New Orleans daily crescent. [volume] ([New Orleans, La.]) 1851-1866, 1866-01-05
VOLUME XIV.
SuMpER 4wo.

by system OF slufceB and canals, the mississippi
waters into city, is best proved by the company
| which was incorporated under the name of the
Navigation Company, and which was to have
conducted by canal through the present site OF
that broad street which bears this name the waters
of the river into the Old Basin of Canal Caronde
let; but why this scheme never was executed, is
more than we can tell or account for, unless 1t be
the secret motives of some rival opposition who
prevented this as we would call it, most benfcen
| enterprise, had it been carried out according to
its original design.
There cannot be the least doubt about it's feas
ability, for we well remember that the ruins and
vestiges of similar undertaking were still visible
in 1916, at the lower end Of the city-that is to
say, the old Marigny canal-which occupied pre-
cisey the present location of the Ponchartrain
Railroad tract. Where now stands the buildings
| of the company's depot station, were then to be
seen the massive walls, built of solid masonry,
which had served for the opening and shutting Of
the sluices in order to admit or impede the waters
of the river. This canal, which made an angle or
elbow at a small distance from where the first
mile stone is standing now, was conducting the
waters across or under the Gently Road towards
the Bayou st. John. --,.-.--
At present, as already stated, the rail-track runs
along this part of the former Marigny canal,
which started from the leyee, and there is hardly
vestige left of it, excepta small draining rigoet;
while that other branch, going towards the Bayou
St. John through the woods and plains, has been
improved by the Draining Company, and now forms
part of that system. At the time that we first
mentioned, in 1916, and for number of years
thereafter the canal being planted with double
row of fine willow trees, served as one of the ia
vorte promenades in the summer season, as also
81, ,,to;p ab rod
buildings all over, were then the selected play
ing grounds for the athletic youths Of that epoch,
in the animating games of raquetes or Indian ball
plays. Here, on Sundays, little encampments
would be erected, and all the people, young and
old would assist at these popular festivals, which
sometimes lasted for several days into the week
! i according to the perseverance of the players.
AtQriginally those games had no doubt been intro
duced by the aborjgnes Of the forest, but at the
time we speak of, the whites as well as the blacks
and colored would paralie of the game however
most of the time each race had its own particular
camping or playing grounds, with whichtle Others
would not interfere.
Indeed in all their public amuscments, and
there were many others Of this kind among the
different races that composed our society, we
never observed but the best and kindliest behavior
r among the different classes OF course, it was
tacitly understood that each moved content
r edly in its own sphere.
Nay, we remember that the black population
: although slaves aud in greater part original Afr
cans at that time, by the indulgence of their own
ers or masters, enjoyed much more privileges than
in after times. The reason Of this must be found
in the ever increasing animosity of the Northern
people against this sable race for the inhabitant:
e of Louisiana had really, in very many places, pet
ted their black fanilies though they theil
own flesh and blood.
It is also to be noticed that from that carly
g time date the many voluntary emancipations wh2l
tcreated the free coored race, and that the for
It tunes acquired by these latter were in great par
donations and heritages bequeathed to them BY
0 their wealthy masters and mistresses.
C Unfortunately for the whole country, this stat
II of kindly feeling was greatly interfered with by h
|, constant endeavors of Northern fanatics to chang
II the condition of society in our Southern iatudes
l. Hence the restrictive measures of our legisa
n tsses and city police in after times, and the abro
rYtion Of more than one of the favorite anusc
l. ments Of the African race.
e Among these we must mention the Congo dance
t. upon the plains, of which the sqnare now bearin
this NAME near Rampant street. was then forlnn
s. o part These dances, the most animated and gre
tcsque ever beheld by human eye, were sue
q national privilege, that the blacks would rathe
have done without eating or drinking than hay
missed this Sunday afternoon recreation. True
the yotaries of these diabocal dances might haV
been the worshippers of some Fetish idol in the
African wilds, and their gestures and extrayaga1
evolutions certainly had nothing demure
Christian!ike in them; but what if thes
children of nature did enjoy themselves in the e2
ercise of their native dances, which recalled
them all the pleasures and former enjoyments
their iOrsaken homes?
Though no disturbance of any sort ever gre
d. out of these Sunday amusements, it was -four
polite by certain sect of Sabbathtarans to su
he press by police force these negro Dances to the
small regret of all the people, great and small wi
sc would go and eat ginger-cake or drink pop bee
IT. whilst attending these public exhibitions that CO
lat them no entrance fee. So goes the world one gener
ton succeeding the other and with every succee
a ing generation the scenes of the world will chang
in whilst yet the human heart remains the sam
IN. and now, well as before, claims and pants f
ats relief from the every days care and labor. x
q We stated in our former number that few lnd
ter huts only were found on Bayou st. John. The
ste may have been few more on Bayou Savage, f
in the immediate vicinity of the late Daniel Clark
ill., residence, at the crossing of Bayou st. John al
=" GENTLY road we were shown, at one time, VIII
of had been the Indian grave yard, a small tract
dy very elevated ground. uttho ndpber of India
near the site of our city must have been very
significant indeed. for nowhere have they left al
srd monument of their existence. In fact, they see
to have disappeared from their primitive abode
nobody knows how or when.
The Whilst this is the with the small tribes
ad Collapissas and Tchoupitoulas, there were, no
ever, annually arrivals of the aborigines, fro
mt over the lake and from above the river, who won
come for New Years day to compliment t
in Governor or city authorities, and collect up
these occasion the customary presents which
vas ancient times had been stipulated in their fayo
),n and when by the apse of custom these resourc
did fail them, the Indians would resort to occ
the sional paGgduds pheasant shooting, by carr
md ing about many ycolored ribboned wooden biz
lad dancing and shouting around it. and begging fre
house to house for the necessary powder n
~, shot that was 60 whisky and rations,' for thu
or warriors and squaws. These carousals were he
,re thus for several days in the outskirts of town;
,hil also their Indian weddings and other ceremoni
ton, which did nnt lttIn stir nm the curiosity
Mar ~ ' - ~
Il Str1npnra and SpiUurDprs