The Louisiana Democrat. [volume] (Alexandria, La.) 1845-1918, 1867-04-03
NEW ORLEANS COR RESP0NDENCE.
New ORLEANS, March %, 1867.

New ORLEANS, March %, 1867.
Friend Democrat: The 'brokers har
vest In city money has commenced il
earnest, and the discount becomes heavie
every day, it is quoted to-day as low al
seven per cent. discount. If our Cit,
Fathers do not take steps to have it fun
ded, a great deal of distress will be the re
suit, as it has heretofore been the principa
medium of circulation in trade, and the los;
will fall amongst those flour citizens wht
can least afford it. There was rumo
that its use as money would be altogethe
Iforbidden-and that it would then be re
deemed only as taxes were paid in, which
would be long and tedious process
Strange as it will seem to the outsider
with all the resources at the command O
our city authorities, issuing money taxes
and all-the debts have not been pail
promptly, and even those in the employ O
the city were not paid when due. The
Policemen have sometimes been obliged tc
wait two or three months, and hundreds O.
them, land other laborers as well, were
compelled to sell their warrants on the
City Treasury at heavy discount. A
broker told me few days since that it was
ga very pretty business; the warrants car
be bought from ten to fifteen per cent. dis
count, and are just as good as greenbacks.
A nice state Of affairs, truly.
Last Sunday the remains of the late
Rev. Theodore Clapp were buried with
appropriate ceremonies in the Firemen's
Cemetery. Mr.. Clapp was for many years
one Of the most distinguished divines Of
our city and country, and was highly es.
teemed by all classes of our population
During the fearful epidemics which ravaged
our city while he was a resident, be re-
manned faithful at his post-and when
thousands fled to Northern climates, he
was always found relieving the distressed
consoling the afflicted and waiting upon
the dying. Although Of widely different
creeds, ne and the late Father Mullen were
warm friends and co-laborers for the adj
vancement of our city.
Great anxiety is felt now in relation to
our levees, which are reported in a very
dangerous condition-and the prospect of
being reduced to water navigation through
our streets, is not as encouraging as it is
romantic. There are two or three weak
spots reported above Carrollton, and if the
water once breaks through there, it would
be impossible to estimate the amount of
damage that would be done. Our neigh
bors of Jefferson City are very nervous on
the subject, and some Of them have gone to
boat building, but it is not probable that
the city proper would escape in such case.
The sold fogy" concern known as the
Water Works company would then be USE
less, for once at least, we would be indie.
pendent Of them--the ladies of the Fourth
would have an ample supply Of water "to
do their washing" and our boys could find
enough for all the etlachines." The last
crevasse we had here was in 1852 about six
weeks after the arrival ofEutler and nearly
the whole of Jefferson City was under wa
ter for several weeks. BY great exertions
the inundation was stopped at the upper
limits of the city, but the river was not as
high then as at present. In Jefferson
at that time, the people went to market in
boats, reached the railroad in boats, and
were, before it was over, quite expert in
boating and rafting. The experience was
dearly bought, however, for thousands of
orange, plum, lennon, peach and ornamen-
tai trees, were killed. The gardens were
all ruined, ard have hardly recovered from
it yet. Such matters Of internal improve
ment should command the first attention
OF our lawmakers, and no time ought to
be wasted on other subjects while single
foot OF weak or insecure levee exists. It
was certainly fair to presume, that after the
experience Of last year, the great loss and
widespread distress occasioned by the
overfows Of that time, our public officers
would have taken prompt measures to pre-
vent the recurrence Of such disaster, yet
rom all quarters we are daily receiving
news that the levees have given away, or
IRE nlomentarily expected to do so.
we have had warm week, with great
leal of rain. Our fat men are beginning to
'uf and blow, and wipe the big beads of
respiration from their faces, while the
birds OF passage" those fortunate indi
'iduals whose pile Of greenbacks" admit |
i an annual jaunt, to some northern noun |
am, some distant sea-beat shore, or some
mineral spring, "good for the govt, or
leasant Irritation " are once more over
auling their trunks and making ready for
start. A great number will 60 to Paris
be present at the great " Exposition"
nd Miss Flora McFlimsey will astonish
he natives this year, ifneyer before. Hard
ines! Nonsense-there is no such thing
ow-a-days. Canal street never before was
0 thronged with ladies as fashionabIy and
xpensively dressed. You may stand for
ours on the Loafers Exchange, (if the
rowd Of oegling, simpering, impcrtinent
lale Do-littles, don't sicken and drive you
IT, and nineteen out of every twenty la
les that pass, will have an outfit expen-
We enough to drive any calculating, sane
an, crazy; silks and laens richly emhro;d