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

! REPUBLIC SPECIAL.
New Orleans, Dec 26.-Probably the
quaintest building in the United States ):
J the old French Market in New Orleans.
1t Is in truth much more than a mere
building-an institution. unique among
the market places of America.
In 1t, according to popular opinion. are
found greater variety of pro1u.ts than
can be noted in any other place in ibis
country. and 1t Is unquestionably true
that nowhere else within such a small
compass can one discover so great d va
riety of nationalties, languages and quaint
customs.
The flower girls, the old cronss. The
French villagers, the swarthy sons of
Gascony and Sicily-all are there, framed
In stage setting that suggests blenli1g
of the sets Of the Chimes of Normandy"
Carmen" and the "Cavaleria Rusticana. -
A kaleidoscope of sights and a Babel of
| sounds are all 1t is. to be sure! In this age
| Of realistic stage effects. an. everlasting
| fortune awaits the manager who succee DIS
/ in reproducing II.
! As study in animation, In color and
In groupings, the French Market Is unique
English French re-, Spanish and Iia,,aa ian
| purity mix with the various "iirigoes" CT
| the Gulf Coast folk to make confusion of
| sounds that is demoralizing to uhaccus-
MIXTURE OF NATIoNALITIES.
Here is truly surprising mixture CT ma
tionalities:
Within few steps of where one stands
are stalls presided over by Germans,
Frenchmen. Chinamen, Hindoos. Jews.
Englishmeh, 1rishmen. Malays, spaniards,
American Indians. Moors, Italians. MeM-
of all shades and blends. from the simon
pure negro, black as ebony. down to the
nearly white quadroon and the octorcon
at you bs wf gou se shoa he s i snnda
morning, the earlier the better.
Sunday is the great shopping day Of
New Orleans, as regards the buying OF
owners of the various stalls rush to the
market and get their wares in readiness
for the early trade. which is always the
heaviest.
BY six o'clock the people begin to pour
in. and the haggling and shouting Of
wares begins. and lasts until Al o'clock.
when the market Is rIosea i Il v ae saS
cred to be complete without trip to
"the market" and the residents than
selves apparently never tire of inspecting
their great show place
On Sunday mornings the street cars are
usually crowded with fashionably dressed
people from the uptown section on their
nous Creole dripped coffee, which is pop |
ularly supposed to taste better there than |
elsewhere In the city.
But not to see the sights alone do the |
fasllonables go to the French Market. 1t |
Is feature of New Orleans social life |
that the "best people, in the city still |
patronize the old Market. which Is now |
remote from the better residential dis
tricts.
When 1t was built in 1915. 1t was but
few moments walk from the most FASH
ionable homes in town. but with the clty's
growth all that has changed.
The Market Is now in the French Quar-
ter. well down toward the river; and the
Crescent City's social life. has become
hoplessly commonplace
MOVED FROM NEIGHBoRHooD.
The american invasion" first affected
the outskirts of the city. and in the course
Of time the better creole families followed
the Americans. leaving the neighborhood
IN which the Market Is situated to new
corners from Europe.
When they went they carried their al
!egiance to the old Market with them, and
the Americans" themselves
learned that 1t was only at the French
Market. sQualid enough though Its sur |
roundings were. that the best and daint-
est edibles were to be procured. II
!. Meantime az the city increased in size,
The street car systems grew apace; but !
mere were many of them. and the old | I
Market found itself handicapped through | I
ack OF transfer facilities in competing for | {
he uptown tfadA. - Ii
A year or two ago, however. all lines !
fere merged into one. and transfers were