The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1866-01-12
Letter from the 'sCrescent City"

| in this city, in Boston, IN New York, and else
where. am not fugitive yet -,
Letter from the ssCrescent Citv.n
| NEW ORLEANS, Jan. /, 1866.
To the Editor ofthe Press:
| A very pleasant home-feeling comes owe
me as seat myself to address through thu
columns of your justly popular paper fe7
words to the people of Maine. 1 congratulate
myself on this opportunity Of wishing to eacf
and all ofthem Happy New 11Ar, with many
many occurrences of the same pleasant seas
on. To each and all of them may this veal
bring fresher health, nobler treasures of hap
| piness, and to our country prosperity anG
peace.
Truly we, as people, ought to feel thank
full to-day as we review the old year now gone
forever and see our country's flag unstained
but with the blood of her fallen sons and float
ing DER reunited country-and drop silent
tear to the memory of those who were with
us last year but are now lying on the distant
| and numerous battle fields alone, but unfor
gotten by grateful people.
To the northcrner coming to New Orleans
for the first time the change is great from
quiet New England. Weleft New York on
the goth ult. Steaming quietly down the har-
Dor and bay, now passing the cottages nest
ling in the woods and now the frowning walls
of the forts, we discharged our pilot at Sandy
Hook. Before us was the broad and trackless
ocean-behind fading from the view, was the
Empire City. Here we felt for the first time
the roll of the vessel. The sky was clouded
and portended storm which soon came upon
us in all its fury. Snow, wind and pitchy
darkness, still the good steamer went oni The
was high and the vessel rolled greatly, rolling
dishes from the tables and upsetting things
generally, especially your correspondent, who
kept his state room oil day wishing fervently
for terra frma. After the first day out we had
splendid weather and very smooth water, dis
pensing with overeoats on the 22d. The first
land seen after leaving New York was the
northern coast of Florida on the oath. Along
the southern part of the coast there extends
line of reefs. dangerous at night and in storms.
We passed these at night and our commander
with glass in hand, stood at the bows all night
long, which together with the splash of the
sounding lead and the cry of the mate as bot
tom was reached, rendered the scene one ex-
citing and move to the Gland lubbers.' Here
we saw porpoises in great abundance sporting
about the ships bows and earlier in the day a
whale showed his ponderous carcass. On the
9th we reached S. w. Pass where we took
pilot on board. For many miles from the Pass
the banks of the river are not more than fifty
feet apart, covered with tall rushes from
which the turkey buzzard starts as our steam
er approaches. IS miles up the N. E. Pass
strikes in, making very large and smooth
stream OF muddy water. Farther up we come
to Forts st. Phillip and Jackson which were
surrendered to our forces April 2Sth, 1862. 1t
being dark we could see nothing but few
lights. Quarantine comes next where the yes
sci is stopped and "the Doctor comes aboard
and gives the steamer permit to go up, re-
ceiving for his services $40. New Orleans
reached at 2.10 A. M. the 2Sth, making the
run from bar to bar in six days and eighteen
hours, splendid run for this time of the year.
Tne steamer on this occasion was commanded
by John Cough, formerly first mate, the regu-
lar captain-Hildreth-n coming out this
trip. az H5H ulala aa ~
I A persons first impressions Of New Orleans
on arriving at the leyee, especially if the pre-
vious day has been rainy, are far from fatter-
ing. But very small part of the levee is
paved or boarded and the soil is naturally
marshy and wet, so the mud may be imagined.
The style of architecture is entirely different
to that of the North, giving the city the ap-
pearance Of foreign place. Most of the
buildings have large verandahs on the second
and third stories, chiefly in the business por-
ton. There are no cellars, the city being
built on swamp, and by digging down two
feet water will be found. The streets are most
ly wide and unpaved, a few having a park in
the centre, now monopolized by the horse car
companies. Parks and squares are numerous
yet sadly neglected and in dilapidated state.
consequent upon the war. In fact dilapida-
ton and ruin stare you in the face every
where. Houses half finished have stood for
three and four years untouched, and now show
signs of decay. The Custom House, commenc-
ed a number of years since, remains uncom-
pleted, without roof and with boarded win
dows, giving bare appearance to the struc
ture which, if finished, would make a fine
building and ornament to that section of the
city in which it stands
Here we meet representatives of almost ey
cry country and hear almost every language.
Canal street is the dividing line between the
old town and the new. The former, which is
the southern half, is inhabited by every nation,
French and Spanish predominating. The lat
ter or upper portion is inhabited chiefly by
Americans. The customs and manners of the
two sections differ very widely. E
The weather is and has been for some time
past damp, cloudy and generally nasty, but
quite warm. Overcoats are rarely met; grass
and trees are green and fruit hanging from the
trees.
Business at this time is very dull, as it al
ways is at New Orleans Immediately before
and after the holidays. Stores are full of goods
and more coming from the North. In yery
short time unless there is great edemand, the
market will be overstocked with almost every
description of goods. Freights at present are
dull, consequent upon the dullness of trade
steamers for Boston are leaving with half car
goes and taking freishts at reduced rates.
Trade at Galveston is good but I understand
'ne market Is fuu. FEsTUs.
ITEMS OF STATE NEWS. 03f.
Ey- The editor OF the Skowhegan Clarion
says Gov. Cony's Annual Address is 90 tbnn.
dering long that he must 4alzo - :, q