The citizen-Republican. (Scotland, Bon Homme County, S.D.) 1???-19??, 1920-01-15
New Orleans, La, Jan. z, 1920.

My Dear Mr.. Bliss.
Arrived here in New
Orleans a week ago last light after a
very pleasant trip, much enjoying the
scenery on the way During the lat
ter part of the journey we saw many
of the darkies out picking cotton and
in reality many of the scenes often
seen in pictures. Especially notice.
able was the verlfcation of Southern
lethargy, shiftlessness and general
delapidation. Have never been in a
place where there are SO meny fickety
old buildings, filth and general lack
of sanitation as there ia in this city.
Have not learned what the death rate
is here but it must be greater chan
that In most of cur American cities,
and if it were not for the great
amount and MISUNDERSTANDING pow.
er of the subtrop,cal sunshine it
doubtless would be something awful
With the exception Of the transient
population, which is certainly very
large here during the winter. sus-
pect the people become more or less
immune by reason of constant expo-
sure to filth and dirt, a good deal
like dog does.
There are comparatively few mod
ern houses and hotels and almost no
modern apartment buildings like you
find in most of the larger cities in
the United States, which makes hous-
ing conditions serious prob. m for
people coming here expecting to stay
any length of time. There is plenty
of evidence of earlier splendor, els
CANT buildings and gorgeous furniah
ings dating to pre- civil war days, but
reconstruction is apparently just be.
ginning. In certain portions of tae
city it is hard for anyone to re lize
that they are in the United States.
In the old French and Creole quarters
for instance, the streets are so mar
row that vehicles can only go one
way. Buildit gs are of the old quaint
French and Spanish type and it Ger.
tainly looks odd 40 see a modern
street car go thru these streets. Al.
tho the city has now a fairly good
sewage system, most vf the old
streets have the open sewer bitches
leading into canals and ! have actual
ly seen them shovel the filth and ma
nure out of these onto the edge of the
sidewalk and let it lie there to dry
ou', and whether it is ever hauled
away or not dJn't know.
There are only four large modern
hotels here and really only two of
these first class. All of them are
full to overfowing, and unless reser-
vaticns are made early in advance
many tourists and transients are un-
able to get any hotel accommodations
at all. The.e are of course an untold
number of rooming houses but prac
tical!y all that / have seen are what
would be called about Bird class in
Chicago.
Horse races are in progress here
now, started Jan. 1st. Are to last
100 days and was told that there
are about 100, 600 people here in at
tendance at these races alone.
The city is overcrowded with tour
lists and prices for anything YOU want
to buy are sky high. Cur room at
tbs hotel, for instance, cost US So per
day, European plan, and We had poor
accommodations at thst. It had been
represented to us that furnished
apartments for light housek eeplng
were readily availble at moderate
cost, but conditions must have chang
ed nightly aimee tha. statement was
made if it was based on fact ran
around chasing all over the city for 8
whole days before found anything
that was available and fairly decent.
Az it is We have 8 small rooms and a
bath room tor which We pay Q rent Of