay appearance Of the Ciy-Desttu-
ton 1mong Women-Amusements-
Business Gro,ring DuU-Ae~ Or
leans as an Importing Cty-THe
Nefhodist Confereace-Election If
Directors Of tie -Nep Orleans, Jock-
son d Great Northern Railroad.
New ORLEANS, April q, 1866.
Mr.. EDITOR The city of New Or
leans is now wearing its gayest colors
the air is redolent with the perfume of
mvriads Of flowers, and luscious fruits,
both domestic and imported, crafty
the v upon every side the people
seem to partake of the pleasant air
which the season of flowers gives the
city. the gentlemen are cheerful and
stirring. while the ladies are attired in
the most recherche style, and, whether
seen on the grand Boulevard-Canal
Street-in church or at the theatre,
wear the most amiable expression Of
c~ountenance that we could desire to
see but while such is the apparent
contentment and prosperity of the
people at large, old citizens say that
much suffering exists in the city, and
that Charity has as much as she can
do to keep any amount of
people from starving in that city Of
plenty. Aye, squalid poverty stalks
to-day in what was the abode of
wealth and magniicence. Instances
are revealed every day of great desti-
tuition among persons formerly of
great wealth. | heard Of two widow
sisters whose ancestors formerly
owned several large sugar plantations
in Louisiana besides a large portion Of
one of the most lOurishing suburbs
of New Orleans, who have been so re-
duced in their circumstances by the
war, that they have now to take in
sewing to support themselves, and
from formerly occupying palatial res
licences with all the appliances Of lux
ury, are now reduced to occupy a very
small tenement together to save rent,
which by-the-by, is enormously high
and rising. As further illustration
of the straitened circumstances Of wo-
men in New Orleans, | saw myself a
woman newspaper carrier, an occupa-
a.. -I;,L I,,-o Do,-,r E-aouD wp-
men to follow, and which l suppose
no woman would accept save only
through necessity. Although female
clerks and assistants have always
been peculiar to New Orleans for an
American city, lit is the usage of all
Europe the number now occupying
similar positions is fully twice as
large again as it ever was before. l
infer from this that there are more
needy women in New Orleans now
than any one has any idea of. A
great many of these people are ref
ugees from the country parishes, for
mer planters families who have lost
their male relatives in the war, and
having no laborers to cultivate their
lands, have removed to the city for
protection and to try to support them
selves by sewing, embroidering, clerk
ing, teaching or such like occupations.
\ great field is open to the philan-
thropist to do good in New Orleans.
The Washington Artillery have com
menced this good work by giving a
grand ball and supper in aid of the
suffering families of the members of
their noble battalion who fell In the
war. From the preparations making
it will he the greatest affair of the
season. May their example be imita-
ted by others.
The city is full of amusements, and
Notwithstanding the season is some
what advanced, there is no diminution
in the variety of amusements offered
to the public, o on the other hand is
there much diminution in the number
of pleasure seekers. Indeed, there
are more visitors to New Orleans this
spring than ever known before. Five
theatres are in full blast; the Vari-
cites, St. Charles, Olympic, Acad-
envy of Music and the French theatre.
on Bourbon Street Each have good
companies and present quite an at
tractive bill every night. Besides
there are any number of minor shows
all over town, comprising the fat wo-
man, the albinos, the performing
birds, tanned lions and snakes, the
anatomy of nature, Maitland-the man
who cuts off his head and carries il
under his arm Tin a horn), and balls.
fairs. &c, so that almost any taste car
be accommodated.
Business is declining and wholesale
merchants are getting anxious to sell
to reduce their stocks of summer
goods and in anticipation of further
declines. The auctions are full Of
goods every day. The druggists and
grocery men seem to be the only class
who are very busy and not alarmed
They know that their goods do not
go out of fashion, nor are they much
affected by the fluctuations of cotton,
/, so they maintain a pretty stiff market
Much capital is represented in business
in New Orleans, and more large houses
are making their arrangements to open
there the coming fall. Planters will
get all the assistance they want by
September next
New Orleans is rapidly resuming its
position as al importing city-some
city paper states that the receipts at
the Custom House Of New Orleans
show that she is the third largest i'm
porting city in the Union; with steam
ship lines to Cuba, Mexico, Liverpool