Morgan County Democrat. (McConnelsville, Ohio) 1886-1943, 1938-01-06

France looked long with covetous
eyes on the great central portion OF
what is now the United States. She
planned to rule the greater part If
America. Her explorers occupied
Canada, then the Great Lakes re
gion, then by way of the Mississippi
valley made their way to the Gulf Of
Mexico. All that they discovered
and explored they claimed for the
carve out a great empire in the val
leys of the Ohio, Mississippi and
Missouri. Here for a while French
men found glorious adventure,
fame, fortune and power. A greater
opportunity never offered itself 70
any people. The attempt was made,
but history tells why the opportun
ity was lost. Had France confined
her attention to America, instead Of
the control of Europe, she might
have succeeded.
But the impress of her mighty
hand is still seen in Louisiana, which
is French for louisiana, the land
of the Bourbon kings. Her spirit is
evident in the old Creole City, New
Orleans. Bienville, in 1918, which
is now 220 years ago, laid out the
city. A Creole is pure descendent
OF French or Spanish ancestry, Or
DOLl. rance Ceucu tHe ldHu W
Spain in 1863, then Spain to France.
then France to the U. S. A, in 1903,
for paltry fifteen million dollars,
when, here at the old Cabildo, was
signed that tremendously important
document, for which ever give
thanks to Thomas Jefferson.
Other great names are heard here
very often, Grant, Sherman, Butler,
Farragut, Jackson, whose monument
at Jackson Square is pictured in ev-
cry history; Beauregard whose
ed. Here lived Zachary Taylor,
whose daughter married Jefferson
Davis. Here we visited the home of
Patti, sweet French singer, at 627
Royal; the "absinthe house" where
Jean Lafitte, pirate, assisted jack
son to plan the battle of Orleans;
the immense houses of Baroness
Pontalba, now apartments; the
cathedral, built 1894, by Don AL
monaster, where we worshiped, and
heard a simple Methodist sermon,
we took part in the Italian Metho-.
dist service in the evening.
A good part of the city is still
known as the French Quarter (Vieux
Carre). French faces, language,
customs prevail. Here amid molder.
ing homes are the beautifully
wrought iron screens or balconies.
Historic alleys, patios and cafes
abound, never to be forgotten. There
is the Napoleon house, built TO
house the sick prisoner at Helena,
whose death intervened. His per-
sonal physician made death mask,
which he brought to the Cabildo,
when he became resident doctor
here. In this building also was held
the first Protestant service in the
state. VIM. J. Warrington, wealthy
bachelor, devoted all his time and
money to poor boys and men, in as
sisting them to better life, and his
estate, left for this purpose is
worthy of this brief mention, as well
as the old French Market, and 20
miles of docks in a city, grown from
colony and outpost to the second
greatest port of the land. We leave
this most interesting city over the
Huey Long bridge, toll free, in keep
ing with the promise made by the
man whose name it bears. 1t cost
13 million dollars, is five miles long,
and carries beside pedestrians and
autos, two tracks of railroad. Ded-
icated in 1885, it is the symbol Of
the mighty recovery made by this
great state over the most trying A.
nancial period in it's history.-How.
ard III. Scott.