Rensselaer Semi-Weekly Republican, Volume 35, Number 52, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 6 March 1903 — A Letter From New Orlean. [ARTICLE]

A Letter From New Orlean.

Editor Republican: I left Cincinnati Wednesday morning. Feb. 18, over Queen and 'Crescent Routes. The trip to ' Chattanooga was one- of great pleasure and interest to me. The I country through Kentucky is very hilly and if I am any judge of farming land would pronounce it very poor. | I passed through 27 tunnels the t longest about f mile. Also 6 high abridges near Lexington 286 fedt above river bed. I did not stop off at Chattanooga owing to cold weather. I intend to on return trip On approaching the city of my destination I had the pleasure of crossing one of the longest bridges in the world, it is over Lake Ponchartrain. The correct figure in length of trussel work is 30,706 feet of which two draw bridges are 250 feet each This great work was built of lumber and the whole is construct ed in a most substantial manner I arrived in city Thursday noon and after a rest over night began to take in sights. New Orleans is perhaps the most interesting city in the United States on account of its cosmopol-

itan character. Its quaint old homes, its narrow streets especially in the French quarters. The oity is divided by Canal St That is the Old French quarter and on the other sides is a modern American City, with its tall buildings, big hotels and rush of business. The population is estimated winter months at 350.000 about i one-fifth colored The city has many miles of paved streets made of Asphalt and square block stone. j The streets of city are several feet below the level of the river and the stranger is at once struck by the novel eight of the surface water running from the river. The • city is now being drained at a cost of several million dollars. The i system of water supply for city is ; very deficient. The water is pumped from the Mississippi river and • is often extremely muddy. I The port of New Orleans with | its 15 miles of river front is one of the finest in the world. The depth ’ of river is from 15Q to 200 feet in front of the U. S. mint. ’ The city has very many fine > ( parks. I saw a tree in one of them I I they called the George Washing- ' ton with branches extending out 175 feet wide. I visited the cotton exchange building which is built of cream colored stone at a cost of $380,000. One of the great sights of the city is the cotton presses, costing from $20,000 to $40,000 each. With this powerful machinery the bales are reduced about three-fourths of the size as received from the interior. For this service the ships pay 40 cents per bale and are thus enabled to take a large cargo. The Custom House which is the principal government building in the city covers a square. The corner stone was laid in 1847 by' Henry Clay, the total cost is now $4,250,000 and nearly $1,000,000 more will be required to finish it.

New Orleans is blessed with very many fine churches of all denominations. I visited the old cathedral which is one of the interesting land marks of the city. The new St. Joseph Catholic church is one of the largest in the United States and *is the most prominent landmark in the city 110 feet front by 225 feet deep the spires are 200 feet high. The electric car system of the city is one of the most perfect in the world. There are 23 lines covering about 225 miles of track. On Royal St. No. 404. I saw the house once occupied by General Jackson, during British invasion of 1814; at No. 417 is the old Bank of Louisiana the second one organ ized in the United States. I visited the Archbishop’s Palace. The old convent consists of a long row of two story brisk buildings. The oonvent was built about 1727. In 1831 the building was used as a State Capitol. The carnival just closed brought

ite largest Urowd of visitors ever seen in tficcity. There were four parades and the floaters l am told ( cost a great deal of money. Admiral Schley and Miss Roosevelt were in attendance. The man of-war Texas also French war ship was here for the occasion. They tell me that no sooner one carnival is over than they begin work on the next one. It is run and managed by three clubs of the city, who raise money from corporations and indivduals L had the pleasure of meeting Mr. Joseph Willey and wife. He is well and by this time is in Oregon J. M. Healy. Ridge Farm, Ill.:—I will gladly say that I attended the great war drama “The Spy of Gettysburg,” given by R. C. Golliday, and can say it is strictly moral and refined, and a great lesson in patriotism. The tableaux alone are worth the price of admission. T. A. Williams, Pastor Presbyterian Church R. W Marshall’s law office is in the county building, formerly used for the circuit clerk’s office, op posite east side of the court house Mr .Marshall will give the benefits of his long experience and practice in the law, to any and everybody having legal business o transact.

popular play ever put on an American stage is “Ben Hur” and the best flour ever sold in Axerica is “Ben Hur,” made in Minneapolis. J. A. McFarland recently received his fourth oar in less than nine months. Try a sack at $1 05 and if the above is not true to your satisfaction, return it and get your money back. We also handle a complete line of standard and fancy groceries at lowest prices. Ferndell Brand of Coffees, Canned and Package Goods, Heinz Canned and Bottled Goods.