The new dominion. [volume] (Morgantown, W. Va.) 1876-1904, 1885-04-04
THE SUNNY SOUTH.
OUr Correspondenfs impress.
sion of New Orleans-.The
PeOpIe..The Great
ExmOsftfOn.
correspondents Of the Nrw DomMoN.

] correspondence OF
New ORLEANS. Mar. ga few
words from the Crescent City just
now may not be altogether uninter-
esting to your readers. There are,
however, so many things about which
one might write readable letter,
that am at loss to know with what
or where to begin. When one visits
the Sunny South for the first time
he finds many things that are new
to him, some of which will make a
| favorable and others an unfavorableT
impression.
When little boy l used to listen
to my grand fathers stories of New
Orleans. In my childish magma
ton it seems to be the most wonder
full city in the world. And notwith-
standing the information that gath
cred in after years | never could think
of New Orleans except as kind of
| elysium. 1t seems a pity to have
disturbed that vision of childhood by
bringing it down to the test of ex-
pericnce. But the mischief is done
now and cannot be repaired. New
Orleans after all is built upon the
earth, and a very low part Of it at
that. Italmost floats in water. The
visitor, accustomed to the highlands
of northern West Virginia, seeing the
country around this city burdened
with ever-decaying vegetation for
miles and miles away, the city drains
filled with water so thoroughly charg-
ed with poisonous elements that it i S
a deep green, and the Mississippi
River nine feet above the level of til e
streets can scarcely see how this far ,
famed spot can be healthful.' And
yet the citizens will tell him that ex-
cept during epidemics the rate Of
mortality is no greater than in
many of our northern cities. Well,
they ought to know, but the writer is
a little incredulous at times and so
is inclined to doubt this.
The city has rather an antique APP
pearance. There are very few new
buildings; those that are new are
constructed after the models Of fifty
years ago. The most improved
styles of architecture are at dis
count 1t seems more like a city Of
the old world than the new.
| The population is Heterogeneous
with the French element predominat
ing. This gives French coloring
to all forms of life. SO far as mere
| etiquette is concerned this has prob
ably been an advantage, but in other
respects detriment. The lightness
of the French character seems to
have propagated itself throughout
the community. Gentlemen visiting
the Exposition from other parts of
the South say that the people of New
Orleans as whole are altogether
different from the people Of other
southern cities. There is moral
looseness which, shocks those who
have been used to anything like
sturdy Puritan influences. Little
care is taken to keep the streets SO
lighted as to make nocturnal crime
difficult. AS rule the people take
no notice of the Sabbath. OF course
there are many Christian churches,
but while religious services are go
ing on in them vast majority of the
stores are open and doing business
as during the week. The saloons
are also open; the theaters are open,
and / am sorry to say it, the Worlds
Exposition is open. All this is un-
American and un Christian, and
should cease. The time is not Ear
distant when this city, notwithstand
ing the unhealthfulness of it's loca-
ton, will be the gateway for vast
trade between this country and the
Central and South American ma
tions. Let the magic touch of our
higher civilization be felt in those
southern lands, as it will, and New
Orleans will suddenly rival New
York in wealth and population. In
fact, If her business men had one
half the skill for controlling com
merce that is possessed by New York
and Chicago, more than the sum of
thirty millions out of the hundreds
of millions of Central and South
American exports would now find
their way to this port to be exchang
ed for products of the United States.
This certainly will take place in the
near future, and with it very rapid
growth of this city. But if the
present desecration of everything
that we call holy, and the utter neg
lect of mems higher nature contin-
ues, New Orleans will surpass in
wickedness any city on the globe.
1t is to be hoped that the moral drift
will change.
just now the city is realizing con-
siderable prosperity. Business de-
preston so sensibly felt in the north
ern and eastern cities has produced
but little effect here. OF course,
this is largely due to the Exposition.
Within the last few months more
people have been in. New Orleans
than were ever here within an equal
period of time beforehand still they
come in increasing numbers, all
bringing some money to spend.
This stimulates business, and 80 is
lifting this city over the hard times
that are affecting so many parts of
the country.
The Exposition is now an tac-
knowledged success, as all know
there was much criticism in the ear
lier part of the winter. Doubtless
the criticism was just. The mana