Ashtabula weekly telegraph. (Ashtabula, Ohio) 1880-1886, 1880-03-19
OUR NEW ORLEANS LETTER

Eds. 1el:-The "Guiding Star" arrives
to-day, and is to leave for Cincinnati on
the 9th, taking me from this summer at
mosphere into the land where winter lin
gers still, The weather here is so warm
that all our excursions must be made at
an early hour of the morning. To-day
we have visited Charity Hospital-a State
Institution, but under the care Of Sisters
OF Charity. The lHdy-like superioress con-
Quoted us through the large and commo-
dious buildings and grounds introducing
us by name to the Sisters who presided
over each ward or department, and show
ed us the machinery used for facilitating
the labor of the Institution. 1t has now
about seven hundred inmates, white and
colored. Everywhere perfect order and
quiet prevailed. 1t seemed that the sweet
peace which beamed from the faces of the
sisterhood, had influenced and permeated
all: Any h0pse.keepers might have long
ea For such pure refrieerators such wash
rooms, and laUndries, and we'll filed store
rooms, linen-rooms. SC, Then there
were gardens and cool summer-houses. and
galleries, and a greenhouse full of flow-
ers, and bathrooms with hot and cold
water, and the cots were so clean and
nice, was not surprised when told that
many Of the patients feigned illness in Or
der TO remain longer in the oosiest home
they ever had known. She building ocou.
pied by the surgeon is the first upon the
left as you enter the gate of the enclosure
made by massive walls of brick. The citv
mas another hospital for wealthy patients
that of Hotel Dieu, where they are taken
IN and done for at good round price. .
VI theaters there are three principa,
ones; the old French Opera House, the
Academy of Music, and the Grand Opera
House on Canal St., where next Monday
Miss Nelson and her troupe commence a
weeks engagement. In the basement of
this theatre are the rooms of the Piokwick
Club Next it, and almost adjoining, is
Christ Church. (P. b. As the theatres
here are open on Sunday nights, the music
OF the two is often badly mixed, Then
there is Grpnerald Hall, with its elegant
parloFs and refreshmept rooms. The walls
of the audience room are fresooed with
portraits Of celebrated music composers.
Mozart, BeethoYen, etc., ranged along |
them, and each side the entrance are |
statues in arched recesses,
Yesterday, the 4th, was legal holiday
here and was given over to the Firemen
for a celebration of their 48d anniversary.
The street display was nearly equal to that
OF MaFdi Gras, and all day throngs of peo.
pie surged hitheF and thither, and bands
OF music rent the air "from early morn till
dewy eve." Twenty-four steam engines
and trucks, and two thousand men and
horses paraded in column through all the
principle streets, and the galleries above
were decorated with flowers and flags.
Starting from the Clay Statue, near the
foot OF Canal St., the Grand Marshal and
MS AIDS headed the procession on horse
back, decorated with badges, sashes and
rosettes OF satin. The honorary members
OF the fire eompanIes-some of the most
prominent citizens-rode in carriages,
The tiremen themselves are principally la
borers and aFtisans. but they are a politi-
cal power here. The engines and horses
and properties are all owned by themselves,
and they receive Tor their services no pay
whatever. Many of the horses are yery
beautiful and range in value from four
hundred to two Thousand dollars each.
They are much petted and beloved The
very best OF these horses were given the
post Of honor within cordan of rope which
was held in a long loop by the 6remen as
they marched ahead Of their engines and
the horses attached to them-usually from
four to six in number A negro in gor.
horse, save in the case o. a few noble vet
Grams, who arohed their proud neoks, that
they could be trusted to conduct them.