The evening world., 1911-01-07


liz naved streets. one
OF the finest sewer
age systems In the
world. a model belt railroad. owned by
the city and not by any private cor
poraton, and a 81. $780, 90 levee system.
In short, none other than Mayor Martin
Behrman, Of New Orleans. Is stopping
ot the Hotel Aston.
"You think there is every probability
the Panama Exposition in January.
iSlS. will be held in New orleansT" I
asked him.
Congress Is about to vote on the mat
ter Of designating New Orleans az the
place for the Exposition" Mayor Behr-
man replied. There is but one COM
petitor and that city is $500 miles away
from the population centre OF the
United States and Is $3.50 miles from
Panama"
rs that c~onclusive-or. rather. will
Il be conclusive to Congress?' sug-
sssted.
He Has Little Doubt.
Should a New York man desire 20
zee this Exposition he would have to
travel -four n one-half days more
should that distant city of which I have
spoken be elected" answered the
Mayor Indirectly. However, there
seems little doubt as to the result In
Washington. We have o~anvassed the
sentiment OF the Middle West and have
succeeded in obtaining the expressed
Endorsement of more than II, 00O, 600 peo-
p,s.''
Five minutes conversation with May
or Rthrman Is enough to convince any
one that the City of New Orleans Is
his hoboy. I doubt. too, whether any
body Il ever held reins ever liked
the riding better. At first, in the hotel
lobby. I saw in the Mayor only a stolid,
woll-fed person extending a p~erfunctory
nand. Then he sat down In the recep-
ton room and Mr.. Thompson. chairman
OF the Worlds Panama Exposition
Committee. who Is with the Mayor,
spoke the magic name New Orleans"
II have lived there all my life. II Is
where l vas born and raised" said
the Mayor. and / knew then what the
whole thing meant to him. His round
black eyes peered eagerly over the
glasses that had slipped a bit dow on
his nose. His voice grew as warm over
questions Of sewerage and r~ailroading
a. though all the OF the world
lay In them.
Much to Contend With.
"You see." he explained. New Or
leans has only had a comparatively
brief period OF prosperity. Al! we have
accomplished has been done in the LAS
twenty-five years. We are might,
proud. too. OF our expressed ability a,
shown by this Exposition movement
-, -. - .Aa T-,ttxl C,..n,
has had the contention that has occu
pied Louisiana IN the past. We nav
been hsrrled by floods and pestilenc'
and war. followed by a period Of re
construction more bitter thar what hat
gone before. But now, with yellow
fever banlshed n our 81, $780, 900 leve,
completed. W. will hold our own witt
any one
How did the yellow fever affect IN.
finances OF the State and city," ] asked
Two ways replied Mayor Behr
man. First, young men were atrai'
to come to New Orleans because of tn
yellow fever, and that cut us of from
the new. e%nterprslng blood the cit
needed. Second, our ports OF commerc
we're being continually guaranteed un
I'll our trade was seriously impaired.
wow. though, we have proved
the yellow fever was due to q GER
tain kind OF mosquito, Of which
we have since boon able to rid
ourselves, and people are eniigrat-
ing TO New Orleans at the rate OF
400 q week. We expect to mako It
a,ooo q week."
by the way, how far is the Panan
Canal from New Orleans?" ! asked,
Only 1900 Miles Away.
The canal Is but 1850 miles frol
New Orleans Mayor Behrman replle'
Tt Is but four days travel. THAT
one Of the things tnat make New d
lesn, $50 logical point for the expos
tlon. On the other hand, the relation
ship between New York and Sew o
cans is very close, both socially an
in business. Some $4,000 people fro
the South live in New York. and We al
lust thirty-eight hours from this cit
MANY thousands Of New Workers ca
come to our logical point in 1913 |
boat or rail. 1t IL but four days |
BOAT and another four days 70 Il
Canal. Two weeks time and 500 VI
be all tina will be necessary for ~
citizens TO see the exposition thoroug
! ~, And we will promise to take so'
care OF at least 10000 of you, We have
continued the Mayor, already beg
plans for largely Increasing our hote
In addition to our present capeeit
which enables US TO entertain 5000 pc
MIA at our Mardi Gras carnivals. DG
ins the four years OF preparation
~, sst ready TO house comfortably .W
900 people. We would expect fully !
100000 OF people from outside TO VI