The Donaldsonville chief. [volume] (Donaldsonville, La.) 1871-current, 1884-10-25
OUR NEW ORLEANS LETTER.

/ OUR NEW ORLEANS LETTER.
i Partial burning Of the Northeastern Rail-
road Bridge Sunday Excnrsions-The
Theatres opened- The Rent Question
Political Matters "A Retort Disconrteons
from the g Ttem.''
ID NEW ORLEANS Oct. 20, 1891.
EDITOR CHIEF:
/ The large FIRE on the Northeastern rail-
road bridge across Lake Pontchartrain
within q few hours time played havoc with
that magnificent piece of engineering. The
company immediately employed several
hundred men and aftera very short delay
was again running its trains across. They
we're facilitated in their operationsa sup
Iply of creosoted timber on hand
at Slidell station for use in Just such an
Iemergency. The bridge disaster caused a
temporary suspension Of the cheap and
agreeable Sunday excursions from New
Orleans to SlideIl, the cleanest, breeziest
trip out from New Orleans. No sooner,
however, were the new timbers placed than
the excursions were resumed. From the
|snnny and dusty streets of the city one can
ride ont to the lake shore and along it for
q distance Of about sixteen miles on trestls-
work; then sir miles Of bridge; then pass
into the pine woods on the opposite side.
Provided with family lunch basket and d
cup one Gun pass The day in the shade, in
Fan odorous atmosphere, and drink cool
spring water for additional refreshment'
This ID now tile only regular excursion ont
of the city, The Jackson and Mobile having
been suspended for the season.
The Academy and ST. CharIes theatres
have opened, But no frst-class attractions
have appeared on the boards. West End
and Spanish Fort are subsidfng as popular
resorts, except on Sundays, when thessish-
Iermen and bathers indulge in their favor
ife pastimes.
The general topic Of interest is the rent
question. The landlords have not yielded
in the least to protests, andsusteady rise of
prices Is taking place = boarding
room rents, servant hire, etc which can
not fail to operate iniuriously sgainst the
Exposition interests. The Mayor went out
to find room without board for two
friends Of his to occupy, and the keeper
boldly asked ten dollars day. This so in
censed his honor that he sent special
message to the Council asking them to take
some action to repress the greedy tendency
of boarding house keepers. Probably there
| is no authority vested in the Council to
regulate this matter, and much depends ON
an enlightened public opinion, whether
hospitality or greed shall triumph during
the Exposition period.
Politically, the Ohio election causes the
advocates of Blaine and Logan to feel
hopeful. Now and then some one here
talks about carrying Louisiana for the
National Republican ticket, and a North
ern newspaper win occasionally echo the
expression. But il is difficult to under
stand on what basis these hopes are ex-
pressed, for the reason that party organi-
cation or campaign work has not been at
tempted in four-ffths of the State. In the
First District there is Reform and reg
| ular Democratic candidate in the field, di-
viding the vote OF that party; the Repub-
icans have thrown away a first-class oppor-
tunity to elect Congressman by permit
! ting the party nomination to go a-begging,
| and then finally into the hands of the noto-
aious Joseph II. Acklen. The Republican
| vote is divided by this blunder. In the
Second District, after the declination of P.
F. Herwig the nomination was rendered to
and accepted by Judge Michael Hahn. This
| is wise selection, and should be the signal
of bold and aggressive campaign, yet
! only few days remain before election
| day, and not a meeting called or held to
indicate deliberate canvass.
| The Third District is always Republican
and hence requires least attention, yet
about all the party work done in the State
is carried on within its borders. No can
didate heard from in the Fourth District
to oppose Mr.. Blanchard. In the Fifth
District, where two factions of Democracy
| are fighting each other and refusing to ar
bitrate their differences, Republican dis
trict committee has assumed to nominate
a candidate, and he will receive a portion
of the organized Republican vote, and no
accessions because of the Democratic split.
No organization will be attempted in many
parishes, and Republicans will deposit bal
lots for candidates in the field. In the
Sixth District we are told that Mr.. swayze
has commenced canvass. Will he sbe
sustained or his candidacy knitted by a
rival faction2 There are great many
voters ready to vote for Blaine and Logan
and they are surprised at the inactivity
shown by the Republican party, and are
.even ready to credit the flying runners that
the interests of the National ticket are to
be sacrificed in Louisiana, by deliberate
design to advance the selfish interests of
local politicians. The State may be safely
placed in the Cleveland column, unless
some vigorous campaigning shall be un-
dertaken in the next few days.
| The aim of your correspondent through
the medium of these letters is to supply
your readers with an accurate, record of
current events, opinions, etc. The e4tu
Item has frequently repupiished with ap-
proving comment portions of them: and
your correspondent, who is a subscriber
and reader of the Item. h not aware that ON
any occasion, he has made any discourteous
reference to it whatever. This evening ii
violates the usual spirit of courtesy. as fcl-
lows: The New Orleans correspondent of
the Donaldsonyille CHIEF simply falsifes
when he writes in regard to the raise in
rents, etc, and very strange to say, the