Tensas gazette. [volume] (St. Joseph, La.) 1886-current, 1917-05-11

The st. Louis, or Royal hotel, stands
in the heart of the French quarter.
The original building, costing 81 ,5OO.-
600, erected In 1885, was completely
destroyed by fire in 1S41, but another
was Immediately erected on the same
site and soon reached a degree of
splendOr almost unparalleled In the
United States. 1t was the resort Of
the wealthiest planters and largest
Shareholders in the South. The lower
rotunda was used for slave mart.
The old slave block is still In the
building and the names of the auc-
tiOneers are engraved on the walls.
Henry Clay was entertained In this
building with a dinner costing $4,000.
1t has been statehOuse and a be-
sieged fortress.
But the most noted hotel in the city
is the st. Charles hotel. the third
structure bearing the same name. The
first was begun In 1885. The rotunda
was world-famed. A dome 40 feet In
diameter surmounted the edifice. The
hotel was the resort of the wealthiest
planters in the South. Its weekly balls
were famous. In 1851 1t was de-
stroyed by fire. The second hotel was
erected in 1852. In its parlors Jeffer-
son Davis and a number of Southern
leaders met on their way to the
Charleston convention in 1860. In
1852 Mr.. Hildreth refused to give Gen.
eral Butler accommodations. resulting
in a serious disturbance. General But
Ter finally succeeded in obtaining pos
session and stayed there a few days.
In 1855 the impoverished Confederates
were entertained there free. The bills
contracted amounted to $4,000 and
have never been sent out for collec-
ton. The historic building was de-
stroyed by fire April %, 1904. From
the ruins, like magic, sprang up the
present hotel.
The Jackson monument, by Clark
Mills, was set up in 1846 at a cost Of
$4,000, Henry Clay making the dedi-
cation speech. The inscription on the
granite base was cut by General But
ler's orders during the Civil war. 1t
reads: 1.-THE Union must and shall be
preserved"
Haunted House and French Market.
Another interesting house Is the
Haunted House, located at Royal and
Hospital streets, which was occupied
in 1913 by Nine. Lalaurie, who treated
her slaves with great cruelty, starving
and torturing them to death. Her bar
barous acts being made known to the
public, forced her to fleet to France,
where she subsequently died. Many
slaves were chained in this building
and after her flight human bones were
found In the rooms. 1t Is said that
ghosts of the murdered slaves can be
seen on dark and stormy nights.
To see the French market at Its best
one must visit II in the early morning,
Sunday above all others. It is the
most remarkable and Characteristic
SPOT in New Orleans. Under Its four
blocks of roof every language Is spoken.
Gascon butchers. Moors. Italians and
German vegetable women, Chinese,
Hindus, Jews, TeutOns, French and
almost every other nationality gather
here for business.
st. Louis cemetery, No. 1, is the old
est in the city. There numbers Of the
most noted citizens Of the state and
city are buried. among them Charles
Gayarre. the noted Louisiana histori-
an. and Oscar Dunn. cOlOred lieutenant
governor under Yarmouth.
Another interesting cemetery is the
Metairie cemetery. organized in 1872.
At one time 1t was the race track OF
the Metairie Jockey club, for over 30
years the most noted race track In the
United States The track went out OF
existence I'm 1870. when Charles T.
Howard, wealthy citizen, bought 1t
and turned ii into a cemetery. dn this
plot stands the monument-tomb OF the
Army of Northern Tennessee, sur
mounted by Doyle's famous equestrian
statue of Albert Sidney Johnston.