The New Orleans crescent. [volume] (New Orleans, La.) 1866-1869, 1869-03-02

Il is passing strange In large city like New Or.
leans, the center of an essentially agricultural
section, contiguous with the rich stock lands OF
Ahskapas and our sister State of Texas with ia.
cihties of transportation, which although not so
much developed as the exigencies of our exten.
sive commerce might require, are yet sufficiently
great for all pnposes-that the cost of living is
maintained at what it was fifty years ago, with
little if any Improvement upon the accommodation
Of that period. A man Of moderate means in this
city is compelled to stint himself in the smallest
Injuries If he would live with some semblance of
order or economy, and has to pay for the scsnty
food which he obtains at his boarding house or
cbeap() restaurant prices that absorb the greater
portion Of his hard earnings, and he may be said
TO be only "existingn for the word living il
blptted out from his vocabulary. Think of one OF
these cheap restaurants exacng As cents for three
soft boiled eggs, so cents fer a steak, and other
dishes in proportion Notwithstanding the facili-
ties mentioned above. a breakfast or dinner at the
Dizzy places which their proprietors pre-
sumo to call cheap eating houses, a man
can scarcely satisfy his appetite at less than one
dollar per meal. for which amount he can GET
better at a rs-class establish meat. But his purse
will not admit Of such 40 expenditure for food,
and he must have recourse 70 "genteel board.
ing house at moderate rates." The experience 10
this line of the class of the readers Of the Cas-.
CENT, for whose benefit this is written is so great
that they will permit US to pass upon the subject
without comment. Our own experience in ths
MISTER, which has induced US TO write these lines
hss brought US to the conclusion that the charges
of many Of the establishments are unreasonable
ami even extortionate, and they SHOULD not be
encouraged, now that under the management Of
the clever Colonel Bartes the St. James Hotel has
been thrown open 10 day bosrders at the most
reasonable rates.
since the st. James Hotel has been controlled
by Col Bartels, who is known throughout the
South as q capital caterer, we can assert that IL
has been unsurpassed by any other establishment.
II has undergone thorough change for tbs bet.
ter, and is now sought for by strangers and resi-.
dents, for the excellent accommodations which it
affords, and the attentions which the guests 70
ceye az the hands Of everybody connected with
H.. The Improvement in the fare especially has
been all that the most fastidous taste could de.
sire, and to those who, like ourselves, have
suffered from the inconvenience of boarding
houses and restaurants, aud the extortions OF
their proprietoIs. we can recommend the ST.
james in all It's parts, begging them to remember
that We speak by the card and in no spirit Of
eSsggeraiion. Our country friends should also
make a note Of this and upon landing In this city
book their names with the polite and gentlcm anly
clerks in the office. We have not dwelt upon the
details Of the accommodations offered at the ST.
James, our space being limited, but we remain
convinced, after q sojourn Of over a month at this
hotel, that we can rate Il a. first class establish
ment conducted on liberal principles, which eyi.
denee the nlibersity Of extortionste restaurants.