, 1885-04-07
IN NEW ORLEANS.
A RAM8LE THROUGH THE LOWER
PART OF THE CITY.
Below Canal street-A Place Where tho
sighf-seer Forgets He i. in America
New Orleans Graveynrds-'
Their Sights.


Aftor you arc comfortably ensconsed III
your quarters with your night-key In your
pocket You start out to SEQ the town, and
there is more to see In New Orleans than any
town Of its sizs we know OF. There is a popu-
lation by the census Of 1880 OF 21o, i40. It
was founded in his, and most Of the houses
below Canal street look as though they had
been built that year. The surface of the
streets are four feet below high water mark.
and the levee is higher than the town. The
city has a river frontage Of IL miles, and Is
a mile and a half wide at the broadcast place.
The location is level and swampy, conse-
quently everything is built above ground.
There are no cellars or sewers, and wooden
tanks serve as cisterns. The deep street gut
ters are always carrying of a flow Of dull,
dirty water.
Canal street is the grand dividing line be
tween upper and lower New Orleans. All
below Canal Is French, all above American.
Canal street Is n peculiar and handsome
street 1t must be nearly 200 feet in Width,
with wide sidewalks On each side. In the
center is a narrow park wide enough for
four street car tracks and graced with shade
trees and a green lawn. A row Of electric
lights extend the entire length, and the
Henry Clay statue occupies a position oppo-
site Royal street. All street car lines start
and stop at the Clay statue. Canal street is
lovely by day and brilliant by night.
Sunday morning is the best time to do the
/ French market Take the levee cars or
walk down along the levee. When you mr.
rive at the wharf you can see any kind Of
a craft you ever thought Of United States
men Of war, schooners, tugs, boats from all
southern rivers, and ships from all tho world,
Go through the French market thoro ughly.
1t Is not much to sec. but a great deal TO
miss; com out and go into Jackson square,
the l~oveliest place in the city; soc the bal.
anced equestrian statue OF Gen. Jackson
This Is the original; the counterpart stands
in Lafayette square opposite the White
House in Washington.
Pass then into the French cathedral, which
faces on the square between two public
buildings. Go into the front door, stop long
enough To admire its wonderful beauty
count the pillars and put 1t down on a card
and loose the card before you get home. II
the services are progressing and the church
crowded, take a look at the confessional
closets, go out the side door, step up the little
alley along the right hand side Of the build
ing TO the door opposite the chancel, rush
boldly in; there may be twenty-five or thirty
people engaged In prayer. but don't stop ON
that account, for there has been 30 many
obtrusive visitors here that the worshipers
do not enjoy their prayers unless somebody
is tramping over their feet. Go across into
Lnt ODPOcllt CuTucI anu htc luc lONciJ hIll-
fetal landscape with a little cataract Of real
water, n veritable Minnehaha.
Having done the cathedral, a few blocks
brings you to the Hotel Royal Take n look
at that and pass on Now then take a lool;
at the architecture Did you ever see such
housesl See that white one, four storis
high, with its lovely green porches, made OF
fancy iron work at every floor, ON all sides;
then see that one next door, one story high,
with tile roof, and certainly not painted
since the Mexican war; see the green mould
on it. You are now in the French part OF
the city. Here is a sign; read it; ala Bon
Marche." A street sign at the corner reads
~Rue st. Louis:' another sign says,
sFrancais la Merchandise, another.
"Robe de Modesto etc. You forget
that you are in America The architecture
is wonderful. Houses that cost thousands oil
dollars stand next to houses that a Sanga-
mon county pauper would net live in. Neat
looking men, women and children emerge
from shabby looking houses. The scenery
Of Romany Rye and the Lights o London !
knocked out of comparison, and after all,
the houses are not so mixed as tho popula-
tion-French, Spanish, Italians, Negroes,
Mexicans and Indians sun themselves, OF
lounge and talk. All languages hut that OF
America seem 10 be spoken. Even the ne.
groes talk French and Spanish at each other.
Elegant stores full Of rich novelties stand
next to little stores. where stove wood Is re-
tailed at ten sticks for 3 cents and cabbages
are cut into four pieces and retailed to poor
families. At your feet the narrow dirty
street breathes forth contagion, and above
your head flaps the family wishing.
Are you tired OF this part of town. then
go right ON up Dumaine or CONT streets
and come out on Rampant. which runs al
right angles with Canal, to which it is
similar. Great palaces Of marble with
columns TO grace the doors are seen on this
street; they ave yards filed with orange
and other choice trees, and fences ten feet
high with locks aud door bells on the front
gates. They are private dwellings where
wealth and luxury doth abide, or did when
they were built Perhaps now they are
glad to rent furnished rooms at So a day.
Here is the church of the dead, go and see
it Now you can go ON a little further aud
see one of those peculiar New Orleans
g~raveyards, but you better go across, il il
is warm, and take the cars for tho Spanish
fort. You find the cars ON Canal, a block
or two above Rampant When you get out
TO the Spanish fort don't forget TO hunt for
the fort. The landscape, the fish, the beer
and wine out there are said to be excellent.
but don't forget to find the fort, which
might be easily overlooked.
Another day take the steam cars ON Canal,
near Pickwick club house, you can't mis-
them, and go to West End on Lake Pom.
chartrain. The fare TO Spanish fort is 10
cents, to West End 10 cents. On the way to
West End stop at those remarkable GENE.
teriss. They ara the wonder Of the west
and the pride of Now Orleans. Graves can
not be dug in New Orleans because water
fills in even with the surface, but whited
sepulchers are built in which tho body
waits the resurrection. Those who cannot
afford an Individual or family vault are
placed IN long brick row and no doubt re-
pose as we'll as those in the costly edi6ces.
West End is a pretty place in winter and a
great place In summer
Having returned from the west end. you
land near the corner OF Canal, st. Charles
and Royal streets. The street that crosses
Canal at the Clay statue is called st. Charles
above Canal, and Royal below Canal. st.
Charles leads to all that is good in New Or
leans, while Royal might be called tho royal
about a hop, skip and a jump In
s-o- orertaxed with the surging mass
1t is the grand entree onto Canal
'treet for all the lower part OF the city.
Everybody goes up and down Royal street
The northern belle with her sealskin sacque
brushes the bsggar Of the south. The waffle
dealer tries to cutlery the festive hnnd-organ.
Saloons, restaurants and gambling-honses
crowd each other, while variety theatres
flourish with free admission. Thieves, thugs
and bunko-steerers nave full sway and slar
tie pDlire ON tina hank AZ old frionda