West Virginia argus. [volume] (Kingwood, W. Va.) 1877-1946, 1900-03-29
IN THE SOUTHLAND.
Another Interesting Article From
a Member Of The Argus
Staff.
The ''Crescent CITY," Its Streets, Build
ings, People, Manners and Customs.
History and Romance from It's
Foundation 90 the Present
Day.
BY MAY FAIRFAX MORGAN.

The Crescent City was founded in 1918,
by Jean Baptiste lie Moyne de Bienville.
the second governor of Louisiana. In i7a,
it was made the capitol of the vast territory
known as Louisiana and il has been man
ufaeturing romance and history for America
ever since. New Orleans is unlike any other
American city. They all have sameness
about them. Not so with New Orleans, Il
Is distinctly foreign in every respect. We
/ will give the names of few of the streets
and see II you could tell whether you were
in the ''land Of the free" or France OF Spain,
across the sea. Pontehartain, Poutalba,
rchoupitoubas. Carondelet, D'iemecourt,
lapeyrouse, Jumonvile, Char,res and
Dumaine. They look just as foreign as
they sound, with their parkways in the
center, and their architecture in the old part
of the city is foreign The houses have
immense plaster pillars, and big galleries"
or porches running around them or with
interior court-yards, reached by porte
eocheres. Great effort has been made TO
bring New Orleans in line with other cities
in regard to public improvements of all
kinds, but a large element of the population
is Latin and they fight every attempt TO
Americanize the old place. The original
population is of French origin from Acadia,
the West Indies and France. During the
Spanish rule great many Spaniards came
from Andalusia, Catalonia aud the Canary
Islands. The intermarrying of these two
nationalities populated II with the Creoles
and they have given the social customs and
usages to New Orleans. OF late years
great many Italians. Sieilians and foreigners
of all nationaties have crowded into the
city until It's population is thoroughly cos
mopolitan. New Orleans is the pride of
the Southern people and they like to call it
'the Paris of America" How true il is we
do not know, as we have never been to
Paris, but II the water over there is as bad
aud the city as dirty as New Orleans is in
places, we do not want to go TO the Exposi-
tion.
They still have open sewers and in some
places like the French and Italian quarters,
the odor arising from these is something
terrible. They have this kind of sewerage
all over the city with the exception of the
real new and fine resident section, which is
chiefly occupied by the Americans, who
have magnificent mansions with large and
elegantly kept grounds around their houses,
as fine as you will see in any other city in
the United States. OF course il is clean
and nice in these sections of the city, but
wherever il is occupied by the foreign ell
ement i, is dirty and filthy. Even the old
time Creoles are slow to get on TO anything
new and prefer to live in the old time
houses and in the old part of the city. New
Orleans is twelve feet below the Mississippi
river, which is in front Of the city and Lake
Pontcharrain is to the rear; here they arc
almost surrounded by water; water every
where and yet not one drop ht to drink or
even wash in. They have large water tanks
to catch rain water for drinking and cooking
purposes and use the river water to wash in
and it is so muddy il only needs COMPRISING
to make brick and after you wash in IL
awhile you lock like you were just getting
over the ye low fever
We saw great many goats running at
large in different parts OF the city, and as
the place is over run with secret societies, we
could not tell whether the goats belonged to
them or the garbage department They are
no doubt a splendid addition to the sanitary
system of the city, as they were frequently
seen out in some dirt headquarters, doing
/ their heet IN clean a 40, srh.., ..nt -.
yellow fever and smallpox there until they
clean up and become as the northern cities.
Some years ago the yellow fever broke out
and out Of twenty years, they had nine years
Of the plague and il killed off Ioo, 600
people. This disease is not catching If the
patient is removed from the cause, but
where they remain in the place they con
tracted il, what gives IL to one causes others
to take il also. The greater part Of New
Orleans population is in her cemetries,
which arc unlike any other in this country,
as New Orleans buries her dead on top Of
the ground in tombs and caiscombs. The
ground IS so low they dare not bury in il as
the graves fiji up with water. Their Gem.
eteries present beautiful appearance, with
great live oaks and magnoIias, and the
walks and drive-ways are made of oyster
shells that have been ground up and are as
hard as macadam and finer than gravel.
We spent some time one day strolline
around 81. Louis Cemetery, one Of the finest
iu the city.
The founder Of the Louisiana Lottery &.
laid away here 10 an elegant mausoleum
Many Secret Societies like the Masons.
knights Of Pythias and odd Fellows have
large tombs holding hundred or more. ic
put their dead IN. The private tombs arc
built for families and some are just for one
body They are beautiful, and this is a
very nice way to put your friends away.
The Catholics and Protestanis use the same
cemetery together. About some Of the
tombs they have elegant iron chairs and
rustic seats, where the friends 90 on moon.
light nights and commune with their dead
West End, on Lake Pontchanrain. is sis
miles from the center Of the city. Here is
situated several hne Yacht Clubs Rowing
regaitas take place here annually under the
auspices Of the Club. This is grca, resort
IN summer, many piers are bull, out in the
Lake and plenty Of bathing houses. Al
! the roads and walks are made of thr ,,vs,.,