Essex County herald. [volume] (Guildhall, Vt.) 1873-1964, 1919-12-11

OF Llle southern SectlOn OF the
II United States, New Orleans, is
unique among cities of the
Americas. There Is no other like it,
Up-to-the-minute in it's modern civic
improvements, typlcally American in
its aggressive commercial energy, even
ahead of the times in its city govern
ment and municipal ownership and
control of public utilities, it is never
theless, in some features, one of the
Oldest and certainly one of the quaint
est and most foreign of the large cit
les of the United States, says the Bull
letip Of the Pan-American Union. In
the southwest quarter, with its mod
ern business houses and fine resi-
dences, the visitor finds himself in a
modern city of the United States: in
ten minutes he may cross Canal street,
stroll into the northeast or Latin
Quarter" and find himself in
quantity medieval city which might be
French or Spanish. In the old French
Market" section he hears a veritable
YiGdish, near-English, and some
times several of these mixed up
In ''patois" that Is distinctively New
Orlcansesque." Even the names of
the streets reflect something of the
city's history. It's French origin is re-
vealed in such names as Toulouse Or
leans, Du Maine, Cont, Bourbon,
Dauphine, Chartres, etc, while other
street names such as UnZaga, Galvez,
Miro, Salcedo, Casa Calvo, Baronne,
ETC., reveal the fact that at one time
the Spaniards were in possession.
Again Tchoupitoulas street would lead
one to infer that Indians had also had
a hand in the general admixture Of no.
menclature.
Situated about 107 miles above the
mouth of the Mississippi river, whose
system Of navigable waterways radi-
ate $4,000 miles through the great
middle section of the United States,
and on Lake Ponchartrain, with ac-
cess to Mississippi sound water routes
eastward to Mobile, Ala, and thence
by the Warrior river to the great coal
and iron fields of Alabama, the center
of six canals, and the principal ter
minal Of ten trunk lines of railways
operating total of 1928 miles,
New Orleans has become one Of the
great industrial centers of the world.
Its manufacturing industries have an
output of over $140,000,000 worth of
products annually, while as market
center the city distributes $1,130000,-
900 worth of commodities each year, q
tremendous trade that is accounted
for by the fact that New Orleans is
the gateway for the Mississippi valley,
the great producing area Of the United
States. Comprising Al per cent Of the
United States proper, this great Sec
ton, which includes from an economic
standpoint q states, yields 1924 per
cent of the nations cotton and cotton
seed products, 27.9 per cent of its coal
output, 62.7 per cent Of all the iron
ore mined, 67.5 per cent of its live
stock, and BIT per cent Of its total
manufactures.
State Owns Port Facilities.
In the harbor Of New Orleans is seen
a strikingly successful application of
the doctrine Of public ownership and
operation of public utilities. Sixty
per cent of the port facilities have
been built or developed by the dock
uta 30 ,,,cf Tn thu IT
years this board has had charge 1t has
expended S15,000,000 on the wharves,
steel sheds, elevators, and warehouses
on the east bank. These, with ter
minals built by the railroads, will give
New Orleans almost eight miles of
docks, capable Of accommodating at
one time so vessels 500 feet long. All
are served by the Public Belt railroad,
another triumph of public ownership.
Assurance of future port expansion
without fear of private profiteeriEg Is
given by The fact that the title to the
water front for Al miles on both sides
of the Mississippi river Is vested in
the public and under the control Of
the dock board. In addition, the board
is now building an inner harbor six
miles In length, the famous Industrial
canal.
Terminal facilities erected by the
lock board comprise IS Of the most
modern steel sheds, 1924 feet In
ength, 4,257 feet of open wharves,
POO feet of wharf at the publicly