Phillipsburg herald. [volume] (Phillipsburg, Kan.) 1882-1905, 1885-05-02
NEW ORLEANS LETTER
New Orleans, La, April 80, 1885

New Orleans, La, April 30, 1885
In company with an Iowa friend and
others, your correspondent boarded
little steamer at the foot of Canal street
and after a few Minutes sail down the
river. we landed at Chalmette, six miles
below the city, and the site of the bat
tie of New Orleans, fought seventy
years ago. the history of which is too
well known to be here repeated. The
ground is q wide, level plain, now Oc-
cupied by a few farm houses, most of
them are of decayed and tunble-dOWn
variety, generally occupied by cOlOred
people, but in other years by wealthy
planters. On the line nearest the city
stands an unfinished granite monument
rising sixty feet high, which the state
many years ago undertook to erect. to
the memory of General Jackson, but
which has never been completed and is
rapidly going to decay. From its un-
comfortable top reached by winding
stairway within a clear and extensive
view is obtained of the old battle
ground, including the earthen breast
works, which were repaired and used
by the cOnfederates during the later un-
pieasantness. Not far from the mOnu-
ment still stand the houses, said to have
been occupied by General jackson,
prior to and during the progress Of the
engagement, as Headquarters, although
sshis headquarters was generally In the
saddle, - and where fighting was going
on. The house is an old unOccupled
frame building, in sorry state OF dill
apidatiOn. Midway on the site Of the
ancient battle ground is the National
cemetery, where sleeps the dust of near
" $1,000 Union soldiers who fell in the
o., w rom I'M 1nrnd the IIV-
inc, The grounds are very pretty well
kept. and are Ornamented with beauti-
fuI evergreen trees and shrubberys with
q long, broad walk running the entire
length, the multitude of graves occupy
inc either side, headstOnes marking
them, with names, states and regiment
of the deceased engraved upon them.
1t is q quiet, dreamy spot, such as any
one might cOVet as a final resting place
scarcely a sound being heard within
the enclosure, save the tWltterlng OF
birds among the trees, while the waters
of the great river flow peacefully by,
forever chanting requiem Tor tire
brave who sleep undlsLurbed upon its
shore Two blocks below the Cemetery
are shown the great live oaks under
which the British General Packenhams
died, shortly after receiving his death
u
Chalmette is hallOWed. or historical
ground, and is also calculated to make
one hate and abhOr war, and we return
to scenes celebrating the triumphs Of
peace and brOtherly love- IN the Fair
Grounds.
The exhibits of the several states in
this exposition are a geographical in
duslrial and statistical revelation to
each other, as well as to the world at
large. Anyone OF ordinary observing
power. can in a weeks time acquire
more actual and solid Information con-
corning the states than he would in q
YEARS study Of books, because every
thing is taught here by that best OF
methOds-Object lessons Take Arkan-
sas Tor an example. In large cases and
in lars are shown samples Of every va
rietV of fruit fiOurishiug la the states
and a glance at these at once impresses
the fact on the mind that Arkansas IS
the natural home Of the peach and that
all kindred fruits the pIums nectarines
grape, pear, etc. are at home on her
soil, the apple, too growing and
Astounding an excellence lou learn at
once that she is the third cotton state
in the Union, a fact which scarcely q
single school teacher or pupil could
tate from any Of their books In area