The Tomahawk., 1919-12-11

; e.: t,.:f Canal Street,
-HE greatest port and metropolis
Of the southern section of the
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, typically 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
letin Of the Pan-American Union! In
the southwest, quarter, with its mod
ern business houses and fine resi-
dences, the visitor finds himself i'm 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 a
quainMy medieval city. which might be
French or Spanish. In the old "French
Market" section he hears veritable
babel of tongues-French, Spanish,
Yiddish, near-EngAsh, and some
times several of these mixed up
in a 'pat0is' that is distinctively "New
Orleansesque." Even the names of
the streets reflect something, of the
city's history. Its 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. ..-.ss ri y st..
e. Situated about 1O7 miles above the
mouth Of the Mississippisriver, whose
system Of navigable waterways radi-
ate 1890 miles through the great
middle section of the United States,
and on Lake Ponchartrain, with rac-
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 a total of 145,28S miles,
New Orleans has become one of the
great industrial centers of the world.
It's manufacturing Industries have an
output of over $140,O00,0 900 worth Of
products annually, while as a market
center the city distributes 81 ,13O, ,OOO.-
600 worth Of commodities each year, a
tremendous trade that is accounted
for by the fact that New Orleans is
the gateway for the Mississippi valley,
the great producing area ofEthe United
States. Comprising Al per cent of the
United States proper. this great Sec
tion,l which includes from an economic
standpoint 21 states, yields S2.4 per
cent of the nations cotton and cotton
seed products, 27.S'per cent Of its coal
output, 62.7 per cent of all the iron
ore mined, 6Y.5s per cent Of its live
stock, and 31.7 per cent of its total
manufactures. - = +
State Owns Port Facilities.
In the harbor of New Orleans is seen
q fstrikingly 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
board, state institution. In the II
years this board has had charge It has
expended $4,000, 900 on the whaEves,
steel sheds, elevators, and warehouses
on the east bank These, with ter
minals built by the railroads, VIII give
New Orleans almost eight miles OF
Jocks. capable of accommodating at
one time 80 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 profiteering Is
.,fven by the fact that the title to the
water front for IL miles on both sides
IT the Mississippi river is vested in
; he public and under the control OF
he dock board. In addition. the board
. now buil.lirg an inner harbor six
niles In length, the famous Industrial
anal.
Terminal facilities erected by the
snc;i board comprise IS of the most
aaGega steei sheds, 1924 feet in
s..eth. 4.25T feet of open wharves,
~ fest c1 ~L-.--ts at the pusicly