The St. Louis Republic. [volume] (St. Louis, Mo.) 1888-1919, 1903-12-27

issued from all parts OF the city to tha
section of the French Quarter containing
the Market.
old stand at once began to pick up
| though the Improvement was not due tc
| the issuance OF free transfers alone.
had brought about better service. Per
sons living in the fashionable quarter
| found that they got downtown much
quicker. than before. A trip to the French
| Market no longer occupied too much of
| their time.
Besides that. a servant. dispatched with
| basket could be counted upon to get
/! fast.
| 1t is doubtful If the founders of the
| French Market, which. by the way. is un-
der city control. ever conceived that its
| future usefulness. to the community. at
| large would be dependent upon modern
methods in street railroading; but such Is
the fact.
LOCATED ON LEvEE.
Its location on the levee makes the
transportation Of its products easy.
All sorts of craft loaded with the vege-
tables, fruits. fish. meats and game OF a
wide area land almost at its DOORS
The market as a whole. is divided into
four parts. the first being devoted to
meats and the other three respectively to
fruits, vegetables and fish.
The meat stalls are occupied mainly by
|
of France. = -
The Gascons have a monopoly of the re-
tail meat business in New Orleans. Con-
corning them one sometimes hears an in
teresting observation.
What Is the use of getting up early In
the morning II one is to meet Gascon?"
is question asked with Creole naivete.
ting ground OF the Choctaw Indians who
sell medicinal plants, as well as various
herbs herbs used in concocting ....gumbo" soup,
which Is famous Creole dish.
,Cblivious OF the pushing crowd, they sit
silent and detected, forming a strange
contrast to the hustle about them.
,,t on nearly any pleasant day one may see
pronped against nearby stall, just as
indian babies were tended" hundreds of
This tribe, which regularly invades the
market; lives on. the further shore of
Lake Pontchartrain, under the benefcent
rule OF Chief Mahot-Aby.
market av yaass s visitor to this quaint old
70 Tepress q smile when he sees a fash
ionably gowned young lady. bent on maxi
ing good purchase, step UP to 2 chicken
breast for evidence OF plurnpfess
The fowl may squawk and flap its wings
as much as i pleases; the. young woman
f tin raiGy makes thorough inspection of
II 1t Is up to weight" the usual bag
Cling takes place: and. after the money Is |
pald, Inc chicken Is thrust head down. |
ward into capacious basket. and la |
demoiseiie passes on to other stalls.
PATRONIzED BY RICH AND POOR.
Rich and poor alike patronize this old |
one for the delicacies Ii |
offers. the other for low prices charged |
for necessities.
For surprisingly little money the toiler
on the levee may buy Sunday dinner
that, for variety at least. is truly princely.
Many OF the rich do not visit the market |
N person. preferring to send a servant
usually an old NANNY" and one of the
most amusing sights the place affords is
10 see one OF these old women Of by
gone regime dlckering and haggling with |
ne snrewd vendors of to-day.
Ii. can safety be said to ''mammy's" |
,redit that she rarely gets the worst of
he bargain
The French Quarter has been very little
INVADED by the spirit of modern progress.
Hound about the market place one sees
hings to-day practically as they were $50
ears ago-the same conglomeration of
anguagesi the same old buildings and the
anne quaint customs.
Uptown, a great city is swiftly leaping
nto world prominence by virtue Of liz
marvellous expansion of commerce ana lite
rowth In manufactures.
Nearby. .skyscrapers raise their lofty
eads, trolley cars pour through the broad
treets in endless procession, new and
MODERN buildings are being erected and
n every hand one sees in the tireIess
nergy and hustle of the people evidences |
the splendid business enthusiasm that
! fast converting the old South into the
CIV. 80 80
But Of all this the old French Market