El Paso herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1901-1931, 1910-03-01

After the victory that resulted from
the memorable battle of Chalmette,
Creole and American combined to rear
a monument on the spot where Jack
sons standard had been planted during
the conflict. This monument was aban
doned. incomplete, even prior to the
civil war.
Only few months ago the United
States government finished the shaft
according to the original design 1t
stands today in a pretty park-a mere
fragment, however, of the battlefield. All
around it are the freight sheds. eleva
tors and switch tracks of a railroad ter
minal. The soil which Jackson so gal
lantIy defended was acquired by the
railroad company some years ago. after
the national government had been vain
ly importuned to purchase it for a mill
tary park, and under the stern compul-
sion of the demands of commerce many
of Sts most interesting features have
been oblHerated.
Landmarks Disappear.
Relatively few monuments remain of
the reconstruction epoch The old Tu-
lane hall scene Of more than one fierce
battle between the government de fact6
and the insurgent people, was torn
down some years ago, TO make room
for the new Tulane theater- St. Pat
rick's hall, where Gen. de Trobiand
dispersed the Wilt Legislature at the
point of the bayOnet-one of the most
extraordinary incidents in American his
tory-was demolished only few months
ago, TO make room for a new federal
postoffice.
The old Royal hotel, once known as
the St Louis, still stands in a state Of
pitiable dilapidatiOn. For time this
building was the statehouse and head
quarters of the Yarmouth Kellogg
Packard government. In 1874, these
factions were besieged here for several
months, and fighting went on in and
around the building for days on end !;
until the starving garrison capitulated.
Before the civil war the ST. Louis
hotel was one of the show places of the
city. In the dilapidated entrance hall
may still be sen today the auction
blocks. upon which negro slaves were
once set up for sale.
Old Customs Still Exist.
Old customs still exist in New Orleans.
the legacies of ''befo' de wah.'' as the
negro mammies love TO say. But many
of them have passed away in recent
years, and others seem on the point of
extinction.
The pretty habit of giving '.lagniappe"
IS one of those which has gone. Lag
niappe' is a French word of Spanish
extraction, meaning a sort of bonus in
kind given with every purchase For
ScAeIdlAOA> II was me practice IN the
New Orleans markets or corner gro
ceries to supplement, every purchase
with vegetable or two in one case or
a cookie or some candy in the other.
The economical Creole housewife mar
keting in the old days. eked out her
purchases, say of soup meat, with lag
niappe" of suet: or at the fruit stand
obtained "lagniappe" of pepper or
parsley; and in that way saved many a
-picayune But few years ago the
retail grocers of he city determined
to abolish this pleasant custom, and
their influence has now practically
caused its disappearance.
Flower Sellers Disappear.
So too. the 'Marchand Rabais'' of
other days has gone. His glass topped
wheelbarrow, with Its innumerab bic
drawers full Of spOOls of thread. laces.
needles and other small articles. was
ersrwhile a familiar sight in the French