The Donaldsonville chief. [volume] (Donaldsonville, La.) 1871-current, 1883-10-27
OUR NEW ORLEANS LETTER.
The Whilom Water Famine-An Aque-
duet Notwithstanding Generosity to
the Exposition Treasurer yFalshe on
Top-New Railrods-The Civil Rights
Decision, Beecher, Etc.
NEW ORLEANa October 19 1883.


Decision, Beecher, Etc.
NEW ORLEANS, October 10, 1883.
EDITOR CHIEF:
It was among the dispensations of Prov
dence that the rainfall in New Orleans an
vicinity should be diminished. It followe
that many people who had no warning Q
this were reckless in the use OF the sma
supply on hand, and straightway ezhaus
ted it. Those who had no obliging neigh
bors went to the water plugs; but the Water
works Company, q great corporation whlc
owns end pays for the pumps and tn
pipes, objected to the free use of its waite
and demanded price. AS day by da
passed, it became apparent that safet,
pressure, and some eighteen Or twenty
under supervision of the Company's ON
ployes, were opened to the suffering poor
Who says that corporations have no souls
Certainly the charge does not lay at ths
door of our Waterworks Company. Imag
inc that you see twenty plugs, supplemen
ted by water carts, each surrounded by {
motley crowd of boys, girls and women
with all descriptions of pots, pans, kegs
| buckets and washtubs, end q policeman
near to subdue the enthusiasm displayed il
the contest, and you have scene witnessed
almost any day for the past two weeks
And this in city having river in front
and in anxiety thirds of the year about
the safety OF its levees.
Speaking about the river-it is brackisf
hard to get animals to drink its water
Owing to the low stage in the channel the
salt water of the Gulf, propelled by an &C
commodating East wind, has forced its
way up to tho city front. The drouth and
2 brackish river may inspire q movement
to bring in m abundant supply Of whole
some drinking water from the hills of
Tangipahoa Or St. Tammany. If so, pres
ent discomforts will be amply compen-
stated.
The City Council has passed the ordi-
nance giving the Upper City Park grounds
to the use of the Worlds Exposition, and
also voted 100000 FOR improvement of
the same, and the erection of a Horticul-
tural Hall to be constituted by the COM
pany. The final decision has not been
made public, and it is supposed the Upper
City Park is the favored spot for the Expo
sition. Probably this is a wise conclusion
of q carefully nursed problem. The city is
generous-in the hall matter. Still there
are people who do think q sound public
credit of more value than q flower show;
and that clean streets and sewers are not
an exaltation to any city.
Tho City Treasurer ia at his post. The
Council says 1t is G ,urt of impeachment
and is going to try him. They have gone
through the process of swearing in. They
are all honorable gentlemen. They have
adjourned the case-until next week. The
matter of an illegal city budget has not
been passed upon in any court, but is sup
posed to be near determination, and on
this depends much Of the controversy.
On the 18th came in the first train, with
officials of the New Orleans and Northeast
ern railroad, who were passed over unfn-
ished bridges on temporary trestlework.
They are only slightly in advance, how
ever, Of regular trains over the shortest
route Northward, through great, unde-
veloped lumber and mineral region, carry
ing civilization, wealth and prosperity to
all along the line. II is hoped this city
will receive corresponding benefits from
new feeder to its commerce. On the same
day younger road, the New Orleans and
Mexican Gulf, started its first train over
its completed grade down the lower coast;
and it is now ready to handle the full crops
of that wide section. With the liberal
franchises it possesses it will not surprise
knowing ones to learn that this road may
at some future time push on down to
Eadsport and thereby lead to some very
commercial results scarcely
yet dreamed of in this city. It has been
asserted more than once that Capt. Eads
had "notions' in his head when he planted
and when his plans were ridi-
culed by our amateur and would-be engi-
neer5. How would it look to see car load
OF wheat pass directly through New Or
leans to an elevator at Eadsport? What
would become of towage, port dues, fac
tors, etc? Would it not be little cheaper
than the present mode of shipment? Re-
the great Western problem is how
to get the cheapest grain shipments to for
sign markets. No wonder that Capt. Eads
should have thought about q new city at
the mouth-if he did.
The Supreme Court decision on The civil
rights bill was surprising to ell who had
ao5 carefully watched the preliminary
decisions of the lower courts. The Tines
Democrat promptly and ttoughtfully inter
7ieWed leading coored men of this city,
md the opinions expressed were highly
,reditable to their craftsmanship and intel
igence. The Democrat editorialIy gave
to views which it is hoped will
De widespread. The position of colored
nen is practically unchanged by the decis-
on; common interests tend to unity the
people in matters of public rights and
privileges: and the agitators for premature
or who have political life on
ace preiudices as basis will be pushed
aside.
Beecher has come and gone. Opinions
ire various. His admirers are few. None
will deny his greatness as an orator, but
he matter delivered on the occasion was
And then he is not an
orthodox Christian.
It just takes Haverly's aiinstrels to bring
,ut the crowds in this city, and they open
1t the St. Charles Sunday night.