Morris tribune., 1885-05-20
What | Saw 10 New Orleans

look around we can not believe that
we are in one of the largest cities OF
the United States.
The buildings are not what we are
accustomed to see in the large, flour
ishing cities of the north and west.
Where are the seven and eight story
buildings? Certainly they are not
here. Three stories are the general |
height Of the large business houses.
But when we come to the residence we
find they have made up in other di-
mensions what they have lost in
height, for they are marvellous for their
great size and rambling appearance.
They are strikingly plain and sub
stantial looking; but the wide veran-
das and the balconies, with their neat
railings. which in many cases extend
quite around the house, throw or the
dreary aspect of the wall.
1t seems strange to see the homes
and yards enclosed within high strong
fences, such as we see in the north
only around our prisons. Ifyou wish
to visit friend or neighbor you will
stand out side the fence and ring
bell at the gate.
1t is we'll known that it is impos-
sible to dig to depth of four or five
feet in the soil without striking water.
And this is also the reason that the
buildings are built no higher than they
are.
We were all curious to know what
those towers were that we saw in
every yard as We passed through the
| city. They were from nine to four
teen feet high, shaped like u churn,
but with peaked roof, and construct
ed more or less artistically. These we
found were the cisterns and they
serve the purpose of both hard and
soft water.
Then the streets! We are almost
ashamed to mention them. Those who
have seen them will not soon forget
them. Ifyou never go to New Orleans
we think you will always live in ig-
norance of the dreadful streets they
boast of, for we trust the Crescent City
has no equal in that respect. Some of
the streets are wide and look quite
citified. Rut many more are narrow
and dark. To be sure the business
streets are paved. But such pave
ments! Great slabs ofstone, with one
end projecting up and the other end
buried in the soil. You may we'll ex-
pect thorough shaking up if you
ride over the pavement (?) Only the
streets on the car line are paved at all
and the other streets are sight to be-
hold. AS we walked through the
city, passing some of the finest resi-
dence of the city we were disgusted
with the sight. Here the fine large
houses looked out into a street pre-
senting picture of ash-piles, dirt
loose straw, old shoes, and all imag-
Unable refuse from the kitchen, to say
nothing of the mud that subject has
been exhausted long ago by the nu-
merous visitors returning from the
city. Many goats wander about the
streets and public squares, and they
seem pretty we'll fed from what they
, can pick out of the street rubbish. We
are told that the street carts pass
around every few days to clean up the
streets; perhaps they do, we hope so
We never think Of the streets with
out some strong remembrance (strong
is the only expressive word) of the
sewers. To begin with they are above
ground and open. On every street
, you must view these psstilent sewers
If you wish to cross the street you will
!, occasionally find stone slab, span
ming the gutter. This is about two
feet wide; 1 should hate to estimate
, the number Of visitors who slipped of
these narrow passages into tht
malarial slime.
We also have some happy remem
brance connected with the New Or
leans street cars. We went there fol
, the novelty, hoping to see what W.
1 could not see at home. And in these
} cars we never lacked excitement ant
novelty. In the first place the carr
are small, yet quite large enough fol
, the one poor old mule that has to pull
, it. Rarely horse takes the place o
the much abused mule, displaying
!, less of ears but more of bones. Their.
:, | are no conductors on the cars, every
: passenger steps up and drops in hi
;, or her own fare, unless some gentle
man is kind enough to do 1t for them
Every other car is labeled "Smoker'
this however is but nominally, as gen
orally there is as much smoking il
the mo smoking" cars as in tn
u others. was intending to mention
the running off the track as one of tn
novelties of street car life; but then
e that is no novelty it is an every da,
: occurance. Every passenger woult
v have tojump out while the gentlemen
: lifted the car on the track again. Per
f haps we would 60 half block befor
f we would run off again, and again tn
t gentlemen would jump out and lit
J.. over that heavy car.
Every person who knows any thinl
s about mules, knows they will not b.
g imposed upon too long, and the trutl
t of this we felt, to our annoyance, up
d on several occasions. One rain,
!. morning the car was full of passenger
v all bound for the Exposition. It wa
late and all were anxious to get to tn
q grounds. Suddenly, what should ou
!. mule decide to do but stop; there b
q planted his four hoofs-no coaxing n
whipping, not even clubbing woul'
- start the tired old fellow. Some Q
. the passengers began to grow impa
= tient and to fret over the delay; TIL