New Orleans Republican., 1873-08-24

II . 80 fz-r
/ Tho City Hall i ever crowded with
motley <assemblage. . This assenblage i
generally - piebald in tastes and inclina
tons - it is in dress and phyaiognomy
Many of this group are. brought hither o.
business, others only to while away the
time or discuss the topics Of the day. These
latter gentlemen take their stand in the
corridors of the first and second stories
To the fourth story but few ever wend their
way. 1t is like entering another building,
90 strongly does it contrast with the other
stories. The noise and hustle in other parts
gradually, before reaching here, dies away,
and naught savs q faint, yet pleasing mur-
mur is heard. In the corridors are seen few
men at various tasks. The city archives
are kept here and cover the two last cham
bers in the northwest corner. On entering
there is nothing very remarkable or pecu-
liar to strike ones mind or attract atten.
ton. Around the walls are shelves con-
tanning volumes of ordinances, laws and
bales Of protocols. Hero deceased statutes,
documents and superfluous live ones are
laid away. AL that was once grea. and
glorious, with all that was perhaps mean
and despicable il the history Of our city,
lies here slumberins. Occasionally some Of
them are temporarily taken out and persd
venture do good service. .f-r, -. En-.
These rooms are, we think, the most un-
frequented ones in the hall. There are not
many outeide of the city officials who have
any special business or any great -elish for
walking, to carry them 80 high. Yet are
there . few who, now and then frequent
the archives. These, of course, are of the
pleasure and satisfaction from lundle of
protocols % wine bibber would from the
choicest liquors. All have free access to
them, and can, by giving their Isme and
residence, stating when it will be ,eturned,
bring homo any rusty manuscript G highly
favored document, and there pemse it at
their leisure. A part Of the archives have
been destroyed by fire. The mostinterest-
ing and valuable manuscripts pert.ining to
the earlier history Of the city have. thus
been lost And not q few have been pur.
loined. This hiatus has long since been
filed up by court registers anl school
reports. t't
There are three shelves Of huge quartoe,
finely bound, on Spanish matters These,
if we may Judge from their datA which
are 1868 to l772, are the oldest documents
in the archives. Alongside Of thesa are two
octave volumes entitled ''Documeuts of the
estates Of Gilbert, Antonio" written in
Spanish. Numberless french orlinances
and papers occupy several shelves There
are several shelves of English manuscripts
and papers, mostly mayors repets and
Among these ae some
curious papers and plans and drawipgs of
public works. How much and hov far We
have excelled our predecessors in the arts
Of running that machine yclept tie ''city
is evident from the mean and
fimsy reports Of our early city officials
when compared with the same later |
date. In most of these there appars not
even an attempt at order. 1t is no easy
task to make either head OF tail ofeome Of |
them, so jumbled arc they. The chracters
are so worn by time tha: to deciphr them |
would require an expert.
The press of the city occupies no an in.
part Of the archives. All the |
daily journals that have ever ben pub
lished in the city are here preserved, of |
which the oldest is tie L'Ami DIS Lois.
This was probably the first Englisb-it was
also half French-pape- ever published in
Our city. With Mr.. j. 1eclerc as aitor, il
made its first appearance in lsc. The
office was No. 81 Rienville street. though
far inferior to our present city newspapers,
It was equal OF superior to many Of the
country sheets Of our day.
The archives are kept in excellen cordi-
lion. They are not as yet thorouhly ar
ranged and catalogued. but soon wi be, as
IN index is..now making. When the,resent
archivist entered upon her Office ,he ar
,hives were in wretched condition pocu.
nents, manuscripts and register. were
scattered on the floor, covered wit dust.
Spiders had festooned the walls and helves
md laid innumerable snares for ipocent
lies. The moths ran riot and feaste upon
'alf skin and morocco. An end his now
,een put to this warfare aud to the III de-
troyers. To Mrs. Dunn is due greacredit
or the present prime condition OF he az