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 63
Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).
Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 | Part 6 | Part 7 | Part 8 | Part 9 | Part 10 | Part 11 | Part 12 | Part 13 | Part 14 | Part 15 | Part 16 | Part 17 | Part 18 | Part 19 | Part 20 | Part 21 | Part 22 | Part 23 | Part 24 | Part 25 | Part 26 | Part 27 | Part 28 | Part 29 | Part 30 | Part 31 | Part 32 | Part 33 | Part 34 | Part 35 | Part 36 | Part 37 | Part 38 | Part 39 | Part 40 | Part 41 | Part 42 | Part 43 | Part 44 | Part 45 | Part 46 | Part 47 | Part 48 | Part 49 | Part 50 | Part 51 | Part 52 | Part 53 | Part 54 | Part 55 | Part 56 | Part 57 | Part 58 | Part 59 | Part 60 | Part 61 | Part 62 | Part 63 | Part 64 | Part 65 | Part 66 | Part 67 | Part 68 | Part 69 | Part 70 | Part 71 | Part 72 | Part 73 | Part 74 | Part 75
Mutual Building and Homestead Association, organized in 1885.
Third District Building Association, organized in 1887.
Eureka Homestead Socicty, organized in 1887.
German-American Homestead Association, organized in 1885.
Suburban Building and Loan Association, organized in December, 1894.
Security Building and Loan Association, organized in October, 1893.
Sixth District Building and Loan Association, organized in October, 1894. Union Homestead Association, organized in 1886.
606
STANDARD HISTORY OF NEW ORLEANS.
These associations have facilitated the purchase or building of homes by people of moderate means in New Orleans. They have encouraged a spirit of saving and economy and they have resulted in the construction of more than a thousand handsome and up-to-date residenees in the eity, and have enabled some two thousand families to own their homes who would have been unable to do so but for their assistance.
CHAPTER XXIV.
CLUBS AND KINDRED ORGANIZATIONS.
BY WALTER PARKER.
ROM the very founding of New Orleans the people of the city have devoted as much if not more time to pursuits of pleasure than to the voeations of the work-a-day world, and in a community where the amassing of wealth has ever been a consideration secondary to the truc art of extracting from life that which is best, and where tradition dominates innovation, it is but natural that good-fellow- ship should be a foremost characteristic. From time out of mind the social side of life in the great metropolis of the south has been of the highest order and the stranger within her gates has never failed to earry away the pleasantest memories of the hospitable and courteous men and women whose fame as host and hostess is known the world over. Here men do not derive that keen satisfaction from the accumulation of money that is felt in other seetions of the country, for, in New Orleans, which has well merited the name, "The Delightful City," the parvenu is yet unknown. Here method is the ehild of a kind hearted, indulgent people, and is not of the school of Twentieth-Century Americanism. Here the business man spends his afternoons and evenings at his favorite club, and, if one is versed in the ways of the city, one will never call at his office before 11 of the morning nor after 3 of the afternoon. If one is a stranger he will marvel. No wonder then that New Orleans supports many handsome clubs, nor that the good fellows with which the city abounds, should in uncommon numbers organize for their mutual advantage.
607
STANDARD HISTORY OF NEW ORLEANS.
From the great aggregation of a single elub of 600 members, each one of whom has had to stand a severe test of qualification, down to the little dinner club of five, whose dinners, served under the long shadows of the old French market where the choieest of viands are to be had, is the great range, the two extremes between which there are hundreds of organizations of all classes and varieties. From the earliest days in the history of the city similar conditions have existed. Lack of space precludes the possibility of a review of the organizations which flourished in years that are gone, or, in fact, even mention of all that are now in existence, hence this chapter will be confined to those of greatest prominence of the present day.
BOSTON CLUB.
The Boston Club was organized in 1841 by a small coterie of gentlemen for the purpose of playing "the game of Boston," and is the oldest social club in New Orleans. From the beginning of its existence it has been famous as a rendezvous for army and navy officers. Of its original members none survive, and of those who were members previous to the Civil War but few are still alive. The club was incorporated in 1842 for a period of twenty-five years, and its first rooms were on Royal street ; but in a short time these rooms were exchanged for rooms on the south side of Canal street, next to Moreau's restaurant, at first only a part of the building being used, but later the entire building. About this time other games than Boston began to be played in the rooms. During the Civil War the rooms were closed by order of the Federal authorities, but on August 5, 1865, they were again opened, on Royal street. Later the club moved to Carondelet street, and finally to its present quarters, on Canal street, between Carondelet and Baronne streets. Many of the prominent business men are members of this club, and in past days many very prominent men were members, such as Judah P. Benjamin, A. C. Meyers, and John R. Grimes.
Originally the number of members was limited to 150, and from the begin- ning the initiation fee has been $100, with annual dues of $100. When the club was reorganized after the Civil War the limit of membership was raised to 250. Among the presidents previous to the war was P. N. Wood, and sinee the war the following have been the presidents of the elub: W. A. Avery, 1865; Judge Victor Burke, 1866-68; Gen. "Dick" Taylor, 1868-73; Dr. S. Choppin, 1873-80; A. P. Mason, 1880-83 ; Thomas J. Semmes, 1883-92 ; ex-Justice Charles E. Fenner, 1892 to the present time.
The present quarters of the club contain the following rooms: A parlor and
608
STANDARD HISTORY OF NEW ORLEANS.
a billiard and pool room on the ground floor, the parlor being 55 feet deep and of harmonious width. The café is also on the ground floor, built out from the billiard room, and is 20x50 feet in size. The card room occupies the entire front of the second story and is 30x55 feet in size, and the lunch room in the rear of the card room is 30x50 feet. On the third floor in front is another card room and to its rear are the store rooms, bath-rooms, servants' rooms, etc. All the apartments are handsomely furnished and the home is in all respects an ideal one for club purposes.
PICKWICK CLUB. -
The Pickwick Club was organized in 1857 in the parlor over the famous ante-bellum Gem saloon, the Pickwick Club and the Mystick Krewe being for many years, so far as was visible to the public eye, one and the same thing. At length, however, it became impossible to conceal the fact that they were so closely related, and the duality was dissolved. Comus became an independent organization and the Pickwick Club so amended its charter as to render the club an absolutely close one. But still, even down to the present day, Comus is the favorite of the members of the club. In its palmiest days the home of the club was the fine building at the corner of Carondelet and Canal streets, a four-story brick-and- stone building of Queen Anne architecture, which, prior to its partial destruction by fire in 1894, was one of the most stately buildings ever erected in New Orleans. The ladies' café, which from 1884 to 1894 was one of the chief prides of the club, was primarily for the use of the ladies of the families of the members, but it was never a financial success, and when the present quarters of the club on Canal street, near Rampart, were erected, no provision was made for a dining-room for ladies. There is, however, a banquet hall, in which dinner parties are fre- quently given, and in this hall the captain and the other officers of the United States cruiser New Orleans were entertained when that vessel paid her visit to this city in the spring of 1899.
The origin of this famous club is in a certain way attributable to Mobile, but to enter into the full particulars of this connection would require more space than can be spared in this work. Hence it is necessary only to state that seven gentle- men called a meeting for January 3, 1857, over the old Gem saloon. Thirteen responded other than the six of the seven that answered the call, and these nineteen members adopted the name of the Mystick Krewe of Comus. Within the next few weeks sixty-three additional members were added to the original number, and on February 24, 1857, Comus electrified New Orleans with the first illustrated
609
STANDARD HISTORY OF NEW ORLEANS.
procession : "The demon actors in Milton's Paradise Lost." Proceeding to the old Gaiety Theater, "the grotesque maskers made much fun and merriment and enjoyed quizzing their sweethearts and wives to their hearts' content without revealing their identities. At 12 o'clock precisely the captain's whistle sounded and the Krewe marched without lights to No. 57 St. Charles street. On the third floor of this store a bounteous banquet awaited them, the experiences of the night were told in wine and wit and much enjoyment until early morning ended the first festival of the Mystick Krewe of Comus."
Later a social club was organized named the Pickwick Club. The two lower stories of the store at No. 57 St. Charles strect, were rented and fitted up for club rooms. Colonel A. H. Gladden was president from 1858 until the breaking out of the war, and fell at Shiloh. The Pickwick gave its check for $1,000 toward the support of the families of those who had gone to the war, and was then virtually for a year or two disbanded ; but it was in a measure kept alive by such men as Hon. John Q. A. Fellows, and was afterward fully resuscitated and reorganized on the return of peace. The quarters of the club were at the corner of Canal street and Exchange alley up to 1881, when they were moved to the Mercer building, now the Boston Club, where they remained until 1884, when they were removed to the corner of Carondelet and Canal streets. In 1894 this building was burned, and the club removed to the other corner of the same two streets, later to the old No. 4 Carondelet street, and finally to its present magnificent quarters. When the club was on Canal and Exchange alley it entertained, one Christmas night, General W. S. Hancock, then in command of the military department here. This club has rendered efficient service on more than one occasion, having in 1874 aided in the overthrow of negro domination, and in 1878 having done much to relieve distress occasioned that year by the great epidemic of yellow fever. In 1879 the clubmen organized themselves into what was known as "The Dietetic Association," and distributed beef tea and soup for the sick and delicacies for the convalescent from the door and windows of the club in Exchange alley
The presidents of the club have been as follows: Charles H. Churchill, Gen- eral A. H. Gladden, Adam Giffen, Edward Barrett, W. H. Crafts, T. C. Herndon, E. B. Briggs, Octave Hopkins, James G. Clark, Jules C. Denis, C. M. Soria, Paul Capdevielle, William Blake, Hon. E. B. Kruttschnitt, James G. Clark (second time), S. L. James, Frank B. Haynes and Reuben C. Bush, present incumbent. The present quarters of the club are exceedingly handsome, no expense having been spared in fitting them up and furnishing them to suit the taste of the mem-
610
STANDARD HISTORY OF NEW ORLEANS.
bers. In the rear of a white marble vestibule stands the familiar figure of Mr. Pickwick, and on the same floor are the club's office, the billiard room, the lounging room, and the bar. On the second floor are the main hall, the reading room and the card room, and on the third floor are the dining room and the private card rooms of the club. The entire building in its fittings and its furnishings is one of the finest in the South.
CHESS, CHECKERS AND WHIST CLUB.
The Chess, Checkers and Whist Club is one of the youngest, yet strongest, institutions of the city. The foundation of the club is ascribed to Charles A. Maurian, Charles F. Buck and James D. Seguin, who, in 1880, founded a small club for the study and cultivation of the game of chess. Their first domicile was a single room in the building at No. 128 Gravier street. At the first meeting, held July 21, 1880, Mr. Maurian was elected president and Mr. Seguin secretary. The club records show the attendance at this meeting to have been twenty-seven, some of whom were represented by proxy. In the twenty years of its existence the membership has increased to 800, the present limitation.
The early history of this club clearly demonstrates the invincible power of a movement based on sound principles and popular demand. It is essentially a young men's club, but its membership lists include a large number of older men-men who have become prominent in business life, in the practice of the law and in the various other professions. Nearly every chess-player of skill residing in the city is a member, and the games of whist, checkers, etc., are indulged in. But the club has other objects than the encouragement of scientific games and the occa- sional entertainment of its friends ; for, not infrequently, the informal discussions of the members turn on deep subjects and a wide range of topics of general interest and importance are taken up by men whose knowledge specially fits them for an intelligent expression of opinion. The chronicle of the club's rise from an humble origin to the powerful institution of to-day is interesting. Less than ten days after the first meeting a second was held, at which it was found the membership had about doubled. In October of the same year the membership had grown to 110, and larger quarters being required the club moved to No. 168 Common street, and two months later to larger rooms next door. The membership had reached the number of 150 January 24, 1881, and, the belief then existing that the club had reached its climax, so far as membership was concerned, the initiation fee was placed at $2, and an entire floor at the corner of Common street and Varieties alley was leased for club rooms.
611
STANDARD HISTORY OF NEW ORLEANS.
Captain George H. Mackenzie, the renowned chess-player of St. Louis, visited New Orleans in the year 1881 and was the guest of the club from February 28 to March 10. He gave several exhibitions, displaying wonderful perception and great facility for rapid combination. President Maurian and Mr. James Mc- Connell made even games on even terms with the visitor, but the others were easily defeated. The visit of Mr. Mackenzie was the beginning of the visits of a great number of distinguished chess-players who have come to this city since then. The list of great players who have been guests of the club includes such names as Zukertort, Lee, Steinitz, Pillsbury and others. The series of tournaments, which to-day are a leading feature of the club, was inaugurated during the first year of the club's existence.
For two years the club enjoyed a substantial and healthy growth, and in 1883 the present quarters at the corner of Canal and Baronne streets were secured. Fire destroyed the building in 1890 and nearly all of the club's records were lost. In place of the old building a modern club-house was constructed, and this is the domicile to-day. Paul Morphy, whose fame as a chess-player is second to none in the history of the game, was a constant attendant at the club until his death, and in memory of him there is a bust of fine workmanship in the club-rooms. One of the most highly prized possessions of the club is a unique set of chessmen of Swiss workmanship, presented by E. Block on February 21, 1881. Block was a contemporary of Morphy's in the early days of chess-playing in New Orleans. Mr. Maurian was succeeded as president by Charles F. Buck. The other presidents have been : Hon. Ben C. Elliott, Samuel Stafford, Thomas R. Roach, Hon. George H. Vennard and Charles J. Theard, who has been president since April, 1893. The popularity of the club is best attested by the list of applicants, which contains almost as many names as does the membership list. Applicants must wait for resignations · before their applications are acted on.
HARMONY CLUB.
The Harmony Club was organized during the early seventies by a number of the more prominent young Hebrews of the city. Its objects were purely social, but the close relations of the early members with the members of the Deutsche Com- pany, an organization in a flourishing condition at that time, soon resulted in consolidation. Mr. Joseph Magner was the first president of the new organization, and with wise forethought, seeing that the Fourth District was destined to grow and improve rapidly, advocated building an up-town club-house, and succeeded in taking
612
STANDARD HISTORY OF NEW ORLEANS.
the club as far up as Delord street. Some time thereafter the younger members secured a removal to Canal street. Years after, under the presidency of Judge I. D. Moore, the club was again moved up town, and now has magnificent quarters in its own handsome building at the corner of St. Charles and Jackson avenues. It is one of the finest buildings in the city. The Harmony Club membership is open to Jew and Gentile and is one of the centers of culture among the Hebrews of the city. The club as it stands to-day is in a large measure the natural out- growth of the trying times of the Civil War, for it was through consolidation with the Deutsche Company that it became possible to carry out the broad objects which have made it so successful.
The Deutsche Company had its origin in a meeting of seven, all of whom were prominent in Jewish and German circles, in the latter part of 1862. This meeting was presided over by Mr. Sol Marks. The suggestion of the formation of a club was his and plans were put on foot with that idea in view. In April, 1863, a meet- ing was held with forty members present, and organization was effected. Mr. Marks was elected president and M. L. Navra, secretary. The stated object of the society was to cultivate sociability and to foster art and science. Soon after the new club was formed the two were brought together into one strong organization.
The Harmony Club is noted for the magnificence of its entertainments. The interior decorations of the club-house are superbly grand. The membership includes many prominent Gentiles, who stand high in their stations of life.
LOUISIANA CLUB.
Among the oldest social clubs in the city of New Orleans is the organization known as The Louisiana Club. The formation of this society was effected in 1879 and it is a social club in every respect. The officers are Paul Gelpi, president, and W. A. Brand, secretary. The club now has on its rolls 153 members, with its rooms at No. 122 Carondelet. Regular meetings are held each month, but the quar- ters are always open to the members.
NEW ORLEANS PRESS CLUB.
Of all the clubs in New Orleans, the one finally launched with the greatest promise of potentialities for the good of the city was the New Orleans Press Club. Various attempts in previous years had been made to establish a press club, but they had all failed for one or another reason.
The longest lived of any endeavor on the problem was the last; and it repre-
613
STANDARD HISTORY . OF NEW ORLEANS.
sented possibly the best planned and best executed of the attempts. It found its original motive in the recognition, by some members of the newspaper fraternity, of how hopelessly separated the reportorial brethren on the different papers were.
The first form of organization was a "eall elub." It had no domieile. It had no dues, no assessments, no eares, no obligations. It consisted in a dinner onee or twiee or thriee a month, at 2 or 3 o'eloek a. m., when every one but the pressmen had left the newspaper shops. Henry Rightor was the first president of this body; Harry Hester, the first promoter of the plan. The first dinner took place at the Grunewald Hotel at 2 a. m. There were thirteen newspaper men present. Day was dawning when the elub adjourned. It was a genuine sueeess de- spite the unlucky number. The fun ranged from national subjeets to Hester's famous diseussion as to which side of a bluebird's eggs had the greatest number of spots-the north or the south side.
The initial number of the dinners made the little elub famous. At the next dinner, at Forrestier's, eorner Deeatur and Madison streets, there were twenty-six members of the newspaper fraternity present, and an international eomplieation, between a representative of the German press and one of the French, arose. It tended to inerease interest in the club, and from that time on the Press Club dinners grew in popularity.
It existed as a eall organization for about one year, when a meeting of all the members was held at the St. Charles Hotel, on the 17th of August, 1897. At this meeting, one of the most memorable in the early history of the club, in that the vast majority of the workers of the loeal press were present and enthusiastie, it was resolved to domieile the elub. The following plan was adopted: There were to be two kinds of membership-aetive and associate. In the former, to keep the elub always a real press elub, was to be lodged the power of voting on everything exeept eligibility to membership, on which all members eould vote. If a news- paper man went out of the business he ipso faeto beeame, unless he were a eharter member, an associate member. If an associate entered the business he beeame an active member. Dues and privileges were to be uniform. Aetive menibership was unlimited by reason of the comparatively small number of newspaper men, but associate membership was limited to five hundred.
Under this plan of operation the elub's new domieile was opened at No. 320 St. Charles street, a few months after its organization, under the new plan. It was conservatively estimated that 6,000 guests passed through its rooms, partook of its hospitality and heard some part of its programme. The opening programme, indeed, lasted for twenty-four eonseeutive hours, from 4 p. m. one afternoon to
614
STANDARD HISTORY OF NEW ORLEANS.
the same hour the next afternoon. It was opened by prayers and addresses by such conspicuous men as Dr. B. M. Palmer, I. L. Leucht, E. B. Kruttchsnitt, on behalf of the governor, Mayor Walter C. Flower, etc. Pages of the local press were devoted to the elub's opening. It was one of the great events of the year in New Orleans. This was in the carly part of 1898.
Two causes led to the club's ultimate downfall-primarily, dissension among the newspaper men; a floating indebtedness too heavy for the plan and budget of the club.
The first cause weakened its influence and cheeked its immense original mo- mentum. As a result, the club could never reach the high-water mark possibilities of its budget. It consequently went into liquidation in January of 1900.
Its first president was Henry Rightor, who resigned and was succeeded by Mr. Armand Capdevielle, editor of the New Orleans Bee. Its next president was J. M. Lévêque, at the time of the Times-Demoerat. Norman Walker was the last president of the club, being elected August 17, 1899.
Many famous men and women have been entertained, and have entertained, at the Press Club. Bryan, Ingersoll, great actors and actresses, musicians, singers, etc., etc. Its programmes have varied over a range extending from maecaroni dinners to evenings of original music.
THE MILITARY CLUB.
This organization was formed in 1895-6, as an offshoot of the Southern Athletic Club. Companies A and B of what is now known as the Fourth Battalion were members of the S. A. C., but decided to withdraw, and the result was the formation of a social and military club under the title of The Military Club. Quarters were established at Exchange alley and Canal street, and J. M. Baldwin · was elected president. He was succeeded by J. M. Huger and after about two years of varied prosperity the organization disbanded.
ERA CLUB.
The Era Club, the membership of which is composed of leading women of New Orleans, was established in 1896 as an offshoot of the Portia Club, which has since disbanded. It was founded by Mrs. Evelyn W. Ordway. one of the faculty of the Sophie Neweomb Female College, for the purpose of advaneing woman's suf- frage, and since its organization has brought the question into some local promi- nenee. It was through the efforts of the Era Club that the Women's League for
615
STANDARD HISTORY OF NEW ORLEANS.
Sewerage and Drainage was formed, and the women taxpayers did much toward securing the improvements for the city.
Mrs. Ordway is the president of the club. The first president elected after organization was Miss Bell Van Horn.
LOUISIANA HISTORICAL SOCIETY.
The Louisiana Historical Society, domiciled in New Orleans, has made many valuable compilations of historical data concerning the city of New Orleans and the State of Louisiana. The society was organized January 15, 1836, in Baton Rouge. At the mecting at which organization was effected, Judge Henry A. Bullard was elected president, and Mr. Harrison and Louis Janin, secretaries. The pros- perity of the new society was not of long duration and it was soon disbanded. However, several years later, several gentlemen who were members took an active interest in the work, reorganized the body and in 1846 elected the eminent jurist. and historian, Francois Xavier Martin, president, with John Perkins, J. D. B. De- Bow, Edmund J. Forstall, Charales Gayarre, General Joseph Walker and Alfred Hennen, members. One year later the society was incorporated and Judge Bullard was re-elected president, Judge Martin having died in December after his election to the office. At this election John Perkins and J. D. B. DeBow were chosen secretaries.
Need help finding more records? Try our genealogical records directory which has more than 1 million sources to help you more easily locate the available records.