New Orleans Republican., 1873-05-25
TIE CONGRESSIONAL EXCURSION
FORT ST. PHILIP CANAL
EXPRESSION OF SENTIMENTS

were making anxious inquiries around the
wharf. at the head of Canal street, for the
Belle Lee. The fog lay heavy on the water.
80 that all the other side Of the river was
lost to view. When at last the fog lifted.
the smokestacks of the excursion boat in
dicated that she was in motion. and soon
| she landed next to the Natchez.
A little after eight o'clock the omnibuses
from the St. Charles Hotel arrived with
their loads of. visitors. Hampers Of wine
and edbles in hand -barrows travelled rap.
idly over the staging. About nine o'clock
all were on board. except the few packages
| and passengers who are inevitably a little
late A crowd of 5000 people had gathered
on the wharf to see the boat start. Half
dozen people cried "hurry up to as many
! others. Some ran both ways, and shovel
in hand barrow, anxious to get OFT, came
! in violan: contact with the anatomy OF
| gentleman equally anxious to get on.
! The staging slowly rose, and as the
boat backed out, swung around danger
ousiy c.ose to a spectator head. OF course
| he ducked The boat was headed up
stream. A red hot pocher on the lower
deck touched of the little cannon. When
the boat was under weigh the passengers
gathered round the decks in groups and
commented on the shipping. This is a
| strange rtver,' said member from the
West "If you didn't know better you
would say the boat was going up stream
so she is" said an Eastern friend, and be-
fore the thought of (which side New
Orleans ought to be on occurred to :he for.
mer. he had bet and lost the cigars.
| At jackson street the poker came intS
! play again, the little cannon danced around.
| and the Belle Lee" commenced her down
| ward trip. The excursion fairly begun. all
| sought for occupation to kill time. In the
| beautiful cabin the tables were covered
with maps and charts of railroads, canals,
levees, and the Mississippi river generally.
A. one table Professor Forshey alternately
| created q current Of air with palm leaf
| fan, and pointed out the site of Fort st.
Philip canal with the handle. At the next
Z. H. Angamar. Esq. interested Senator
Ramsay and Hon. j. A. KassOn in his map
Of the canal. Major Howell enlarged on
the details CT dredging and the state OF the
bar to knot OF Congressman, who seemed
| to be thoroughly interested. General Jett
| Thompson got surrounded, and almost con-
| cealed as he exhibited maps o. kempe
ievee and Roman crevasse.
| Representative Niblack and Hon. John
Cobura. Of Indiana, listened to Colonel
Burwe,. On deck Colonel Lewis. with
glass in hand, examined the levees under
his charge. and pointed out to the visitors
| ,he objects of interest as they giided by.
| The band of the Nineteenth Infantry played
nearly al! the time. The cannon from the
barracks gave salute of fifteen guns. Mr.
C.. S.robei. OF the house of Schmidt &
| Zieger. who furnished the liquors and
cigars, passed around the weeds and ush
| cred the way to lunch. Mr.. Wash Mark;
had here made preparation to satisfy the
longing of appetite. which attracted and
brought together Colonel McE merry, Colone
Casey. Marshal Packard and many others
| who touched glasses in the most amIabie
way. Others of the party sought cool
secluded place in the tex as, and indulget
in pasteboard amusement. The members
OF the committee of reception were every
where watching the comfort of the members
Mr.. Fitzenreiter entertained Messrs. Ed
ridge of Wisconsin. Lamison Of Ohio, anC
Whitehead of Virginia, with de scriptions o.
the passes. Captain Yorke discussed the
towboat question, and told how the vessels
are now off the bar. On the hurricane
deck President Oglesby stood, pointing ou
the little house which marks the river com
mencement OF the propos ed canal. The
"Belle Lee" was pushed up close to shore
while every detail Of soil, depth of water
locks, deposits and expense was treated OF
| by enthusiastic advocates. Where the boat
laid was sixty feet of water, and across the
fiat waste the waters of the gulf could bt
seen. the depth Of which was thirty feet
When all the questions had been asked
which could be thought Of, the novel trip
was resumed down Pass-a-lOutre.
Captain j. +. Hicks, the popular master
of the Belle Lee, taking a chair on deck
said he was under orders. for she had never
been there before. Captain George Phil
lips was the pilot.
3y this time the accom- plished purser
| Mr.. j, 5. Sullivan, had disposed of his state
rooms, and, though some had none all were
satisfied. About four clock Pilot Tow1
was reached.
The dinner resources Of the Belle LEI
had been tested and the skill OF Mr.. Frank
p. Smith rewarded by con tented faces.
The Creole, which had been behind dur
! ing the greater part of the trip, now came
alongside and took all passengers, not tor
getting the band. on board for trip out
side the bar.
l. was originally intended to 20 around
| to the gulf end Of the canal. but it was toe
late. and the members expressed them
selyes satisfied with the view they had had
from the river. The Alabama was then re
loading from the barge alongside. having
been lighted off the bar. and many OF the
messengers visited ber. The dredgebca
| E.savons was visited at her work and hel
operations studied.
While such talk was going on as was
most appropriate to the occasion, some one
in view of the surprising celebrity with
| which the vessels had been got of the bal
this particular morning, after staying there
| a month. travestied an old nursery rhyme
| on THE BAR.
| Ra,, h,r, black sheep, have you any wool:
| VA yes, mas er! three bags fuu:
nne for the tugboat, and ore for the ring.
And one for the little boat tn at tooS the steamer ~
sourdings were taken and every fact de-
| t,;,ad which was of interest. Then the
| - A-:., ahnrf fUO hours. re-