The Western news. [volume] (Libby, Mont.) 1933-current, 1935-07-04

houses on the Mississippi. Thus New
Orleans was born, village of a hun
dred huts, one store and 200 inhabi-
tants. Today it is fine city of Att 900
people And in the building of that city
first came the French and later the
Spanish, and then again the French.
And each left their marks on the old
city, the Vieux Care
In the Vieux Care the streets are
exceedingly narrow, so narrow that the
driver of our bus had to pilot his car
with great care to keep from tearing
the tenders from autos parked parallel
| with the curb. and once he and the
| lecturer were forced to get out and
move a car closer to the curb so that
the bus could squeeze by. ,Ht that I'll
wager the car or the bus was even then
scratched in the passing.
One of the first stops on the tour
was Jackson square. This is beautiful
public square that for years was the
center Of the new city that was build
ing on the lower Mississippi 1t is a
noted spot in Louisiana history Here
were held from the beginning all the
most important public meetings in
Louisiana. Here the Spaniards received
the keys of the city and took posses
sion in the name Of the king of Spain:
here band of patriots under Lafren-
iere issued their own declaration Of in
dependence, declared the colony indie
pendent in 1853 and sent the Spanish
governor back to Spain; here General
Jackson the hero Of New Orleans, was
received in 1915. also in this square
Lafayette was welcomed to Louisiana
A monument of Jackson was set I'D
in this square in 1856 replacing a flag
staff from which had flown flags Of
France, Spain and the United States
AT that time the square was named in
honor of Jackson The tourist from The
North wondered somewhat at an in
scription in the granite at the base of
the statute, but we later learned the
inscription was cut by the orders Of
General Butler during the Civil war.
1t reads, THE Union must and shall be
preserved biting inscription in The
land Of the Confederacy.
An Old Cathedral.
Facing the square on one side is a
large Catholic cathedral, St Louis |
cathedral 1t occupies the site of The
first church ever built in the vast Ter
ritory later known as the Louisiana
Purchase. This small church was de-
stroyed by fire and new one built in |
1921. This was likewise burned in fire |
that nearly destroyed the city in 1888
There seemed no money for new
building until wealthy Spaniard, Don I
Andres Almonaster y Roxas came for
ward and built the present cathedral /
at cost of $4,000, the only stipulation
being that mass should be said in
every Saturday morning for
the repose of his soul
We were permitted to visit this ia
nous old church, and were conducted
over it by a gracious old priest. 1t is
an imposing structure of Spanish archi-
lecture and within there are many
beautiful murals and frescoes, the work
OF outstanding artists. Many Of the dead
bishops and archibishops Of New Or
leans are buried beneath the grand
altar. And Don Andres Almonaster
sleeps beneath large slab in the floor
in front of the altar in side chapel.
This is the second oldest church in the
United States. Over 100000 was re-
Gently spent to repair the building.
AT the right of the cathedral is the
or Spanish capital The first
two stories are Of Spanish architecture,
the third story, built by the French of
French stAe. In this building took place
the actual transfer to the United States
Of the Louisiana Purchase A quaint
old Spanish wrought iron door is the
entrance to the Cabildo and through it
many notable personages have passed,
among them Louis Philippe, Aaron
Burr, John j. Audubon, Marquis de
Lafayette, Zachery Taylor, presidents,
foreign potentates and dukes
On opposite sides of Jackson square
are two large two-story brick buildings
extending the entire length of block
Piazzas extend across the entire front
of the buildings for both first and
second stories. They are supported by
beautiful pillars of hand wrought iron
work, the handicraft of slaves. These
buildings were erected by the Baroness
oiitelpt III 1ofJ. III ID Sdiu LIley were
lavishly furnished. The Baroness built
them as suitable quarters in which to
entertain her titled friends of Europe
A Haven for Napoleon.
We were also shown a building
erected by loyal friend of the great
Napoleon This friend planned with
others an expedition to free the En-
peror Napoleon from his lonely prison
on St. Helena. A fast yacht was built
to speed away with the prisoner after
his escape had been accomplished A
dauntless huccaneer, Dominic You,
man who had never known fear-as
the story goes-was to be the leader of
the expedition. 1t was Nicholas Girod
who planned the enterprise and who
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