The New Orleans crescent. [volume] (New Orleans, La.) 1866-1869, 1868-02-14

ions, and in design, is to exceed every o!her
bridge in the cOuntry-report that eight mA.o.s
Of money will be needed for its erection. Tnis
winter has demonstrated, just as last winter dld,
The great importance of bridge between the
two cities. The river is full Of floating ice, and
this, with the storms and fogs, continually cause
delays and difficulties in crossing. The bridge,
sr aiming the wide stream with simple arch, per-
hitting The tallest ships to sail beneath it with
ease, will, when completed, prove one OF the
picturesque celebrities OF TIE CITY,
We have had no dramatic novelty since the
production of the White Fawn," which is now
In the full tide of success, and bids fair to rival
in popularity the ever famous BLACK Crook"
The audiences are mostly composed of men. for
the dancing is little too bold aud the dressing Is
a little too scant for the nerves OF the gentler
sex. As q spectacle certainly nothing so gor-
geous has ever dszzled the eyes of American
theater goers. It's spendor is absolutely wearl-
some. One is first charmed, then intoxicated
and at last cloyed by the accumulation OF
scenic wonders, glittering dresses, Amazonian
marches gay professions and bewildering dances.
The effect of the whole is certainly imposing.
The grand transformation scene at the close de-
fes descrption-plants and leaves and fowers
blazing with gold and silver, and with every
known color, one portion melting into the other.
and revealing every moment female forms IN
strange and seductive poses, make up an ensct
which the eye can compass, but the tongue
has no power to portray. Another scene,
not so gorgeous, is more novel and is really
beautiful. The stage is covered with painted
glazed material and represents the surface Of
lake at midnight with the moonlight resting up
on it. 0verhanging trees cast their shadows
upon it, and lite surface is dotted with the Sum-
berous lily and other water plants. Here come
the fairy fire flies Represented by the ballet, each
with a tiny lighted lamp, variO1sly colored,
shining amid her hair) and as these dance upon
the seeming lake, the effect is singularly beauti-
full. The story OF the play is not easily under
stood, but this is of minor Importance. There
ia some singing, which is appauded, but when
the actors begin to talk everybody becomes at
once Indifferent. The sole nhjS0t 90 che spacta-
tors 10 ~ zee the sights the play being merely
tolerated as a means 10 this end.
The presence of Mr.. Dickens in the country il
not only stimulating TO an immense extent, the
perusiDg of his books, bat the thesters also seem
anxious TO derive their profit from the Dickens
Little Nell" Told Curiosity ShOp,) az another,
"Pickwick Papers" and only recently, =" Oliver
! Twist" and our Mutual Friend" were perform
ing at other places. 10 addition to these host
| Of readers, who render selections from Dickens,
varied little by extracts from Shakespeare, in
almost every degree Of excellence.
Money in Wall street is abundant, and can be
borrowed to almost any extent, at four per cent.
| of course, on the most unquestiOnable security.
| Il is bad condition OF affairs when capital is
| everywhere wanted and yet should remain &C.
cunuated in our financial centers the capitalists
| eager 10 loan on almost nominal interest. There
is a hope, however, that by spring business conf
| dence will in measure be restored.
A great deal is said in all quarters about the
| whisky tax and the whisky frauds. As an evil
dence not only OF the extent but the Openness OF
| he frauds, il the fact that whisky is unbush-
| ingy sold in our markets at 81 10 per gal.
ION, with the tax certificates appended, aud this in
face Of the fact that the tax thus officially ceTt
fed ss paid is two dollars per gallon.