Springfield globe-republic. (Springfield, Ohio) 1884-1887, 1885-03-15
IN THE CRESCENT CITY.
Not Very Flattering Description of the
City of the South.

City of the South.
ATLANTA Constitution Interview
Mr. Smith Clayton has returned from New
Orleans ard is regaling his friends with spicy
talks on his experience with the Crescent
City and the exposition.
Talk about the extortion," he remarked
in a group of listening friends recently.
New Orleans is full of it. Every expedient
known to civilized creation is resorted to
to chisel the stranger out of his ducats The
boarding g-houses on and near Canal street
seem TO be the arch fiends in the business.
The tony French restaurants also come in
for share of this swindling. For instance,
the unsuspecting but hungry stranger enters
a restaurant. He finds no bill Of fare, but
he orders something to eat, and when he
asks for his bill is Mortified and shocked"
New Orleans must be a fast town. was
remarked in the course Of the conversation.
at is the fastest town l ever saw. There
are upwards of forty gambling houses IN full
blast night and day. The bulk Of the popu-
lation have an utter disregard OF the Sab
bath day. Stores are open and work goes
on Just as during the week. The theatres are
run and Sunday is a great matinee day. You
can't tell its Sunday except by the dates in the
newspapers. OF course there are large num-
Der Of churches, and people vino are inclined
to worship can attend, but the religious ele-
ment seems to be overshadowed by the
worldiians Most every body seems to drink
and smoke fine cigars and gamble, but you
seldom see drunken man The nights as
a rule are mild and the people are outdoors
OF night almost as much as they are during
the day. At this time thousands Of idle men
may be seen lounging on Canal street night
and day. They are men from a distance out
of work who have fiocked to New Orleans in
the hope Of making money. In the main
they have been sadly left.
1T is not an uncommon thing for thirty
or forty men to be sent up for vagrancy in
one day, and the other night 100 tramps
were arrested for being found asleep on the
gambling tables. That occurred at is Royal
street, the largest gambling house in the
United States, where every night not less
than 500 men and boys may be seen playing
all the games of chance that were ever in
vented, the great game being keno At this
game men will sit for hour alter hour in the
hope of wi ming $40 or $50 by investing in a
card The betting, in the main, is
not heavy. l was told that the
license paid by gambling houses in
New Orleans amounts to 5000 year.
There is strict statute against gambling,
but it does not seem to be approved by pub
lie sentiment and is not enforced. The Lou
isiana state lottery is the arch-gambling in
stitution of the state, and pays $4,000
year for the support of a charity hospital
| was singularly struck with the army Of
women and girls who have come to New
Orleans from all parts of the world, seeking
employment. How they live is a complete
mystery to me-"
"How about the exposition"
"The universal comment of people who
have visited New Orleans and seen the expo
sition, is that the exhibit is magnificent, but
the management could not be worse"