Morning journal and courier., 1885-03-11
IN THE SOUTH.
The Crescent City-A House Which is Being Pafnted-A Glance at the Dark Sfde-Cock Fights, Dog Fights, Prize Fights, Gambling, etc.-Something About Brighter and Better Things.

Joaquin Miller said in one of his gushful letters from this place that the Crescent city reminded him at first sight of very pretty girl with a smudged face. I can only endorse this sentiment after it has been amended by striking out the adjeetve pretty and substi- tuting the adverb homely. And even then I should prefer to qualify the sentiment by adding that the maiden in question also has the misfortune to possess game eye, a club fcot, and 8 head of frowsy, unkempt, false hair. Not that I owe the town any grudge. more because it was ugly in personal appear ance, and awkward in department. Just so, with all her faults, the traveller usually finds considerable to interest and attract him in this homely, hoydenish, overgrown, Louis ] jana girl. There is an exhilaration about discovering some public improvement in progress, which one can hardly experience in any other important American city. I have not forgotten the thrill of astonishment which vibrated through my spinal cord the other day, when I discovered house being painted in certain remote corner of the city. went say what corner for the rush on the part of northern visitors to witness this novel sPeetac1e would soTlously uIsGurD the success of the great Exposition. I go out every day to watch the extraordinary sight, and specu- late as to what species of dementia has seized the proprietor and urged him on to this rash step. Then come home to my head quarters on Canal street, and turn my atten- tion to the task of conjecturing how many days longer that broken down bakery-ca is going to be left standing in the mud in front of my window and when the merchants going to take down the seats that were put up in front of their stores for the Mardi Gras carnival two weeks ago, and which dis figure the city so, to say nothing of the incon- venienee to which they put pedestrians.
 But New Orleans, as I have studied the city during the last fortnight, reminds me of something more. New Orleans is great school, made up of pupils who are just bub- bling up and running over with mischief Some are really wild, very, very wild; while all are roguish in the extreme. It is exhibi- tion day, and the teachers are most anxious to make a good showing in the presence of the assembled multitude of spectators. The teachers ln this great school are the leading newspapers, the Governor of the State, and the chief municipal functionaries. These teachers nervously pass to and fro among the scholars, giving sureuptitious prod here, and a forbidding grimace there;- alas! having to administer discipline in not g few cases, and to make prohibitions in view of threatening indiscretion. For it is hard to repress all the mischief that is bred in this great school. You must remember what a cosmopolitan concern it is; that the pupils come from score of countries, and that each representative is anxious to practice the pranks characteristic of his country for the delectation of his mates. The respectable element is not responsible for the antics of these black sheep, but the black sheep are numerically so strong that the well disposed element is likely to be lost sight of
 But to make the point more tangible, let us peep at the dark side of the Creole city for a moment. Nearly every Sunday there occurs in this fast city a classic diversion that is widely advertised and largely attended. If you have read the posters that adorn con spicuous windows in the business part of the city for two or three days beforehand, you know that mean 8 cock-fght. Not content with the wild brutality involved in this amusement, some prominent gentlemen" recently attempted to supplement the Worlds Fair by a genuine unadulterated Spanish bull-fght. The subject was at first quietly discussed, but at length it began to assume definite shape, and some of the teachers spoke words of warning. The city press, be it recorded to their honor, indignantly dis countenanced the proposed show, and called upon the authorities to interfere and stop it. There are some goody- -goody people who love to accuse the press of fostering crime by giv- ing publicity to the details of crime: but believe they are not usually candid enough to concede that good has actually been done, when, as in the present case, moral senti- ment is created which crushes an evil out Of being. Suffice it to say that, as you know, the Governor, in view of the fuss that the newspapers made, vetoed the entertainment An attempt was subsequently, made to get up a sham bullfght, but the sport was deemed too tame, and the effort fell through Upon Canal street among the Marionette shows cock-fght every half hour" but the princi- pals in these contests are merely dummies cunningly contrived.
 On the 23d ult real dog-fght was held here, circumstance that also evoked much censure from the press, notably the Times Democrat, which is progressive and very widely influential journal. The brutal con test was held in an old shanty on the corner of Louisiana avenue and Tchoutipoulas street, where one of the city cock-pits is located. About 300 persons were present despite the fact that things were done rather under the hat" so far as the general pub lie was concerned. But the police knew per fectly we'll what was on the programme, and when and where the performance would come off. Indeed, it is about the only thing which can be chronicled in the city's favor, that this dog-fght was not extensively adver- tlsed, like one which occurred in this same city not quite one year ago. It must be ad- mitted that New Orleans is growing more decent and civilized every year. The dogs were ferocious-looking brutes from the North, one being called Tiger of Cincinnati, and the other Jack, of Pitts, burg. Owing to lack of definite prepara- tions, such as is unhappily characteristic of the South, no gate money had been collected of the crowd. Accordingly before the fight began, the people were turned out of the shanty, and then only allowed to enter OIL %Ia, @<,fe was consumed in making bets on the out come, several parties stalking piles of not less than S1OO. Then the dogs were weighed ,and found to each tip the bean at 3515 pounds Jack went into the fray with the prestige of thirteen victories behind him, in most of which he had slain his vanuuished oppo- nents; while Tiger had record of six impor- tant triumphs with similar fatal results to his victims. Jack was pure white, and Tiger yellowish white. Jack was unmuzzled, but very ferocious, save toward his keepers; while Tiger was restrained from indicting any harm up to the proper moment by means of a strong muzzle around his jaws.
 Preliminary to the sanguinary struggle the dogs were both washed in some liquid pre- paration, each keeper tasting of the head and body of his animal to assure himself that there was no foul play on foot. Then Tiger was unmuzzled, Jack was released and most revolting spectacle began. For one hour and thIrty-f.ye minutes those two brutes fought with all the savageness char acteric of their species, only pausing occa- sionally for a moment when a scratch was declared finished. Ears were lacerated paws maimed, jawbones erunched, threats mangled, and the dust of the pit iberaily dyed with blood. Suffice it to say, passing over the sickening details of this barbarous sport, that Tiger was badly whipped, and left apparently dying by his powerful opponent, who cloyed of inficting violence after his victim was motionless, but would rend him again whenever he stirred.
 Prize fights between human beasts are much more common, and are not outlawed by public sentiment at all One of the con- ventional sights or the Crescent city is afford ed in the gam bling dens of Royal street. The open above-board method by which these fashionable resorts are operated staggers your faith in mankind at first. spent one evening in making tour of these establish ments in company with friend, and was amazed at the immense patronage bestowed upon them. The rooms are usually upon the second floor, approached by grand staircases that are ablaze with light, and present no doors to be opened in effect ing an entrance. Indeed, there seems to be 8 crowd ascending and descending all the time, for, beside the vast throngs of regular patrons, there are scores of regular tourists going in all the time this winter. I should judge that the largest establishment is the one extending from No. 12 to No. IS. As we entered we found all of the tables in both