USA > Louisiana > Orleans Parish > New Orleans > Standard history of New Orleans, Louisiana, giving a description of the natural advantages, natural history settlement, Indians, Creoles, municipal and military history, mercantile and commercial interests, banking, transportation, etc. > Part 32
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In 1892 this company purchased the Kansas City, El Paso & Mexican Railroad, generally known as the White Oaks road, which was projected from El Paso to White Oaks, ten miles of which from El Paso north had been constructed and laid with steel, the cost to the purchasing company being $50,000; but this road was afterward sold to a local company for a sum sufficient to cover the cost and interest.
The Louisville, New Orleans & Texas Railroad was built to a point 80 miles above Vicksburg by July 25, 1884, and 315 miles of continuous track led north from New Orleans along the Mississippi River. February 1 of that year the telegraph was completed to the terminus of the road, fifty miles north of Walnut Hills. The road was completed January 1, 1885. Its branches are the Glendale & Eagle Nest, the Leland & Huntington, the Wilzcinski & Glen Allen, the Lamont & Rondale and the Slaughter & Woodville.
This railroad company was formed by consolidation August 12, 1884; the main line was completed in October and opened November 1, 1884. The main line forms the connecting link between the Chesapeake & Ohio system on the north and the Southern Pacific. system on the south. The only New Orleans member of the board of directors elected in 1884 was A. C. Hutchinson. The distance from New Orleans to Memphis by this line is 456.18 miles. In 1884 its branches were the Leland branch, from Leland to Huntington, Miss., 21.90 miles, and the Washington branch, 34 miles long, making the entire length of the road 512.08 miles. The Issaquena branch, 1.37 miles long, was opened in 1888. October 3, 1887, R. T. Wil- son was elected president, and in 1896, I. E. Gates was president ; J. Kruttschnitts, vice-president, and Paul Flato, treasurer.
309
STANDARD HISTORY OF NEW ORLEANS.
The New Orleans & Northeastern Railroad Company was chartered March 16, 1870, its first president being Adam Thompson, and its first chief engineer, G. In- gram. Surveys of the route were made, but the project of building the road was not immediately carried out, and it was not until 1881 that the surveys began for the actual construction of the road. At the close of that year work was begun on the road, the road being complete to Meridian, Miss., in November, 1883, and being opened for traffic to New Orleans November 1. The length of the road was then 195.9 miles, of which 151.595 miles were in Mississippi, and the total cost was $5,612,778.24.
This road is now a portion of the Queen & Crescent system, which comprises the Cincinnati, New Orleans & Texas Pacific, 336 miles ; the Alabama Great Southern, 295 miles ; the New Orleans & Northeastern, 196 miles; the Vicksburg & Meridian, 142.5 miles ; the Vicksburg, Shreveport & Pacific, 189 miles, and the Postevent & Faure. In 1885 the following directors were elected : From New Orleans, Rob- ert Mott, E. L. Carriere, J. H. Oglesby and Henry Abraham; the president being John Scott, of Cincinnati. Of the 196 miles between New Orleans and Meridian, 194.17 miles had steel rails. December 31 of this year the company had an ag- gregate of 927 cars and twenty-four locomotives, and the capital stock was $5,000,000.
On March 2, 1885, Frank S. Bond was elected president of this company, and Charles Schiff vice-president. In 1887 Charles Schiff was elected president, and C. C. Harvey vice-president, serving also in 1889. In 1897, C. C. Harvey was elected president and Charles Schiff vice-president.
The Louisiana Western Railroad, from Vermillionville to Orange, Tex., was begun in 1879, the entire line being completed in 1880, which completed the direct line from New Orleans to Houston, Tex., as follows: The Texas & New Orleans Railroad from Houston to Orange, 106 miles; the Louisiana Western from Orange to Vermillionville, 112 miles ; and Morgan's Louisiana & Texas Railroad from Ver- millionville to New Orleans, 144 miles ; total distance 362 miles. In 1884 the entire line was under the management of C. P. Huntington, president, and the capital stock of the Louisiana Western was $3,360,000. The entire line was leased to the Southern Pacific Company February 10, 1885, for ninety-nine years from March 1, 1885.
The New Orleans, Fort Jackson & Grand Isle Railroad Company was chartered in 1890 for the purpose of constructing a railroad from New Orleans to Fort Jack- son, with the view of connecting at the latter place by steamboat with Grand Islc.
310
STANDARD HISTORY OF NEW ORLEANS.
The road was completed in 1891 to Buras, La., a distance of 59.6 miles, and from Socola Junction to Grand Bayou, La., 13 miles. The officers of this company in 1896-99 were H. C. Warmouth, president; J. Wilkinson, secretary; A. Baldwin, treasurer ; and F. L. Place, auditor. The office of the company is in New Orleans.
In closing the subject of the railway advantages of New Orleans, the follow- ing considerations may be adduced: The short rail distances from several of the interior grain market and packing-house centers to New York and to New Orleans compare as follows :
To
Miles To
Saving to
New York. N. Orleans. N. Orleans.
Chicago, Ill
912
912
0
Duluth, Minn
. 1,390
1,337
53
Minneapolis, Minn
1,332
1,279
53
St. Paul, Minn
. 1,321
1,268
53
Sioux City, Iowa
1,422
1,258
164
Omaha, Neb
1,402
1,070
332
Dubuque, Iowa
1,079
988
91
St. Louis, Mo.
.1,058
695
363
Peoria, Ill
. 1,006
860
146
Cairo, Ill
. 1,089
554
535
Evansville, Ind
989
708
281
Louisville, Ky
867
746
121
Nashville, Tenn
939
557
382
Denver, Colo
1,932
1,356
576
Kansas City, Mo.
1,335
878
457
Terminating in New Orleans and radiating therefrom in all directions are the following six great railroads : The Southern Pacific, operating 7,614 miles of road ; the Queen & Crescent, operating 1,155 miles; the Louisville & Nashville, operating in its own name 2,988 miles, and controlling, through ownership of stock, the Nash- ville, Chattanooga & St. Louis Railway, 1,189 miles more, making in all, 4,177 miles ; the Texas & Pacific Railway, operating 1,492 miles; the Yazoo & Mississippi Valley Railway, operating 969 miles, and the Illinois Central Railway, operating 3,679 miles, making a total railway mileage tributary to New Orleans of 19,086 miles.
Whether these several railways discriminate in favor of or against New Orleans is a question too complicated and far-reaching for this work to undertake to deter- mine, but it may be stated that the total value of the imports and exports of the port of New Orleans for the year ending June 30, 1899, was $100,090,537, while
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STANDARD HISTORY OF NEW ORLEANS.
the total receipts of the roads above enumerated from the carriage of passengers and freight was $130,637,703. Another matter is somewhat remarkable, for whereas in former years all the cotton that reached New Orleans was brought in by steam- boat or other vessels, the railways since their recent improved condition have so reduced freight rates as to successfully compete with river transportation, and in three of the recent years not a bale of cotton was carried to New Orleans by boat. It is certainly true that the railways centering in New Orleans have one great advan- tage over those centering in New York, in the matter of transporting freight from Chieago and other Western points, for the roads entering New Orleans from Chicago have a dead lift of only 214 feet, while in running from Chicago to New York there is a dead lift of 1,571 feet, or on some lines which cross the Alleghanies by longer routes the dead lift is about 500 feet.
A mail coach ran in 1804-5 from New Orleans to Manchac Church twiee a week. It was owned by Hays & Commaek.
The oldest line of street cars in the city, and in fact the first line established in the United States, was that of the New Orleans & Carrollton Company, which opened September 26, 1835 (having been chartered in 1833). It ran from the corner of Baronne and Canal to the little village of Carrollton, practically the same route now traversed by its ears. The charter obtained from Governor A. B. Romain is rather amusing when read in the light of modern progress and improve- ment :
"Be it resolved, that the New Orleans & Carrollton Railroad Company be and are hereby authorized to place one single rail traek from the lower limits of the Nims plantation, down Naydes street (St. Charles avenue), aeross Tivoli place (Lee Circle), down Triton walk (Howard avenue) and Baronne street to the point where this last street meets with Canal street.
"Be it resolved, that at any time hereafter the majority of the inhabitants and property holders through which the road passes ean complain thereof as a nuisance, and the company, after receiving thirty days' notice from the mayor of the city, shall eause said railroad track to be removed, and the street put in the same order as it was before." (The company had the mud street paved with eobble stones at its own expense).
In 1834 the fare of this line was fixed; 122 eents from Canal to Tivoli Circle, 18₺ cents from the Circle to Jackson ; 50 cents from the Circle to Carrollton. The president was then D. F. Burthe; the secretary, L. F. Generes. In 18:45 steam "dummies" werc placed on the road, running all the way from Carrollton to Lake
312
STANDARD HISTORY OF NEW ORLEANS.
Pontchartrain, the line becoming the Jefferson & Lake Pontchartrain Railroad. From Lee Circle the cars were brought down by means of animal power. While General Beauregard was president of this company, rope cables were tried as a way of propelling the cars, but, owing to the shrinking of the rope with changes of the barometer, had to be abandoned. Of course, the wire cables afterwards tried in San Francisco proved a great success.
The city station was formerly on the block enclosed by Baronne, Poydras and Perdido streets, afterwards occupied by the Globe Theater. The right of way was of 384 foot breadth.
In 1894 electricity was tried on this road, the first in the city to adopt it. Last year (1899) the track was rebuilt. It has now a fine road-bed, with stone ballast and strong cross-ties. The cars are good and run easily; the road is solid. April 15, 1899, the Canal & Claiborne Railroad was purchased by it and now forms part of the line, which comprises 70 miles of railroad. The two power houses (of 3,400 horse power together) are situated respectively at Napoleon avenue and the river front, and the head of Elysian Fields street. The New Orleans & Carrollton Com- pany own 200 cars. They have grants for 40 more miles of track. Their franchise will not expire until 1933. The receipts in 1899 amounted to $675,000. The lines are as follows :
The St. Charles avenue belt line, from the head of Canal street through St. Charles avenue to its terminus, at Jeanette street, returning via Carrollton avenue and Tulane avenue to the starting point.
The Tulane avenue belt line, starting from the head of Canal street, through Tulane avenue and Carrollton avenue to its terminus at Jeanette street, returning via St. Charles avenue to the starting point.
The Jackson avenue line, starting from the head of Canal street, passing out through St. Charles avenue to the head of Jackson avenue and return ..
The Napoleon avenue line, starting from the head of Canal street and pass- ing out through St. Charles avenue to the head of Napoleon avenue and return.
The Claiborne line, starting from the head of Canal street and passing through Canal, Claiborne, Elysian Fields and St. Claude avenue to its terminus at Louisa street.
This system of street railways is now under the control of the following officers : J. K. Newman, president ; Joseph H. Degrange, vice-president; S. H. March, second vice-president ; Walter V. Crouch, secretary, and George H. Davis, general man- ager.
313
STANDARD HISTORY OF NEW ORLEANS.
The Canal & Claiborne line was a "mule road," chartered in 1867 and begin- ning to run in 1868. It is now an electrie line and part of the New Orleans & Car- rollton road, in which the two former lines, Claiborne avenue and Tulane avenue, are merged
The company of the City Railroad formed in June, 1860, with $100,000 eapi- tal. It commenced to run June 1, 1861, starting at Canal and Rampart, where the people were assembled in erowds to watch it. The ears ran down Rampart and out Esplanade to Bayou bridge; fourteen crowded ears in all that day. They were built in omnibus fashion. The fare each way for the 3-mile trip was 5 cents. At the end of the line was the old-fashioned turn-table, turned by mules, such as most of us recall a few years ago on all the lines. On June 2, 1860, a little negro boy, at the corner of Canal and Rampart streets, was run over and killed, this being the first accident on the line. In June, 1864, improvements were made on the line to prevent accidents. At this time the company had ears running as follows: On Magazine street, 23; on Bayou road, 17; on Prytania street, 14; on Canal street, 18; and on Dauphine street, 24. In 1873 this company had the following lines in opera- tion : The Esplanade line, to Bayou bridge, 3} miles ; the Magazine and Prytania lines, both running to Pleasant street, 23 miles; the Rampart and Dauphine lines to the Barracks, 5 miles; the Canal street line, running to the city park and the eemeteries, 3 2-3 miles, the latter being patronized then more than any other line in the city. The original eost of constructing and equipping these lines was $997,- 194.86, of which sum the horses and mules costing $99,329.40, and the ears, $74,- 438.75.
The Levee line opened May 6, 1866, the company (the City Railroad Company) having a stock of $1,300,000. In 1871 the Canal street track, at a cost of $37,000, was removed from over the Canal to its sides. In 1872 the Barracks line was ex- tended to the slaughter house and other improvements were made.
The City Railroad Company was chartered February 28, 1899, for ninety-nine years. The capital stock consists of $2,500,000 of 5 per cent cumulative preferred, dividends payable in January and July, and $5,000,000 of common stock. The pre- ferred stock has preference over the common as to assets, as well as to dividends, and the company cannot create a new lien without consent of a majority of the pre- ferred stock, which latter also elects a majority of directors, until dividends shall have been paid thereon for five consecutive years.
This company has purchased the properties of the New Orleans City and Lake and the Crescent City Railroad Companies. West End, a pleasure resort on Lake
314
STANDARD HISTORY OF NEW ORLEANS.
Pontchartrain, has been much improved since it has been under its present owners. It has a fine band stand and pavilions. During the summer music, vaudeville shows, flower beds and the scenic railway combine to make it a most attractive place. No fee is charged for admission to this resort, and on summer evenings it is usually crowded.
The St. Charles Street Railroad Company organized in 1866, and in that year built the Carondelet, Dryades and Clio lines. The five men most active in this work were: William H. Mclellan, president; Alden Mclellan, secretary; and John H. Nicholson, Henry Hart and John Pettit, the engineer being Samuel L. James. The capital was $500.000, increased in 1873 to $600,000, when the Royal street line was built, and in 1893 to $1,000,000. The president is now Albert G. Phelps ; the secretary, N. Rivière. There are forty cars and 18 miles of road. The power house, corner of Marigny and North Peters streets, contains three cross-com- pound Hamilton Corliss engines, and three 8-pole 200 kilowatt Walker generators. The directory is composed of Edward Toby, S. O. Thomas, John W. Fairfax, H. T. Hart, E. S. Reems and John McCloskey. The mechanical engineer is E. B. McKin- ney, and the electrical engineer Alexander L. Black.
The lines run as follows :
The Carondelet street line starts on Elysian Fields avenue, passes up Royal to Canal, up St. Charles, Howard avenue and Baronne to the station on Eighth street, returning by Carondelet, Bourbon and Esplanade avenue ; the Dryades street line ex- tends from Clay statue up St. Charles to Howard, on Dryades, Felicity and Baronne to the Eighth street station, and returning by Dryades, South Rampart and Canal; the Clio line extends from foot of Elysian Fields avenue up Royal, St. Charles, How- ard avenue, South Rampart and Clio to the station, and returns by Erato, Caronde- let, Bourbon, Esplanade and Decatur.
In 1898 this company began issuing transfer tickets from one to another of its various lines.
The Orleans Railroad Company organized in 1869, with $185,000 capital, and has three lines : Bayou St. John, Broad street, City Park and French Market, a to- tal of 11.3 miles. Electricity was first used in 1895. The power house, near the Old Basin, has an Ellis-Corliss engine of 200 horse power. The company has thirty- one cars (single and double motors) and 150 employes. The president is E. Perrin ; C. J. MacMurdo, secretary ; V. Willoz, electrician, and W. G. Leahy, chief engineer. The first president was Felix Labutat.
It may be said in conclusion that New Orleans has one of the best systems of street cars in the world. There is hardly a portion of the city or its suburbs to
315
STANDARD HISTORY OF NEW ORLEANS.
which one or another of the excellent lines just mentioned is not accessible. The cars are handsonie and comfortable, run easily and preserve a steady schedule in traversing their routes.
CHAPTER XIII.
SECRET ORDERS.
BY WALTER PARKER.
S ECRET ORDERS have thrived in New Orleans since the opening chapter of the city's history. Masonry came with the early refugees, and the latter day fraternal organizations were, as a rule, introduced here soon after their in- ception. For over a hundred years the Masons have had lodges in New Orleans, and, with the exception of a few years prior to the civil war, they have enjoyed con- tinuous progress and prosperity. Odd Fellowship gained a foothold in New Orleans a few years after the city became part of the United States, making rapid strides during the forties, when many new lodges were formed. The Knights of Pythias began organizing lodges immediately after the civil war and successfully combated the evil political influences which prevailed in those trying times, and to-day this organization is one of the strongest in the State. The labor and trade organiza- tions were not so prompt to get a foothold here, but once established, their growth has been rapid and substantial, and indications are that within the next few years labor organizations will have become firmly established and will embrace in their membership rolls all trades and occupations. In the last few years many organiza- tions, such as the Elks, which now has handsome headquarters, the T. P. A., etc., have been organized in New Orleans, and the membership and work of the various orders is generally satisfactory.
MASONRY.
Masonry was introduced into Louisiana during the latter part of the eight- eenth century, its establishment being hastened probably by the hostility of Spain to the order, for while the Masons in New Orleans were mostly Frenchmen and few
316
STANDARD HISTORY OF NEW ORLEANS.
in number, and while they were compelled to aet cautiously and with considerable circumspection in order to avoid giving offense to the authorities and becoming amenable to process of law, yet these restrictions only resulted in bringing the brethren closer together and strengthening their bonds of union, a most natural result of any form of tyranny or oppression. Masonry had for many years existed in San Domingo, introduced by the French, and when a number of refugees eame to New Orleans from the West Indies, it was but natural that they should seek their own countrymen here, and that the natives and immigrants should seck to strengthen further the bonds of friendship by the organization of lodges of their own order. Hence, in 1793, several Frenchmen, Freemasons, then residing in New Orleans, organized themselves into a lodge, by the name of Parfaite Union, and made appli- cation to the Grand Lodge of South Carolina for a charter, which was granted, and they were constituted as "Loge Parfaite Union No. 29," the officers being installed in the York rite, March 30, 1794, by Jason Lawrence, who was specially deputed for that purpose. These first officers were: Laurent Sigur, W. M .; Laurent Chou- riac, S. W .; and Andres Wakernie, J. W.
During the same year, 1794, several members of the French or Modern Rite resolved to form themselves into a lodge, under the name of "Etoile Polaire," apply- ing to the Grand Orient of Franee for a charter ; but this application proved futile, owing to the fact that the Grand Orient of France had suspended its labors because of political troubles then agitating that country. This being learned, these members made a similar application to the Provincial Lodge, "la Parfaite Sincerite" at Mar- seilles, which granted them a provincial charter in 1796, entrusting it to Dominique Mayronne with power to constitute the new lodge and to install its officers. Polar Star Lodge was, therefore, duly constituted and its offieers installed under the French rite, December 27, 1798, with officers as follows: Duprelong Peytavin, W. M .; Chev. Desilets, S. W., and F. Marc, J. W.
The Grand Orient of France, having in 1803 resumed its labors, took aetion on the petition of the members of the Polar Star Lodge, sent in 1794, and in 1804 granted a charter and deputed Ch. Tessier to carry it to them and scal their work. Under this charter Polar Star Lodge No. 4263 was reconstituted and its officers installed November 11, 1804, by A. Pinard and A. Marmillion, specially deputed for that purpose by the Grand Orient. The first offieers under this eharter were A. B. Chastant, W. M .; A. Marmillion, S. W .; and J. Pinard, J. W.
Some time previous to this latter date eertain residents of New Orleans and former members of Candor Lodge No. 12, of Charleston, S. C., which had become
317
STANDARD HISTORY OF NEW ORLEANS.
extinct, resolved to revive their old lodge in this city, and made application for a charter to the Grand Lodge of Pennsylvania, which was granted May 18, 1801, the lodge receiving the name of Candor Lodge No. 90, and having for its first officers, N. Definiels, W. M .; Gaspard Debuys, S. W .; and Pierre D. Berne, J. W. Under this charter it is thought by the best authorities on Masonry in New Orleans that no organization was effected, for the reason that its Worthy Master was the same as Charite Lodge No. 93, which was chartered March 1, 1802, but did not receive its charter until 1804, on May 13 of which year the lodge was duly constituted and the officers installed in the York Rite by Eugene Dorsiere, specially deputed for that purpose by the Grand Lodge of Pennsylvania. Its first officers were: N. Defi- niels, W. M .; D. Baron, S. W., and J. Carrick, J. W.
Louisiana was admitted to the Union April 30, 1812, a political change which had a corresponding effect on Masonry in the Territory, now changed to a State. Measures were immediately taken to form a Grand Lodge for the new State, the movement being initiated by Perfect Union Lodge No. 29, each of the lodges in the State sending three delegates to a meeting held in its hall at the corner of Camp and Gravier streets, New Orleans, April 18, 1812, the lodges represented being as follows : Perfect Union, No. 29; Charity, No. 93; Louisiana, No. 1; Concord, No. 117; Perseverance, No. 118; Harmony, No. 122, and Polar Star, No. 129. The delegates to this meeting organized themselves into a "General Masonic Com- mittee of the State of Louisiana to provide for the establishment of a Grand Lodge in the city of New Orleans," with P. F. Dubourg, president, and two secre- taries. The second meeting of this general committee was held May 16, 1812, at which it was resolved that a summons be issued calling together a "Grand Con- vention" to deliberate upon the necessity of organizing a Grand Lodge for the State. This grand convention met June 13, 1812, and as a result of its delibera- tions the "Grand Convention of Ancient York Masons" assembled in the room of Perfect Union Lodge, No. 29, and elected grand officers as follows: P. F. Dubourg, Grand Master; Hon. L. C. E. Moreau Lislet, Deputy Grand Master; Jean Blanque, Senior Grand Warden; Francois Pernot, Junior Grand Warden; J. B. Pinta, Grand Treasurer; J. B. Veron, Grand Secretary; Mathurin Pacaud, Grand Orator ; Yves Lemonnier, Grand Pursuivant ; and Augustin Macarty, Grand Steward. Thus was the Grand Lodge of the State formed June 20, 1812, and in due time this Grand Lodge was admitted into full fellowship with all her sister grand lodges in the United States.
The Grand Royal Arch chapter of Louisiana was formed March 8, 1813, by
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STANDARD HISTORY OF NEW ORLEANS.
Concord and Perseverance Royal Arch Chapters, working under charters from the Grand Chapter of Pennsylvania and attached to lodges of the same name, and on March 13, the Grand Officers were clected and installed as follows: P. F. Dubourg, G. H. P .; Moreau Lislet, D. G. H. P .; J. Soulie, G. K .; and Thomas Urquhart, G. S.
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