New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1881-04-04

NEW-oRLEANs lNp Irs ENvrRoNa

II =
FESTIVITIES or h4Rpt ohAs-A PRoF1TARLxAxC3e-
HEAr-B4Lt-EooN MAExxRs--RAifRoADs kxp
THE RivEE-LABon on raR suoxE rrAxrArrcxa
"A souraERs wohAs ON rBs wan Apo MS
RESULTS s s9 e & s
IFhoM srRcfAI coKaEsroxDzxr or THE rRnrxn7 3
FhANKIIS, La, March o.--The weather was vsry
hue 10 New-Orleans at the time Of the Mardi (lfss
festivities there; the number Of visitors 10 the city
was said to be greater than ever before, aud
the spectacle moro interesting aud beantiful
than on any former occasion. To -ue the
objects OF greatest interest were the pscpla
themselves. And certainly tho vast crowds wers
remarkably well behaved. There was some drink
Ing Of course; ard few arrests But the police
were efficient in very quiet. unobtrusiye way. and
there was apparent eyerywhere O sunpy cheerful
ness and spirit Of good-naturcd enjoyment which fs
always potent 10 Danish il-temper and turbulence.
The hospitality to Northern military organizations
and other invited guests, was most cordial and pro-
fuse. The illumination at night was very 6ne.
especially on Canal-st. The spectacle, as such,
seemed to me to be. il judged by any high standard
rather heavy and lacking 10 the quality Of iluson
Perhaps this could not well be otherwise in
street procession. The scenes and tableaus from
Morse mythology had a klud of spIendos
aud magnIGccDce In the equipages and trap
pings which greatly impressed most specta-
merchants and members of the Legislature, who
had so wild desire to know what il was all about
that was compelled to keep up running comment
or explanation during the whole time of the pass
ing Of the procession. / can testify that some
Southern people have thirst for information which
ought to satisfy the most exacting.
tried to learn what is the real Significance Of
Mard Gras. and the fer maintaining this an
nual holiday and exhibition. Perhaps am wrong,
but Judge that the whole matter has a practical.
business basis 1t brings a throng of strangers to
NewOrleans each year. and these visitors necessarily
spend considerable money in the city. so that the
festivity Is pecuniarly profitable to many
classes Of tho citizens. There were but few
maskers on tho streets. aud l saw little
evidence of gayety; only cheerful. social sn.
joyInont OF holiday. The female pcrsonages In the
historical and NEUROLOGICAL tabsaus are represented
by facn in women's dress. Iattended two masked
balls on the same night. As entered tho hall where
the first was held an officer approached with bow
and said, in the potest manner, "You will please
allow me to ascertain whether you have any wea-
pons about your person.D Certainly" said I and
be ran bis lngers lightly aud quickly over my vsri-
Gus pockets and bowed to me to pass on. remained
here part Of the night and then went to the hall
where the other ball was given. Here, as presented
my tlcket,a policeman laughngly asked, "fe haven't
any big pistol about ye, have YEP "No' ssidI
" but you for yourself :" and the process Of
search was repeated. The first ball was very stately
aud formal, and IL seemed to me, @ trhe heavy aud
dull. lt was warm and the dancers
especially the ladies. found their masks
oppressive. The otner ball was Of
very different character. as it was. / suppose, in
tended TO be. The abandon grew wilder aud wilder
the night passed. till the dance was as 10 dress
,,1 k.bo 10 IA
out becoming something else than q dance.
COMMERCIAL IMPORTANCE or THE CITY,
What interested me most in New-0rleans was o
stroll through the old French Market with brsak-
fastthcre. aud long walk along the ryer-front
There is evidently great deal Of business and a
great deal Of capital at New Orleans. But business
men all through the South say that the business
men at New. Orleans are Slow" and that the trade
and wealth Of the city are declining under their
management. and must continue TO do so unless
there is new set Of men 10 manage affairs thereD
do not know how true this all may be; l only re-
port what merchants and railroad officers say every
where respecting the want of energy and push on
the part of New Orleans business men. But, how
ever this may be, l think the relative ina
portance Of New-Orleans as METROPOLIS
its superiority in commerce and wealth over tho
other cities of the South Is likely to be less marked
ia the future than it has been in the past. New
Orleans has been made by the Mississippi River but
the river tsef is to be of less importance hencefor-
ward. The dominion is passing to the railroads in
all that part Of the country. glance al a railroad
map shows that the Mississippi River has hitherto
kept railroads out Of vast re gOn west Of the river
along al its lower course. From Memphis 10 the
Gulf the river has had the country and its COM
merce ali to itself But last year railroad was
completed west from cw-Orleans which forms a
continuous line to san Antonio, Texas A railroad
Is now being built from Yieksburg 90 Shreveport,
the Red River. There is already a road from New
Orleans Up the west side of the Missssipp 10 Bayou
Goula and there various other short pieces and
scattered links which will soon be extended and
connected, until the whole country from
tho Mississippi west TO the Trinity. viii
be, within the next twenty years think. striped
aud cross barred with railroads. All tals may
greatly benefit and develop che region referred TO-
but il will carry to other points much OF the uibIte
that has hitherto gone to New-Orleans. The rall.
roads Of the South will he much more valuable and
FRIENDLY 70 ports on the southern Atlantic coast
than to New-Oreans.
AMoNG TIE SUGAR PLANTERS.
The organization and entire condition Of labor on
The great sugar plantations OF Louisiana superior
70 ANYTHING that have found elsewhere connected
with Southern agriculture. The employers here
are evidently masters Of the situations they appear
IN be generally just IN their treatment OF their
.borers and competent to direct and coutrol them.
One great feature Of superiority as compared with
agricultural labor in other regions Of the South
which have visited is that here everybody pays
cash. and there is no ruinous credit system. This
upresscs one as something wonderful, and scarcely
possiDle after the long-cOntinusd, everywhere re-
n,ated exhibition Of the evils of the credit system
Ier. as It should be called the debt system in all
the other Southern States. The negro laborers here
appear to be cheerful, contented and industrious.
The land is very fertile, aud every negro has as