The New Orleans crescent. [volume] (New Orleans, La.) 1866-1869, 1869-01-24
STEAMBOATMEN'S UNION.
A BANQUET AT THE ST. CHARLES.

OF the present season 10 this city, the New Orleans
delegation, before parting with their guests, as
sembled them in parlor "P" of the ST. Charles
Hotel about half past five O'Clock on Friday even
ing. and after an hour spent in interesting
conversation, the whole company were ushered
into parlor "O," where one Of the most sump.
tuOus tables that could greet the eye was spread,
laden with the choicest delicacies which Nav Or
leans can justly boast of, from the plump nallard
duck and mellow pippin from the North. to the
rich bisque and succulent grapes and golden
oranges of Southern cmes, the whole served in
the most elegant and costly udisseile, OF On chef
d'Gurres of silver and crystal of variega!sd COL
ors, and which beautifully reflected the soft glow
of the lights in the magnificent candeabras which
were profusely laid upon the immaculate white
ddnadsse cloth of the table.
Ii would be vain to attempt description Of all
the dishes, or the pleasure the writer experienced
as he ssvored the delicious bisque, or shesphesd
la Normande, the flets of duck, bathing In
their thick sauce perigueux, the croquettes de yo.
laille aux truffies, the omeletts souhl6e, or the
Charlotte Russo. The appended bill of fare will
assist in conveying an idea of this superb re-
past, worthy of Epicurus:
BILL FARE.
Oysters on the half shell.
COupS-Dlsque, q EcreVleses, vegetable.
Fish-Sheephead ala Normande fllets of trout,
sance tsrtare.
Cold Dishes-Boned turkey with jelly, aspic of
chicken with truffles.
Joints-Te -TenderIoin of beef i la fnanclare, tur.
keys stuffed with trutfles, capons d la toulousaine
SADDLE of venison.
E.tr6es-Fileis de canard, sauce pGrigueux:
caille Ia royale, c0telettes d'AgDeau d ran.
glsse, grenadine de volatile aux petit pOis c5to-
let,es de chevreuil, sauce bigsrade croquettes de
volatile aux trufles
Roman punch.
Second Course-Roast mallard ducks, roast
snipe, broied quail, broiled teal.
vegetables -Caulif0weTs, macaroni 4 la Mia
maize, green peas, spinach, asparagus, string
beans.
0melette sOufIlee, ice cream, Italian cream.
Fruits of tie season.
Cafe ct lqueurs.
Necessarily such a dinner could be complete
only by being washed down with choice wines, of
which there was constant flow. Among them,
be il said to the credit of Mr.. Hail. the host of the
St. Charles, whose effort on this occasion was all
and more than could be desired, we will mention
a white wine poured after the oysters. which sur
passes by far anything that we have tasted for
many long day, and our only regret is that we
failed to obtain further information concerning il
from our white gloved and cravsted waiter. than
it was hoyster wine and Every hancientu
As the inevitable Krug frappe boisterously an
nouDced its presence, Capt. John Sinnott, who
presided over the banquet announced the 6rst
regular toast 4" The Mississippi and It's Tribu-
taIles, which was responded to in neat and
pointed speech by Hon. A. b. Bacon, OF the
Picayune, who had occasion TO refer TO the neces-
sity of reduction Of the wharfage dues ana the
facilities which should be offered to the steamboat
business, and drank to the steamboat men and
those connected with them.
The President" was next given. II deTolyed
upon the Hon. +. L. Jewell of the Bulletin TO do
honor to the friend Of the South. Mr.. lowell,
hIc an6 all
the excellent characteristics and heroic canduct
of the president, during which he was frequently
interrupted by applause.
The next toast in order was +" The Steamboat.
men OF the West and South.' Capt. John A.
Stevenson responded by giving an interesting his-
tory OF the Stesmboatmen's Union Benes oient
Association, and expressing his satsfsc tion mt the
excellent results which it had wrought 10 the
benefit OF the individual members and to comasrce
generally.
" The City of st. Louis and its Representasiyesu
was responded to by Capt. Gould, of st. Louis
who made few brief and pointed remarks appro-
pirate TO the occasion.
Louisville and its Representatives. found a
witty interpreter in Capt. Robert Kirk of Louis
vile, who concluded his remarks by wishing God
81 eed TO New Orleans.
Mr. j. l.. Murdock was next called upon to an
swer the toast To the City of Cincinnati Ind jtx
Mr.. Murdock said thaHmaov
years had elapsed since he was in Cincinnati but.
inssmuch as the difidence of the true Represents.
pleasant duty to answer the toast, he regretted
that he was not possessed of Ciceronian eloGuence
In order to do his subject justice. The remarks of
Nr. Mnrdock were marked by more genuine wit
than Is usually dispensed In so snort tims as
be took to utter them. We are only sorry that we
cannot reproduce them here. Under suspe eusIon
of The rules, Mr.. Murdock emptied bis goblet to
the health OF Capt Geo. H. Kirk, superintendent
OF the New Orleans Association. This gentleman.
in bis turn, arose and answered the commitment by
diseoursiDg upon the successful operations OF
steamboat associations throughout the Uuited
States, and proposed q bumper to the "Steam-
bostmeD Of the West.n
1.-The Press" was next In regular order, voice
having called for Col. ]. o. Nixon, of the .CREs-
CENT, the colonel thanked the gentlemen, and on
The plea that Mr.. Mark F. Bigney, of the Times,
"as an older newspaper man, and should there
lore answer for the press, which Mr.. Bigney did
with his accustomed grace and earnestness, re-
citing the strong interests which bind the printer
and the steambostmen. to whom New Orleans
would owe much Of its future inevitable prosperity
Mr.. Bigney then drank to the commerce of the
banks of the Mississippi.
The regular tossts were now over, bit the gal,
ant and jOvial president, Capt. Joha Sinnott,
could not repress desire TO propose p toast TO
: woman" 10 respond to which he called upon
Col. Nixon. few words were obtained from
he colonel, who referred the guests TO MIA o.
Kenneth, Of the firm OF Kennett & Bell. TO respond
Q ne sentiment, ss Mr.. Kenneth could do IT more
ustice than himself, but this gentleman excused
llmsef on the ground that il would take him dsys
o express all he would say Of the better baIf :of
nankind, and called upon Mr.. Goslee 10 replace
nm. Mr.. Goslee called upon the sturdy bat
Unable Capt. John W. Cannon, Of the Robt E.
zee; this game went on for few minutes caus.
ug much mirth until several voices called Capt
SOB Kirk to his feet. The captain, whose pre-
nous remarks had been of q pleasant and witty
now changed his tone, and With great
arnestness euloeized the steamboatmen of the
alley Of the Mississippi, whom he said the people
The East would represent as a set OF dsspera-
oes and cutthroats. The " Commerce 9f New
tlsans, was the sentiment proposed 6y. Capt.
apt Stevenson followed, in a pertinent speech
alative TO the necessity Of areduction Of the rates
Underwriters to dispel from their minds imsgi.
ary risks, which the st. Louis under writers ala
ot consider so great as was evidenced by their low
CURES on marine risks. Capt. Stevenson Chen
roposed "The Memory Of the Dead of Che Asso-
All " which was drunk standing aud ID silence.
Mr.. Harlow }. Phelps then responded 10 the
ast to the merchants of New Orleans, df whom
IL one of the pripciDal reDresentativea