Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1911-01-11
RAP SAN FRANCISCO
New Orleans Men Boom Their
City for Canal Celebration.
TELL OF ITS ADVANTAGES
Appear at Hearing Held by the
House Committee.
MEMBERS SEEK INFORMATION
Ask Crescent City Boosters Many
Questions-State Has Raised
SO, 100000.
TELL OF ITS ADVANTAGES
MEMBERS SEEK INFORMATION

the Panama canal exposition In 1915 was
put OH the grill at the hearing O. the
House committee on industrial arts and
expositions this morning. \ half-dozen
Golden Gate men, representing. il Was
whispered around. about Sio.0oV,ooo in
private capital, had the pleasure of lis
tenng while orators from New Orleans
told what they thought TO be the unique
disadvantages" OF San Francisco and the
unparalleled advantages" of the Crescent
city.
The hearing. as far as New Orleans Is
concerned, will end tomorrow morning
when John Sharp Williams. senator
from Mississippi: Gov. Noel OF Missis-
sippi, s. Locke Breaux OF New Orleans
and President F.. b. Craighead of Tulane
University win close the arguments for
the southern metropolis.
President w. V. Thompson of the New
Orleans Chamber of Commerce, and pro-
prietor OF one OF the leading Crescent city
dailies. was the first speaker today. Mr..
Thompson said, In part.
The people from New Orleans have no
wish to beiittle tic people or San Fran
oiscu, nGr IL Question: their aullity 40
consummate what, in respect to grounds.
buildings and appointments. would be
great exposition. Nor Is it our wish to
injure these people or prevent them from
securing any benefits to which they are
entitled. On the contrary, We regard
with exultant admiration the grit. cour-
age and resource of that indomit able
cIty, and are An sympathetic accoru M.t,I
its every enort to retrieve it's vast nus
fortune. But the issue in the presenL
movement is not merely to proht Sua
Francisco. The object OF this enterprise
Is not to bring guests to the hotels and
boarding houses of San Francisco. nor to
give employment to San Francisco labor
ers, and put money into the pockets of
San Francisco merchants. but to bring
business to the merchants of the United
States. and to profit all the people by the
enlargement of trade opportunity.
Calls It Best Site.
I'm the essential considerations of loca-
ton and relation OF our own country to
the outside world, New Orleans of all the
considerable cities of the United States
offers, without doubt, the best site: San
Francisco incontestably the worst"
After going over In detail the advan-
vantages of San Francisco from a
geographic standpoint, as he saw them.
MIR. Thompson said:
Thus. ii plainly appears that. as site
for an international exposition, San
Francisco is afflicted with peculiar and
unique disability and is from the physical
standpoint wholly impossible.
In this connection 1t may be pertinent
to remark that San Franciscos most
powerful allies in the present contention
are those same transcontincntal railroad
systems which, let ii be remembered.
were from the beginning the most In
veterate and bitter enemies OF the cana
idea. and which, IL they had been per
mitted to rule. would have forever pre-
vented the consummation Of the great
enterprise which they are now for their
own interests and at the expense OF tho
publicso accutely anxious to celebrate.
Mr.. Thompson continues:
Further reference to map VIII demon
strate that not one of the foregoing OBJ
iecticns can be urged against New Or
leans as a site for the exposition. On
the contrary, il will be seen that the
southern city amply fulfilis every reQli-
site prescribed. In the first place, New
Orleans is on good terms with all tie
world and Hospitality inclined toward Eli
the nations.
Third American Port.
New Orleans stands third in the list OF
American ports. and the second port
Boston-is SO l.ttle ahead that our pclt
will soon lead all but New York. The
total value of New Orleans exports anu
imports for the government fiscal year
ending June 80. 1909, amounted to Nm
SS,5s7 as against SS0.5j1,tc3, to TIE
credit of San Francisco during the same
period. And the total number OF vessels
in clearing and foreign trade from New
Orleans during the same period was l,oO,
as against 36U for San Francisco.
1.-The street car system In New orleans
is admittedly enc OF the most emcleht.
if not the most efficient. I'm the United
States. l ain unable TO give any &C
curatc figures estimating the hotel. res
taurant and lodging capacity of the city
because. i'm spite Of the fact that durinc
tho last hundred years New Orleans mas
been called upon to entertain and handle
many large conversations, its CAPACITY IN
this regard has not been reached. There
is no doubt. whatever of our ability 10
comfortably and satisfactorily house.
handle. and feed whatever multitude may
sec fit to accept our Invitations.
'Thc temperature OF New Orleans from
September to May-nine months ranges
between forty degrees and seteIfy-hSe
degrees. with tie mean average OF about
fifty degrees. In the summer months the
Temperature has reached loo degrees oniN
twice during the last ten years. The
healthfniness OF the climate ~ striklnsF
demonstrated by the fact that the num-
ber of deaths from old age Is relatively
greater i'm New Orleans than i'm any 9TH
er American city.
Remarks of Mayor Behrman.
Mayor Behrman of New Orleans spoke
briefly and to the point. Assisted by
questions from members OF the cOniHiit-
tee, the Crescent city's executive scored
several telling points. The mayor filed
with the committee health records or New
Orleans and official documents giving
pertinent city statistics.
Closing with the statement That LOUISE
ana has raised $6.5C09Oo by bond issue.
to be paid by special taxes. ana nearly
81 OtO 900 by private subscription, Mayor
Rehrman offered to answer any questions.
Chairman Rodenberg then asked: M.
Mayor Yesterday in the course OF ms
speech Gov. Sanders spoke of the six
million observation-disclosures bond
issue taken out i would like to ask you
what assurance you have that these ex-
position bonds will all be SOLD ana al par
value?'
Mayor Behrman replied: I'VE have the
signed statements of two New Orleans
banks. which guarantee the disposal OF
ALI the bonds at par value. l Will ME
this statement with the committee.
The members of the committee were In
a ..show me- mood this morning, par
ficularly Representative Murphy, WHO
really comes from Missouri. Mr.. Mur-
phy asked Mayor Behrman whether the
rate for hotels, restaurants and like serv-
ice would be the same In the event or
the exposition being given to New Or
leans as they are now. He was told
that. as before other carnival periods.
the hotel keepers and restaurant pro-
prietors would be required TO file with
The CITY clerk a schedule of prices. from
which they would not be allowed to de.
part.
When another speaker, Rev. DIR. Gil
christ of New Orleans. was displaying q
arge map of the United States, covered
With pins showing from what points the
a. had x~o.