The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1909-05-16
OLD CATHEDRAL
WITH A HISTORY
Most Famous Church In New
Orleans
81. LOUIS CATHEDRAL
Associations and Surroundings Re-
called by an Explosion Which
Did $4,000 Damage aFew
Weeks Ago.
ST. LOUIS CATHEDRAL
From the Chicago Inter Ocean.

From the Chicago Inter Ocean.
A dispatch from New Orleans says
there was a mysterious explosion in the
south tower of the old st. Louis cathe-
dral last Sunday afternoon. 1t is sus-
pected that it came from bomb which
had been placed in the south tower by
some enemy or enemies of the Italian
workmen engaged during the week in
making repairs in that part of the build
ing. The damage will probably not ex-
coed $1,000.
1t would be great pity if the st. Louis
cathedral were to meet with real dis
aster 1t Is one of the Oldest churches
in New Orleans and one of the most
famous in the country. During the days
of the foreign regime. in Louisiana it was
built from the pious offerings of one Of
the great Spanish magnates of the Cres-
cent City, Don Andreas de Almonastir.
The generous old Spaniard who raised
the structure to God-and perhaps him
SETTLES buried beneath the floor, while
his blood lives in the Pontalba family Of
France, which boasts a title and draws
goodly revenues from his ancient hold
ings in New Orleans.
The cathedral Nneighbors on the old
Cabildo, one of the most historic struc-
lures in the United States. On little
portico In front of the second story of
the heavy looking, aroaded, and, If we
forget the queer French mansard roof,
typically Spanish looking structure, while
the applauding crowd from the plaza,
looked on, took place the formal act
which completed the transfer of Louis-
ana from France to the United States.
To all Americans, but especially to those
who live in some part of the-great ter
ritory once called Louisiana, the old Ca
bildo should appeal as an important ma
tional monument.
There Is only one thing which can be
said against the Cabildo; it is so like the
building on the other side of the cathe-
dral that it is hard to tell them apart.
Tourists stop in Charities street in front
Of the ST. Louis cathedral and angrily
dispute as to which is the Cabildo and
which the imitation. 1t cannot be denied
that many people have returned to their
homes In distant cities with the mistaken
impression that the supreme court build
ing Is the Cabildo 1t must be admitted
that 1t takes something of the grandeur
from the real historic building to have
a double in the same street, only separat-
ed from it by a church. But we must
take these things as we find them.
In front of the cathedral is the place
d'Armes' of the French regime and the
plaza de Arnas'' of the days of Span
ish domination. Today 1t is known as
Jackson square. 1t was to this spot that
the Laf1tte pirates who had been sta
toned at Spanish Fort to help ward off a
British attack by way Of the lakes, made
their memorable rva one morning ON
summons from Andrew Jackson that they
were needed-an event the memory of
which is still preserved in the annual
run From Spanish Fort by athletic
members of the Young Mems Christian
association. 1t was also In this little
plaza that General Jackson reviewed the
troops assembled for defense of the city
against the British and breathed into the
disordered local militia his own indomi-
table spirit.
The st. Louis cathedral and its neigh
bors, the Cabildo and the iron fenced
fiowery little plot of land known as jack
son square, are three of the sights of
New Orleans full of quaint charm and
real historical interest When these go
or lose their present air through the
agency of modern improvements, the
most fascinating spot In the old French
quarter will have vanished