Alma record. (Alma, Mich.) 1878-1928, 1905-02-03
LETTER FROMNENORLEANS
Our Former Citizen Enos Kimmel
Enjoying the Sunny South.
SEES MANY HISTORICAL RELICS
Tells OF the Old French Market, the
Royal Hotel. and Visit Jeffeson
Davis Tomb.

III You will kindly allow me space
l will write a few interesting lines
concerning the customs and history of
New Orleans. The river runs north
by the city four miles, then makes
curve east. The city is stretched along
the river fourteen miles and on an
average of four miles wide. Canal
street Is the main business street II
runs west, dividing the city in the
center. This street Is ten rods wide and
has four street car lines. All the street
car llnes concentrate on this street and
run It's lull length, curying around con
Icucrate monument near the river
The west or upper half is modern and
has some fine hotels. but the most inter
eStlng part of the city is the north half
called the Spanish and French quarters
Belnyllle founded the city in IFS. and
was the first colonial governor of Louisi
ana. The city was called Beinville
until 1872, when France transferred il 70
SPAN and .. Reilly. the Spanish gov
ernor called II New Orleans. I'm 1900
louisiana was again transferred back 10
France and In 1903 she sold il 10 the
United states which sealed the destiny
OF very rich agricultural state. At
that time New Orleans population was
lo,OoO now they claim 30, 900 The
most Interesting spot is where the
cathedral stands. The first church
built IN New Orleans was i'm 1921. where
| the cathedral now stands and was com
! pleted IN 1894 At the same time two
courts were built each side of the
cathedral, one city court and one parish.
! ltheN nave no counties here parish j.
! thirty miles square, This i the only
court house they have. and it has seat
ing capacity of 1000 The frescoing. bv
Conova, Is a. fine as any in the world
ana the painting Of the Apostles and
! groups LOOK as though thew stood out
from the wall. Just across the street
and facing the cathedral is Jackson
! square; beautiful park, in the center
OF which Is large pedestal supporting
war horse, mounted by General Jack
son IN the act OF defending the city OF
New Orleans against the British in 1915;
] the only words OH the monument is the
inscription, THE Union Must and Shall
be Preserved. These old style build
ings look odd, Yet there is grandeur
III their iron balconies and caves facing
the street. The old French market that
has stood lT5 years Is built with tile
roof standing on iron posts Ii Is a
grand sight 70 see ii thronged with
women talking French and Spanish.
The market is well supplied with vege-
tables and fish and what is not sold
during the day is shipped north at night
a short distance away is the Govern
ment mint, closed for the present The
old Royal Hotel Is an interesting struc-
ture of brick, four stories high and $50
H.. g.. IL. Il
Reconstruction Act Of the Civil war
was enacted, it being the capitol of
the state at that time. The stairs
are unique, winding like an anger
TO the fourth floor 1t is closed to busi-
ness at present but open to visitors
The cemeteries are interesting to- visit
On account of water coming SO near
the surface. the tombs are used instead
of graves. One hundred acres covered
with marble tombs, makes sight that
is grand. One tomb cost sixty thousand
dollars, erected by a confederate society
called the Army of North Virginia In
this tomb the remains of Jefferson Davis
lay until four years ago, when they were
taken to Richmond Va Hundreds of
\ Louisiana officers, who sacrificed their
lives through their folly, rest in this
tomb. On top of this monument,
mounted on war horse, is Major Gen
eral Albert Sidney Johnson, who was
killed at the battle of Shilo MAY 4,
1858. just across the river is Algiers, a
city of 10000 souls, mostly French. In
; that city is a steel dry dock that will
raise 1000 tons, the largest in the
world. The crusier Columbia is now
in the dock for repairs and two French
cruisers are anchored in the river Here
the river is one mile wide and fifty feet
deep, having very little fall i'll its ninety
mile course to the Gulf.
This is great commercial city and
nearly every nation is represented. Two
large Belgian vessels came into the
port heavily loaded with coffee recently
and 1t seemed a. though they unloaded
coffee enough to last the United States
year. Cotton, sugar, molasses and
rice are great industries. Thousands OF
negroes line the docks and gee plenty OF
work night and day. Orleans sugar by
the wholesale is . u cents, while cotton
is 8 4 cents, rice retails two lbs. for cents
4 two apples for cents and butter sells
mt 81 cents.
ENos H. KIMMEL