Evening journal., 1901-05-03
Entire Population Apparently
Was Out to See Chief
Executive
DISTINGUISHED PARTY
VIEWS VALUABLE RELICS
Interesting Ceremonies in CabildO
Seat Of Government OrFOrmGr
European Rulers

New Orleans, May 3.-The day spent
in New Orleans will live long in the
memory of the president and of the
members of his party. In no other city
in the United States is the old and ro-
mantle preserved and placed in such
sharp contrast with the modern as in
the Crescent City, and yesterday. as the
presidential party drove through the
flower embowered city from the ntw
into the old French and Spanish quar-
ter it was like passing mysteriously
from America into foreign land, from
this country into another that has
gone. And the illusion of the transit
tion was heightened by the interesting
ceremonies which occurred in the old
Cabildo. the seat of the government of
the former Spanish and French rulers,
which is yet preserved in its original
integrity by the Louisiana Historical
society.
The entire population apparently was
out to see the chief magistrate. After
a short visit to the Southern univer-
sity, where a thousand colOred stu
dents greeted the president with way-
ing bits OF cOlOred bunting. so ar
ranged as to make the whole an Amer
lean flag, and where the president
made a brief speech, the party passed
across Canal and Rampant streets, the
boundaries Of the new city, into the old
town, with its narrow streets, its
quaint galleried residences, its cathe-
drals, old Spanish buildings and French
market, all with the flavor of another
generation and ell now unfortunately
going into picturesque decay.
There was a striking picture when
the party drew up before the moulder-
ing Cabildo, over 15o years old, which
is situated opposite what Is now called
Jackson Square, but which in the old
days was the Capital Place Around
the entire streets the balconies were
thronged and down in the square were
a crush of people Many races were
represented. but the foreigners were
mostly French and Italians. Those on
the outer edges of the crowd stood with
their faces pressed against the higf
iron railings that enclose the park
Many people were perched in the trees
The president aliohted and he and
his party mounted into the crimson
draped audience chamber where tn,
exercises took place As In a dream
the visitors were carried back to th'
days long ago when Spanish king
ruled here, and to that memorable day
almost a century ago, when the key
- E, aft 90 81 i III
cred up in this very room to Wilkinson
and Claiborne, the American commits
siOners, and French dominion over thl
great Louisinan territory passed to tn
sovereignty Of the United States.
Alcee Fortier, distinguished creole
president of the Louisiana Historical
society, recalled these great events il
his address to the president and sth
president in his response dwelt upcl
their momentous bearing upon tn
worlds history.
When he had concluded the presi
dent appeared upon the balcony I
SHOW himself to the waiting thousand
outside, and when the cheering sub
sided he made a brief speech of &C
knowledgment.
The party then returned to the hott
for luncheon and in the afternoon EN-
barked on a Mississippi river steam
boat for trip along the river fror
from Audubon park to the historic bal
tlefield Of Chalmette. The ladies {
the party remained quietly at the hC
tel during the ceremonies of the morr
ing, only few of them taking a qui,
ride around the city, but they partic
pated in the river trip and enjoyed it
At o'clock the presidential specii
resumed its long journey to the Pacif
coast.