The New Orleans daily Democrat. [volume] (New Orleans, La.) 1877-1880, 1877-04-21
PACKARD's GARRISON.
The Hole In tho WALL Between the ST.
Louis ana Orleans Hotels.

Louis and Orleans Hotels.
[From Staff Correspondent OF the Tribune. !
NEW ORLEANS, April IA garrisoned
city is q novel spectacle in this country
In times Of peace, and the important
military factor in the problem Of Lou
isiana politics is worth notice on its own
account, and Is doubly interesting from
the part it is playing, unwillingly it
would seem, In prolonging the existing
controversy.
The garrison OF the city consists in all
OF about two regiments Of infantry
parts of three regiments, in facts-the
10th except one company, nearly half OF
the 81, and some companies Of the 18th.
Only three companies of this force are
at the barracks belonging to the gov
ernment. Those barracks are five or six
miles out OF town, and before troops
could be brought from them there
would be time, In the quick-touchea and
go way that such things are done here,
to complete q revolution. Four points
in the heart of the city are occupied as
temporary quarters-the Custom House,
ST. Mary's Hall, the Mechanics Institute
and the old Orleans Hotel.
The troops that are directly backing
up the Packard government occupy the
old Orleans Hotel on Chartres street,
in the rear of the State House. Tt is q
quaint structure, entered under ~ low
archway that gives access to a square
court. The balconies that project from
every story around the court, the pecu-
liar red mastie ON the walls, the forms
Of the arch and stairway are as evident
| ly Spanish in appearance as If the
building had somehow got itself
transported across the Atlantic from
some provincial city OF the PENN
sula. A party OF muleteers or oil
tonsured priests In shovel hats would be
more in keeping with the surroundings
of the court than the groups OF blue
infantry men that engage there In
polishing their equipments or in laZtly Y
smoking their pipes. Iforget how many
companies the polite officer who left 8
game of cards to show me the place said
were Quartered there, but should say
not more than three or four. They are
all OF the Sd Regiment.
| The particular point Of interest is the
''hole in-the- wall"-an aperture made
In a very tall gray wall, shutting in g
very small back yard in the year OF the
building. My guide led me through
this hole and past a sentinel who guard
ed it, and we came into narrow, blinC
alley, like deep chasm In the lofty
walls OF the eneompassing buildings.
few steps along this alley brought US tx
a low door that gave access to q disma
cellar-l like passage, from which flgh
of dirty wooden steps led to an uppe
hall, little less dark and damp. Th'
stairs looked rickety, but the Office
said they had been tested, and woult
bear file of men marching tw'
abreast. Some empty rooms openin,
from the corridor were strewn with linn
tho unclean habits Of Packard's ne
gro guards having threatened a pesti
lence, my guide said. The upper stair
way brought US out in hall adjoining
the stately rotunda with its tawdr,
decorations, where the Packard's Sen
ate meets. The reader will UNDERSTAND
J lfrom this description the significance 0
, withdrawal Of the troops from the Or
leans Hotel. The guarded secret pas
j sage leading from the hotel to theStat
, House makes it easy to bring the fore
| oil soldiers In the former to Packard
support In three minutes time. Fo
the purpose OF aiding Packard's part
colored militia in repelling an attac
the soldiers are as effective where the
are posted as though they were quail
tered In the State House itself.