The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1901-05-03
AoREs oF PEoPLE
Streets Thronged Wherever the Pres
ident Appeared in New Orleans.


ident Appeared in New Orleans.
New Orleans, La. May S.-The day
spent in New Orleans will live long in
the memory of the president and the
members of his party. IN no other city
in the United States is the old and
romantic preserved and placed in such
sharp contrast with the modern as in
the Crescent City, and as the presiden-
tial party drove through the flower
ernbOWered city from the new into the
old French and Spanish quarter, it was
like passing mysteriOusly from America
into a. foreign land, from this century
into another that has gone. And the
Illusion Of the transition was height
ened by the interesting ceremonies
which occurred in the old Cabildo, the
seat of government of the former
Spanish and French rulers which is yet
preserved in its original integrity by
the Louisiana Historical society
The weather could not have been
fairer- "A strong sun blazed from a
cloudless sky, but the heat was tenn
pered by a light breeze from the river.
The foliage was all a tender green, and
along st. Charles avenue, out of which 7
the party drove behind a clattering
squadron of cavalry, flowers. flags and
pretty women In gay raiment formed a
mist of color. Roses were everywhere
climbing up the pillared porticos and
creeping over trellises and mingling
their perfumes with that of the mag
with the songs of seni-tropical birds
The entire population apparently was
out 20 see the chief magistrate. After
a short visit to the Southern university.
greeted the president with waving bits
Of cOlored bunting 50 arranged as TO
make the whole an American tag. 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 it's
narrow streets, its quaint galleried
residences, its cathedrals, old Spanish
buildings and the French market all
with the flavor of another generation
and all now going into picturesque de-
cay.
There was a striking picture when the
party drew up before the mouldering
Cabildo, over a hundred and fifty years
old, which Is situated opposite what is
now called Jackson square, but which
in the older days, was the Place
D'Armes, where Spanish generals for
merly drilled their soldiers Around the
encirc1ing streets the balconies were
thronged, and down in the square were
acres OF people Many races were repre-
sented, but the foreigners We're mostly
French and Italians. Those on the outer
edges OF the crowd stood with faces
pressed against the high iron ratings
which enclose the park Many people
We're perched in trees The French tri-
color and several other strange flags
among them the banner OF Portugal
were 1nterspersed with American flags
in the decorations. Drawn up in line be-
fore the historic old building were the
young cadets of the Jesuit college and
up the winding stairway at the entrance
Of the building were ranged a file of the
Continental guards, local organization
In the buff and blue of the revolutionary
era wearing cOckades and white crossed
belts with the figures g 49, on their
shining brass plates. AS the president
alighted a squad Of the cadets blew a
fanfare on their French trumpets the
Louisiana field artillery fired a salute of
tWenty-One guns and the bells of the
cathedral and all the churches in the
quarter peeled out their welcoming
greeting 1t was an inspiring moment.
Up the stairway. past the continental
guards, the president and his party
mounted into the crimson draped al-
dience chamber where the exercises took
place. As in a dream, the visitors We're
carried back to the days long ago when
governors Of Spanish kings ruled here.
ana TO that memorable day almost a
century ago. when the keys of the
city of New Orleans We're delivered m
IN this room to Wilkinson and Claiborne
the American commissioners and French
dominion over the great Louisiana ter
rltory passed to the sovereignty Of the
United States
Alcee Fortier a distinguished CraaIa
who IS president of the Louisiana His
toricai society. recalled these great
events IN his address to the DreSidan4
ana tne president in his response dweIt
upon lnelr mOHentOus bearing upon the
world s history 1t was a notable sDeecb
and was received with enthusiasm nv
the distinguished gathering present The
president spoke as follows:
4 rise only for the purpose of max
ing acknowledgment to the Iouisiana
Historical association for its cordial
and generous welcome to this historic
place 1t has been a great honor to
me to be received here by the governor
OF this great commonwealth. by the
chief executive and his associates of the
highest courts, by the mayor of the cifv
to this place. memorable not only IN
American annals, but in the annals Of
the world I am glad to stand nearby
where that great transaction took place
which transferred the Louisiana Terri
tory to the flag of the stars, a transac
ton which changed the map of the
world and made this union what it now
IS, the strongest nation on the face Of
the earth"
When he concluded the president an
peared on the balcony to show himself
TO the waiting thousands outside The
cadets below presented arms and the
square and the buildings surrounding
It huttered with handkerchiefs and |
nags, while the air was torn by the
hoarse roar of the shouts of the multi |
tude- The president made an impress |
sive figure as ne stood there waiting
Tor the cheering to subside. He ac- |
knowledged the demonstration with a