Baton Rouge tri-weekly gazette & comet. [volume] (Baton Rouge, La.) 1865-18??, 1866-10-02
Correspondence of tho Gazette and Comst.l
NEW oRIEANs, Sept. 29th, 1855.

New oRIEANs, Sept. 29th, 1866.
There is no use in attempting to disguise
! the fact that there is at present, and has
been for some time, much distress in this
city. Numerous causes have combined to
produce this result, and the end is not yet
The war left many persons belonging to
this city in destitute circumstances. After
the war thousands who had lost their all
in the trans Mississippi Department and
in adjacent States, focked here to stake
their chances" in their attempts to recover
what they had lost. The city suddenly
became crowded. For time business was
Aourishing, and nearly oil found some
thing to do. But summer came, and with
it sickness in its various forms. The
cholera played its part, until ell felt its
presence, directly or indirectly. Then
came the worst of all scourges, grasping
and unfeeling landlords. They took ad ;
vantage of the situation" and raised their
rents two or even three hundred per cont,
not only upon the rich, who could "stsnd
the raise" but also on the poor, who could
not. What could be done? What has
been done? Hundreds fed from the city
to the outskirts and adjacent places; 9TH
ers who could not get away remained, and
have Promised to pay, and thousands Of
others have given up and are daily giving
up their dwellings, and have sought refuge
in boarding houses, where they are paying
nearly twice as much for board as was
asked before the war for similar accommo-
dations. Besides all this, there is much
sickness, independent of the cholera, now
prevailing. There is much yellow fever in
the city, though the mortality is quite
limited-only five or six cases daily
proving fatal.
This may be a gloomy picture, never
theless it is true-and why disguise the
facts
Landlords are doing more to injure the
prosperity of this city than all other causes
combined; but what care they for that9
They look only to their Golfers. They are
running q race, and their motto is, "the
devil take the hindmost.''
OF course all are studying and in most
instances praeticiDg economy in every pos
sible manner. The winter is coming on,
and the article of fuel is one of no small
importance to those whose mears are lin
tied. This has led many to turn their at
tention to an invention that might other
wise have slumb ered for a time. The
writer refers to the Petroleum Vapor
Heating Stove, found at l06 Camp street.
This stove consumes no wood or coal, and
rooms can be heated with it at about half
the expense incurred where wood or coal
are used.
People are now looking forward to an
early business season. 1t fac: the travel
has materially increased during the last,
ten days, as she hotel regis ter plainly
show.
Preparations for business are on scale
never before witnessed, and if the coming
season should not prove to be one Of un-
precedented activity great will be the dis
appointm of those who are laying in
stocks.
Negroes are focking in here from all
parts Of the country, and every nook and
corner is being filled with them. They
come here with the impression that they
can get along here with much less labor
than in the country. They will, however,
find out their mistake before many months |
roll over their heads.
The daily papers furnish but little news |
Of local interest; how, then, can it be ex-
pected that correspondent should do |
this When business reviyes these letters |
may increase in interest. MAC r. L.