Abilene weekly reflector., 1901-05-09
At new ORLEANS.
The President Views Quaint Sights
in the Crescent City.
SCENE At The NOLDERIyC CABILDO.
The Presidential Party Taken ON Steam
boat Afterwards to the Battlefield Of
ChsImette-At Night the Special
Resumed Its Journey.

NC" OAASoH0S "AuJ AAC va J
spent in New Orleans yesterday will
live long in the memory Of the presi-
dent and the members Of his party.
After a short visit to the Southern
university, where q thousand colored
students greeted the president with
waving bits of colored bunting so ar
ranged as to make the whole an
American flag and where the presi-
dent made brief speech, the party
passed across Canal and Dampart
streets, the boundaries OF the new
city, into the old town, with its mar
row streets, its quaint galleried resi-
dences, its cathedrals, old Spanish
buildings and the French market, all
with the flavor OF another genera
ton and all now unfortunately going
into picturesque decay.
There was striking picture when
the party drew up before the molder-
ing Cabildo, over $50 years old, which
is situated opposite what is now
called Jackson square, but which, in
the old days, was the Place d'Armes,
where Spanish generals formerly
drilled their soldiers. Around the
encirclng streets the balconies were
thronged and down in the square
were acres 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 high iron ratings which
enclose the park. Many people were
perched in the trees.
The French tri-color and several
other strange flags, among them the
red, white and green banner of Portu-
gal, were interspersed with American
flags in the decorations. Drawn up
in line before the historic old build
ing were the young cadets from the
Jesuit college and up the winding
stairway at the entrance of the build
ing were ranged file of the Cont
mental guards, local organization,
in the buff and blue of the revolu-
tionary era, wearing cockades and
white crossed belts with the figures
"76' 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 salute Of II 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 presi-
dent and his party mounted into the
crimson-draped audience chamber,
where the exercises took place. As
in a dream the visitors were carried
back to the days long ago when gov
ernors of Spanish kings ruled here,
and to that memorable day, almost a
century ago, when the keys Of the
city of New Orleans were delivered up
in this very room, to Wilkinson and
Claiborne, the American commission
ers, and French dominion over the
great Louisiana territory passed to
the sovereignty of the United States.
Acee Fortier, distinguished Gre
ole, who is president of the Louisiana
Historical society, recalled these
great events in his address to the
president, and the president in his
response dwelt upon their momentous
bearing upon the worlds history.
1t was notable speech and was re-
ceived with enthusiasm by the dis
tinguished gathering present
The president spoke as follows: ~
rise only for the purpose of making
acknowledgment to the Louisiana
Historical association for its cordial
and generous welcome to this historic
place. 1t has been great honor to
me to be received here by the gov
ernor of this great commonwealth,
by the chief justice and his associates
of its highest court, by the mayor Of
the city, to this place, memorable not
only in American annals, but in the
annals of the world | am glad to
stand nearby where that great trans
action took place which transferred
the Louisiana territory to the flag of
the stars. A transaction which
changed the map of the world and
made this union what it now is, the
strongest and the freest nation on
the face of the earth.'
When he had concluded the presi-
dent appeared on the balcony to
show himself to the waiting thosands
uIsde. The cadets below presented.
arms and the square and the build
ings surrounding it futtered with
handkerchiefs and flags while the air
was torn by the hoarse roar of the
shouts of the multitude.
The party then returned to the
hotel for luncheon and in the after
noon embarked on Mississippi river
steamboat for trip along the river
front from Audubon park to the his
toric battlefield of Chalmette, where
the monument erected in memory OF
the defeat of Packenham by Gen.
jackson. commands view of the
river. The ladies of the party had
remained quietly at the hotel during
the ceremonies of the morning, only
few of them taking a very quiet
ride around the city, but they par
a a