Phillipsburg herald. [volume] (Phillipsburg, Kan.) 1882-1905, 1885-03-28
NEW ORLEANS LETTER
Special Correspondence.

New Orleans, La. March d, 1885.
Since the art gallery was thrown open
to the public, a few days go, the entire
Exposition may oe considered complete.
The walls of the gallery named are Gov
cred with paintings, pictures and Dor
traits, representing great historical
events, and characters with many IA
nous landscapes, both American and
foreign, some of the more noted of
which will hereafter be mentioned. All
our own and many foreign artists of
note have works on exhibition.
Your correspondent spent a day re-
Gently in the galleries of the govern
ment'building. and was well repaid by
the views and studies observed. One
entire side is occupied by the exhibits of
the cOlOred people. Eleven southern
and nine northern states are represent
ed in seperate sections of these exhibits,
which include numberiess samples and
varieties ofwOman s fancy work, lacing,
emDrOideries, outings, dress wear, &c,
and of such quality and beauty as to
compare most faVOrably with like work
in the department of the more fortunate
white WOman's work. There is also
shown many samples of wood and iron
work, leather goods, of fine crops, mod
els of houses, and other work and pro-
duets of our cOlored brother, which
considering their opportunities, are in
the highest degree credjtGble tor exam
pie, a perfect locomotive is shown by
John Allen, of Little Rock, which he
constructed in his kitchen, without ever
having the advantage of any previous
training. There are many exhibits of
schOOl-wOrk in this department, from
various schools north and south, which
in excellence are calculated to inspire
the educator with renewed efforts,
in behalf of the colOred people, and
their entire exhibit cannot but arouse an
increased respect for the African race
and their capabilities.
In this gallery occupying a corner in
the Louisiana space for cOlored peoples
exhibits, sits a noted historical charac-
ter, locally nOted) JOrdOn B. Noble,
now in his S5th year, native of Angus
ia, Georgia, slightly colOred, and who
was drummer boy for the seventh
United States Regulars, at the battle Of
New Orleans, one of three now residing
in this city, who were in this famous
engag cement. In an interview with him
he told me that on the morning of the
battle, Fen Puckenham, at the head of
a detachment of British troops, under
took to break the AmericOn center. and
was shot through the body and killed.
The drummer boy, then but - years
old, asked and obtained permission, af-
ter the battle to see British General.
He also informed your correspondent
that, contrary to history and popular
tradition, Gen Jackson did not use cot
ton bales for breast works in the 8th of
January battle, but simply earth work;
a few bales of cotton were put in place
but the enemy shot targets into and
fired them, when their further use was
abandoned The old veteran says that
lust before the engagement, Gen Jack
son passed along his lines and said to
the sOldiers-'Keep cool boys, and
don't waste a shot; The was cool, -
added The old man, who exhibits a silk
badge presented to him by the General
when on his last visit TO this city in
1883, he also shows the old drum which
he carried through the war in 1872, and
the Florida Indian wars.
The government educational exhibit
occupies a large section in one of the
three galleries, in which primary
school work is shown In many classes
of object and other lessons, in some of
these, many useful lessons in natural
history are taught, from mounted spec
linens, and the uses of various raw ma
teriaIs are shown IN manufactured sam
pies. Mechanical, chemical and phys
ical laboratories and normal school
work, and various other interesting eZ-
hibits are shown. The French educa-
tiOnal exhibit, made under the auspices
of that government, is said to be the
most elaborate and extensive ever made
in this country, and includes statuary,
designing, drawing, decorative art, bO-
tauical plates, work by pupils of pro-
fossiOnai, primary. intermediate and
other schools About a dozen Of cur
states have sepeTate educational eXhlb-
its in the same galleries together with
woman's work and other miscellaneous
exhibits.
Horticultural hall is, by all odds, the
most Disappointing feature of the Expo
sitiOn. Not that it is not interesting,
but because Of the lack of variety. In
apples and oranges the exhibits are eX-
tensive and valuable. but in plant, flow
er and kindl ed exhibits there is but lit
tie of interest. Jamaica and Mexico
make tolerably fair EXHIBITS OF orchids
and some othel tropical and semi-trOpi-
cal plants, otherwise the hOt-house sec
ton is q failure. In oranges both Cal
ifornia and Florida make extensive eX-
hibits; Canada Ohio Nebraska, Iowa,
illinois, Wisconsin, Mi nesOta, Miss
curl, Kentucky and Kansas make very