New Orleans daily crescent. [volume] ([New Orleans, La.]) 1851-1866, 1866-04-30
rhe Hnyirons OF New Orleans.
NUMBER FoRrY-sEyEN.

the naming of this posllon hehee' Wien VIC "a!
at the foot of Toulouse street, we aoluaily heah
the highest part OF that street, so-Wlt. on tue
Ievee, from which part the SOIL towards the WOODS
or swamps is continually descending insteaos
then, Of saying going up street, when we leave
the river, and direct our course inward towards
the forest, we generally use the expression going
down the street. To stranger these terms seem
to imply contradiction, but still usage has sane
toned these different applications. There is
another difficulty when designating the different
corners OF street crossins4 for the old square Of
the city, such terms as the northeast, northwest,
Or southeast and southwest corners, may be ap-
propriate, because they actually correspond to
the designated positions according to the compass
or magnetic needle; but for either the lower or
upper districts, these designations can no longer
be employed, inasmuch as they would, in many
cases, be dramatically opposed to the actual in
dications of the surveyors campass. We have,
therefore, seen that great uncertainty prevails IN
the designation of these respective localities, ana
whilst upon this subject, have thought if not some
general starting point as rule could be suggested
simple and popular way to distinguish one posi-
ton from another. Ga5
For instance, how would it 40 to name inyarla-
bly, in the street parallel to the river, that side or
banquette next to the stream the river banquette,
whilst the opposite one would thus naturally be
designated by the wood or forest banquette.
Again, in the streets running from the levee and
toward the swamps, which generally are called
the perpendicular streets on account of their ooa
ton towards the stream, might designate the two
sides or banquettes of these streets the upper and
the lower banquettes Having thus settled by the
respective positions these four cardinal points, 1t
would be an easy matter IN all locations to deslg'
nate the four corners, at the street crossings, by
appropriate applications as the upper river corner
the upper forest, the lower river, and lower for
est one thus obyiating all recourse to the points
Of the compass, which are continually drifting from
one locality to the. other, whilst the two cardinal
positions, that towards the river and the swamp
every where IN our city enVlrons, remain the same
We have ventured these suggestions because the
want Of some general rule in this respect is felt
and yet SO far we have not seen anything Ike
general observance with regard TO these several
denominations. Our CITY council py puplic ordi
nances has ordered the numbering OF The houses
and lots, placing the odd numbers on one side Of
tho street whilst the even ones are placed on the
other; but upon what rule or basis have they pro
ceeded in this respect? That is what we have
not been able to ascertain. Practically we
know that the odd numbers generally are
placed on the swamp or forest side in the paral-
lei or river streets, and the even ones opposite on
the river SIDE. But now with the perpendicular
streets! Here the odd ones are placed on tne
upper side, whilst the even ones nno ther place
on the opposite or lower sioe hence " foiioWs
that If person goes from the central point, that
is from Canal street, up or down the town, the
numbers on ms right hand or lett one are no
longer IN accordance, with such designation as
the odd to the right hand side, and the left to
have the even ones, because necessarily the posi-
ton OF the passes Is changed, When elther pro-
ceeoing up or Gown the CITY. we menuon these
seemingly insignificant Indications, because they
VIII obyiate o great deal OF coniusion 10 the di-
recuons 10 De gwen; Tor by informing Stranger
lhat all the even numbers VIII be found on snch
SIDE OF the streets ne hen mas no longer recourse
to his right or left hand designation by winch
most people are apt TO direct person in search
Of given number or dwelling. But after all, has
anything like regular order been adhered to in
me numbering of the houses! For, alSnough we
nave mentioned the ABOVE laid down rules, we
snow Oh a great many inifaetons OF tnese fegu'
atoms, and therefore shall leave the subject as
Iery unsatisfactory one. we nave mentioned That
ne Original pan OF the o!a CITY was peffecuy
e8utar one, al streets helng parallel 70 the river
M others crossing at risnt angles these FORMER
mes, perpendleuiariy gong towards the woods.
MS Of course was understood OF the Old oblong
4uare tald out IN l!zo put outside OF TINS plan,
ne settlement upon the road oil Bayou ST. John,
awards the high lands OF Matalrie and GENTLY,
y no means followed anything Ike regular
ian.
On the contrary, all these ancient estanlshments
'llowed the irregular lines and tract which the
rst Indian path had indicated through the wooded
art Of the back lands; and that Indian trail itself
ad naturally been traced upon the most solid and
REST part of the ridge, Or tongue of land, which
as it were, in the form of azig gag, from
lie Bayou Bridge to the river. 1t is on account Of
lis irregular road on both sides of which the first
ardens and small farms for marketprovision were
id out, that at the present day, the stranger that
asses. through this district, cannot imagine
hat has been the reason Of the singular spec
.ele upon the BAYOU road, Esplanade street, and
40 adjoining neirhborhood which he there be.
ods. of one half Of the premises or houses stand
NJ. as it were, turned away, or as If showed
round by some hurricane into a sde-way posi-
ion. This arises from the opening of the city
treets in regular perpendicular line across these
10 zap roads. whose houses now are no longer
POINTING as formerly the oblioue mr. sliding front