New Ulm weekly review. [volume] (New Ulm, Minn.) 1878-1892, 1885-02-25
finding lodgings, but in this we were


floor at q private house, with board. at
$500 per day. OF course we were more
fortunate than many of those that had
preceded us. The people, as class,
are very hospitable and so far we have
heard no complaint of extortionate pric-
es. The city lies in q bend on the MIS-
sissippi river, the river at the present
time being about 5 feet higher than the
streets in the city. We were informed
that on some occasions the water in the
river has risen II feet above the level
of the streets, and of course at such
times there is imminent danger of the
leyees breaking and flooding the whole
city. Although = city Of 100000 lima
bitants, there is not 4 cellar in the
whole place, it being impossible to dig
into the ground more than two feet
without striking water. With a few
exceptions the streets arc very narrow,
and lily lighted At night. Canal street
is the principal thorougnfare. This street
is nearly 200 feet wide, and is the divi-
ding point OF the city, nearly all the
streets leading to Canal street. This
street presents dazzling appearance
at night, it being brilliantly illuminated
at night by two rows OF electric lights
running through the centre Of the street,
while many of the business houses on
each side of the street are brilliantly
illuminated with innumerable gas Jets.
Camp and St. Charles streets are the
other principal streets, but neither is
us wide as Canal street. Owing to the
low nature of the ground, the sewage
system Of the city is very poor. The
refuse water is carried OFF in cutters on
each side of the streets. Those cutters.
we are informed, lead to several tanks
in various parts of the city, where
pumping machines empty the water in
to the Mississippi river and Lake Pom
chartrain. The streets in the better
part of the city are poorly paved, while
on the outskirts of the city they arc in
most horrible condition. 1t is OF
frequent occurrence to see teams mired
down in the sticky mud. The side.
walks are mostly of brick and not in
the best condition. The houses are OF
an old style of architecture, but are
very comfortably and conveniently al.
ranged. There are many points oil
historic interest that visitor should
not fail to see. The old slave market,
with the iron bars still intact, now used
as warehouse; the cotton exchange;
the old French market, with its tho9s-
and and one women isbbering nearly
every tongue known in the civilized
world; the U. S. mint; the old Spanish
fort; the cemeteries, where people are
buried above ground; the Hotel ROYAL,
where Gov. Pinchback held forth dur.
ing the troublesome times of 1867; the
st, Charles Hotel; the several public
squares and monuments; the old battle
ground and national cemetery six miles
below the city. In fact pleasure seek
er can very protitably put in week
IN seeing the sights outside the EXPOSE
zion grounds.
The city is principally inhabited by
= French speaking population. OF
course there are people from all parts
of the globe, bnt the French largely
predominant.
For clstern purposes there are LARGE
tanks erected in the back yards, and
the rain water stored in them
is largely used for all purposes,
Of course there is a system of water
works, but it is only the large hotels.
business houses and better class Of res;'
dences that derive their supply of water
from this source.
The weather since our arrival has
been very fine. On Monday it was
bright but quite cool. Tuesday was
very warm, mercury standing at noon.
day 70 in the shade. This morning i,
rained for about an hour and then
cleared off and remained bright and
pleasant during the remainder of the
day. The most remarkable feature Of
the climate is the frequent changes. On
some days you experience 3 and 4
changes of the weather. The weather,
the vegetation and all natures surroun.
dings here now is as with us in Mime.
sofa the latter part of May and the frs,
part of June.
At present the city is crowded with
strangers drawn here to see the Mardi
Gras festivities and the Exposition.
The city is very orderly, and on Tues.
day. when the city was turned over tc
the jovial Prince Carnival, we saw but
one drunken man on the streets
Since our stay here we met Mr.. E. G.
Koch, Henry Crone. AL. Crone, Rev.
Alex. Berghold, A, ". Bingham. Chas
Schmidt, Frank Huber and Mr.. Matheis
of St Paul, and a host of Minnesotians
In fact Minnesota seems to be better
represented proportionately than any O
Their State. Koch and Henry Cront
started home Monday evening. Rev
Berghold and Chas. Schmidt will leave
tomorrow morning for Jacksonville
Florida, going by the way of Atlanta
They will both return to New Ulm a
bout the middle of April, Rev. Berghol'
having given up his trip abroad. Mr.
Bingham is still here. Mr.. Newhar
and son are here, but these we have no
yet met,
! will defer describing the Exposition
and the Mardi Gras festivities until m,
next letter, as this one has already as
sumed proportions beyond my inten
ton.
! Jos. BOBLETER