The Concordia sentinel. (Vidalia, Concordia Parish, La.) 1882-current, 1919-12-06

TNIIE greatest port and metropolis
of the southern section of the
III United States, New Orleans, is
unique among cities of the
Americas. There is no other like it.
Up-tO-the-minute in its 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 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 a
quantity medieval city which might be
French or Spanish. In the old French
Market" section he hears a verltable
babel of tongues-French, Spanish,
Yiddish, near-English, and some
times several of these mixed up
in "patois" 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, Charities, 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 1890 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 a total of 145,2S8 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 a market
center the city distributes $1,130,00O,-
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 of the United
States.
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
board, a state institution. In the II
years this board has had charge 1t has
expended $15,OO0,000 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 al
one time so vessels 500 feet long. AL
are served by the Public Belt railroad
another triumph of public ownership
Assurance Of future port expansion
without fear of private profiteering 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