The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1899-04-09
OLD STATE HOUSE ON SALE.
LOUISIANA FIILS TO SELL r
FAMOUS HOTEL ROYAL.

Only sBi, 800 offered for n building That
Cost 81, 900, 900 -vicissitudes of II Great
Structure Connected with Many I'm
portant Historical and Social Events.
New ORLEANS. April 6.-The attempt OF the
State OF Louisiana this week to sell the Hotel
Royal. formerly the state House. and previous
to that the famous st. Louis Hotel. proved n
failure. The hotel cost 81 800 900 to build.
and was offered for $50 600. but the highest
bid was only $54,5OO and it was withdrawn. 1t
will be offered again for IA lower sum. and will
he sold. for the State is determined to get rid
OF this edilce. which has proved such a burden
and incubus to 1t.
The building Is famous not only in the his
tory OF New Orleans and louisiana. but has
played n conspicuous part in the history Of the
country. II the old st. Charles Hotel was tho
birthplace Of the Southern Confederacy-for 1t
was there that the Southern leaders met in the
fall OF 1860 and decided to secede IL Lincoln
should he elected-the Hotel Royal put at least
one man into tho Presidential chair and was
the scene Of more important political events
than any other building in the South. events
that we're far-rcaching in their influence and
played a prominent part in making the history
Of the country during reconstruction days.
The sale OF the building will end the career
OF the hotel. 1t will probably be converted
into stores or q lodging house. The tide Of
fashion has passed it by. and the centre OF the
old French quarter. once the most fashionable
In New Orleans and a magnificent site for n
hotel. Is no longer suitable for that purpose.
The italian immigrants are rapidly driving
the Creoles out OF the region OF the city where
they formerly lorded il. and the old st. Louis
for the building will always be 80 emembered
in spite OF the change Of names-will soon be
swallowed up in this Italian flood. Ever since
it was saddled on the State 1t has been an ele-
! rhant, hard to dispose OF because the property
has SO shrunk In value. The Legislature be-
cam disguised at the trouble the building has
given it. the bills for repairs. the difficulty Of
collecting rents. and finally ordered it sold.
glad to get the burden off its hands.
The st. Louis Hotel dates from 1896. At the
time OF it's construction it was the finest hotel
In the United States. having cost 81 BOO 600.
1t was built by the Creoles for the purpose Of
preserving their supremacy and preventing the
drift Of population and capital to the American
section. The interior decorations were on q
scale unusual for those days. The hotel GOV.
cred the greater part Of the square between ST.
Louis. Toulouse. Royal. and Chartres streets.
A street was opened-Exchange p~lace-so as to
give it a shorter cut to the city centre. Tho
without. The architect was Depouilly. the fur
niture was imp9rted from Parls-aIl with the
idea OF preserving the dominant French in
1iGence in New, Orleans: and preventing tho
rapid Approximation o! the CITY. 1t was ono
against the inevitable. The hotel and ali
these !ottRSSr improvements were made by a
deed formed a Part and parcel OF the hotel;
The st Louis Hotel realized all its builders
f fEssch so of It; and 1T Y ina 'hs csn'T Is ." sS Grs2!G n9d
balls. given IN its immens. rarlGrs and ro-
and neIghtoring states came to New Orleans
for these entertainmepts The social pre-.
recognized throughout the South. Perhaps no
better idea Of the contrast in Southern life at
ii nSats that thst Sq 9hs PS sissn ]a tG a at t ts'9 the, ssp }Se
market Of New Orleans, and AZ rooms
opened il Exos the o co 9n1 of that that .b building d d
OF the slaves destined for Louisiana planta-
lions were bought and sold. The upper stories
Of Csc Every cry ' Ei"i. e roaiSttsc, bsssat"ii"'N and t" Al, tie
other games OF chance then in vogue. There
ths L n% fsi.rEn sentI%.na .nw wo on l%1"f hSyS ab bssn anu ini
State or city TO interfere with his, legitimate
enjoyment. for gambling was ore Of the most
''Bf' arn%d ' S@; rrbatit in isl2. lie ' new s.. louis
enjoved all the reputation and popularity Of its
predecessor. 1t was the social centre where
all the balls were given: the commercial cen
there were no commercial exchanges Of any
kind then in New Orleans: the centre Of pleas
ure and enjoyment. where the, dining, drinking
and gambling wcro done. and, finally. the po-
litical centre. for, the politicians all. met there
and many Of the 60 ventions. As the st,
81. Louis was the Wing centre Of Louisiana.
and among the many memories Of the building
w wRsn TO 600 S PeatoH Hs" pStl ssilyTsG" a 10 plate aG"F fH h 1Hy;
the honor, to dine with him, and 10000 was
rn such W Ta sS the n hIs, ory OF OF the h,s SS'i louis up to
the civil war. although even then it's prestige
was waning, with the movement OF business
uptown to the American. quarter. The war
struck it a fatal blow as n hotel, but brought it
new notoriety in politics; In tie eX"iting re;
Louisiana moved around to various places in
Now Orleans. and finally settled at the St.
S25 10000. one sixth of It's original cost.
Its career became ,chrckercd and il vas tho
sSntrs REQ, Of oil the mss eH Nrn t f y sSat t Gi the n9p m y
revolution Of September. lS14 broke ont; The
state militia and police in Canal street, whoro
q pitched battle tool; place with shot and shell.
militia retired to the State House the St. Louis
Hotel and barricaded it for defence. 1t was to
the slaughter would have been. heavy, for tho
building is an admirable one for defence. the
walls being; like Pm most tto F mf 81, 5Bp VIA OF
deserted it IN the night With the loss Of only
GGneHneraTi' BROOKE. Observation-Disclosures Of CUBA.
arrived with the United States troops sent by
President Grant. but too late to prevent the
battle-the State House had fallen.
From that time on the history OF the
building was tempestuous. 1t was seized by
the United States under Gen. sheridan on
Sept. IT. 1874, and Kellogg was replaced as
Governor. In january, 1875, i was Tho
scene OF another riot, for the Democratic
mombor. OF tho Legislature under Louis
Witt. afterward Governor. seized control q
and were proceeding to impeach the Governor
when their organization, was broken UP and
dispersed by the United States, troops com
manded by Cen. De Trobrland. Then. and for
"A long time aftcrward, a regiment OF regulars
stood guard along st, LOUIS street TO prevent
the white citizens from assaultinG and captur-
ing the building.
Il was in the st. Louis that the Louisiana Re-
turning Board met and counted in Hayes as
President. The count lasted many months.
and there Were present John sherman. James
A. Garfield, and many other men prominent in
the Republican and Democratic parties. Popu-
lar excitement ran high. and il was with the
groG'eSt difficulty that the rioters could be pre-
vented from assaulting the building. The
crisis cam" with the inauguratign Of the new
state government on Jan. s.. 1871. The White
League assaulted and captured the supreme
Court House. the Paine and other public
huilliuKS. but owing To the presence of tho