The daily morning journal and courier. [volume] (New Haven, Conn.) 1894-1907, 1907-01-05
LET THOSE GALLERIES" ALONE

AT the last melting of the city coun-
ell when public attention was concen-
trated on the high license and other
measures under consideration. the
council passed an ordinance introduced
by Mr.. Goebel, not only prohibiting the
erection over the sidewalks of any
structures Of galleries supported by
posts in the commercial district Of the
city from Poydras to St Louis street
and from Claibirne street to the river
but REQUIRES all galleries already
erected to be removed by July IL, 1907
This7 ordinance was signed Friday by
Acting Mayor McRacken, In the abb
sence Of Mr.. Behrman.
1t is somewhat difficult to treat sgch
legislation seriously or patiently. What
was the COUNCIL thinking Of when it
took action in this matter? What did
it intend to do, and why? Did the
council realize the seriousness Of the
order 1t issued? There are some hum
dred and fifty squares in the district
affected and from three 10 four thnrs-
and houses, of which ever q thousand
have "the structure or galleries which
Mr.. Goebel wants torn down and pro-
| hibited. Their removal would cost a
hundred thousand dollars or more, and
| would not subserve any useful purpose
! whatever.
1t is difficult to see the motive or
purpose underlying the ordinance.
| There is a stupid idea among some
| people that New Orleans must follow
! the fashions Of other cities. whether
! good or bad. whether or not suited TO
| conditions here or to our climate. If
a thing is good for New York it, in
the estimation of these people ought
| to be adopted In New Orleans we
should cut down the trees on our ban
qrettes because New York has none;
we should abolish our neutral
grounds" because there are none in
Manhattan, and we expect to see a
proclamation against lawns because
the northern metropolis Is so density
loverDoDulated and crowded 1t can not
afford them. New York has no gal
leries" supported by posts, ergo, ac-
cording to this reasoning, New Or
leans should do without them.
1t is difficult to conceive Of greater
folly. The galleries which front Canal
and other thorou@hfores of this city
are a popularity of this city, which
gives 1t an individuality and original
ity, and which are thoroughly appre-
clated by strangers when they see the
purposes for which they were origin
ally constructed ana how useful and
comfortable they are, In a city like
New Orleans, subject to d long gum
mer and FREQUENT and heavy storms
and an excessive rainfall, some pro-
lection against the sun and rain ouch
as our galleries offer Is absolutely
necessary. Thew make our streets far
lees hot than they otherwise are and
probably tend to reduce the number of
sunstrokes we otherwise Would have.
Those who have had a chance to com
pare Broadway in a hot spell with
Canal street during the midst of a
summer can appreciate how much our
galleries mean to us, what a comfort
they are to shoppers and other pedes
TRANS, besides being q protection from
the rain and safe spot from which
to see our Carnival parades, process
or builder. ignorant of this fact and
laboring under the same wrong idea
as Councilman Goebel, that whatever
suits New York is good enough for
New Orleans, ofi1its the gallery from
the building he is constructing on
Manhattan lines, only to find that the
old builders knew New Orleans better.
There is the Morris building for in
stance, When originally built the gall
lery was omitted, but it was found
that its absence made the st1res on
Canal and Camp streets so hot as to
eb nearly uncomfortable; and so the
New Oorleans gallery was added. 1t
Is now proposed to order the destruc-
ton of this protecting gallery-why,
one would like to have Mr., Gsebel ex-
plain.-New Orleans Times-Democrat.