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 8
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In New England and the Eastern States are sold its "pants," clothing, hosiery, molasses and canned goods, and rice ..
In the West its canned oysters, rice, sugar, hosiery, tanks, shingles and lumber.
In the South its cotton goods, tobacco, cigars, lumber and miscellaneous goods of all kinds, its food products, chemicals, fertilizers, etc.
In Mexico, Central and South America, its cotton goods, lumber, machinery and foundry work, beer, ctc.
In Europe, molasses, staves, canned goods, cottonseed oil, fertilizers, etc.
In Japan, its fertilizers and canned goods.
In Africa, lumber of various kinds.
Roughly estimating, New Orleans now supplies more than a third of the city demand for manufactured goods ; but seven-eighths of the output of its fac- tories are shipped away, either to neighboring districts or to foreign lands;
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and the proportion of these exports is steadily increasing. Its steamships, which now give it connection with every part of the globe, offer it manufacturing op- portunities unexcelled anywhere. With a direct line running to Japanese ports, via the Suez canal, established for the purpose of supplying Japan with cotton for its mills, New Orleans can ship its manufactured goods to the more distant points of the East.
The facility for obtaining raw materials and for handling them, through the fact that the factories are on the river front, as well as the excellent markets New Orleans enjoys through its many steamship lines, have resulted in bringing to the city from many parts of the South and West manufacturing plants which have found that they can do better there than in the interior. The fact that New Orleans is a commercial city has been of immense advantage to its factories, by giving them new markets and cheaper transportation which they would otherwise have never enjoyed. This is an advantage possessed by few other cities in Amer- ica, because in the commercial centers like New York and Boston, the cost of living and of land is so high that manufacturing is expensive.
It is narrated of one of the early settlers in California, in the days when it was a great mining center and was turning out a million dollars of gold annually, that he would not give a hundred dollars for all the agricultural land in the state. At that time it was all gold on the Pacific, and California was thought to be too dry ever to become of any value as an agricultural or horticultural country ; but time has shown that the pioneers could not appreciate the real wealth of the land of gold; for to-day its mining output has become an insig- nificant item in comparison with the magnificent crops it raises on its fertile soil. Similarly in New Orleans the possibilities of manufacturing were looked on with more or less contempt in the earlier days, and the people pinned all their faith on its commerce. To-day they see that manufactories support a larger population than commerce, and hold out the greatest advantages and possi- bilities of the city for the future. As these manufactories are of recent growth, New Orleans has had no chance to fully test what they will do for it ; but, judging by the experience of some ten or twenty years, they should build it up beyond even the grand prediction and promise of Jefferson. It is not a Liverpool only, but a Liverpool and Manchester combined, with equal advantages and chances * of becoming a great commercial and a great manufacturing city.
The other advantages of New Orleans are more or less treated elsewhere.
Its climate is comfortable and pleasant, neither too hot nor too cool. Its
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temperature has fallen only once below eighteen degrees, and has never reached 100°, which can be said of few other American cities. It seldom has more than one day of freeze during the year, and its winter temperature averages fifty- eight. It has more hours of sunshine than any city of the North or West, and for nine months of the year its skies are as bright as those of Italy.
In the past it has suffered somewhat from dampness, due to the supersatura- tion of its soil, resulting from a defective drainage; but this objection has been removed by the new drainage system which has so recently been constructed. It is now dryer than Florida, with a winter temperature from two to five degrees higher than that of most of the tourist cities of the "Land of Flowers."
As a residence city, New Orleans has made great improvement of recent years. Its old houses, while admirably adapted for its climate, with their big halls, wide galleries and thick walls, were lacking in many modern conveniences. The newer residences contain these conveniences, and are a combination of the best features of the old Creole home and the latest inventions in household confort. New Orleans residences boast of ample grounds, such as are to be found in no other city in the Union. The city covers an immense area of ter- ritory (183 square miles), and thus offers plenty of room for yards and gardens, even for the poorest. As a consequence it boasts of large gardens, a great deal of shrubbery and trees, particularly live oak, magnolias, orange trees and other evergreens in abundance. Even in the midst of winter the city seems an immense mass of verdure. Its flowers are famous and its roses are the wonder of all vis- itors.
The markets of New Orleans are good. In the immediate vicinity are hundreds of truck gardens, which send early fruit and vegetables to the Northern . cities. It has the first pick from them. The swamps of Southern Louisiana yield an abundance of game, especially ducks, deer, wild turkey snipe, papa- bottes and other birds peculiar to Louisiana. The Gulf of Mexico yields an abundance of fish, among which are the pompano, which, it is claimed, is the best food fish caught anywhere, redfish, red snapper, sheep's-head and crabs, both hard and soft. It is claimed, and not seriously disputed, that the oysters of Louisiana and Mississippi are the best found anywhere in the world; and this is universally admitted of its shrimps, of which there are two entirely different varieties,-river and lake shrimp. The latter is canned by the ton or dried and packed in barrels and sent to all parts of the world, thousands of barrels of them going each year to China. The Louisiana orange is the juiciest produced, and is declared in Europe to be the best grown anywhere.
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This brief enumeration of some of the table delicacies enjoyed in New Or- leans will give some idea of the pleasures of the table in this city ; and it should be further noted that the open season-that in which these delicacies can be obtained -- much longer than elsewhere, because the closed season-winter -is so much shorter. Finally, New Orleans possesses an abundance of good cooks, which it owes to its large French population, as the French are the in- ventors of the modern cuisine. Its Creole cooks are famous throughout America, and Creole cookery is known everywhere as a synonym for all the gourmand de- sires. It has given to the world a number of toothsome concoctions, among thein the gumbo-or rather gumboes, for there are more than a score of combinations- the "jambalaya" (something like the Spanish "olla"), the court bouillon, bouil- labaisse and others.
Social life in New Orleans is made enjoyable in many ways. The popula- tion, being a mixed one, has given to the city a marked cosmopolitanism, so that one may live as he chooses-in the French, English, German or American style. The city is remarkable, linguistically. While practically its entire pop- ulation speaks or understands English, half speak French also, while 15,000 understand Spanish, as many Italian and even more German. A large propor- tion of its population understands more than one language.
The basis of the social life is French, derived from the earlier French or Creole settlers. To them it owes its gaiety, its love for the theater and opera, its public balls, the carnival and similar holidays. It boasts of some of the finest clubs in the United States. Its balls, given mainly during the carnival season by clubs or associations, have no counterpart anywhere else in the world. It is one of the best theatrical cities in the Union; and in the matter of opera it is the only American city with a first-class record. Opera is an institution dating back nearly a century. During all that time, except the period of the civil war, New Orleans has had its seasons of from three to five months of grand opera ; and this has developed and built up an operatic and musical taste which naturally does not prevail elsewhere.
All these things tend to make New Orleans a very pleasant city to live in- pleasant from the standpoint of society, of the table, of its festivities and enjoy- ments, its theaters, opera, balls, carnival, etc.
It has preserved the best features of French and American life. This is an advantage, which is not overtopped by the advantages New Orleans enjoys as a commercial and manufacturing city.
CHAPTER IV.
MUNICIPAL GOVERNMENT.
BY NORMAN WALKER.
T HE early history of New Orleans will explain its remarkable municipal experiments and changes. This history is different from that of most of the other American cities, for New Orleans was under dominations and political systems of which they knew nothing. It was at one time a French, and at another a Spanish, city ; and while such, conformed to the political usages and municipal systems of France and Spain. The cosmopolitanism of the town and the presence of a large negro population compelled other modifications in its government, unnecessary elsewhere. Again, for long periods of time the city was in open or quasi rebellion against the constituted authorities, and its mu- nicipal government had to be modified in consequence. The great area over which the city was built, the peculiarities of the location, below the level of the river and a hundred other incidents resulted in producing conditions which oc- curred nowhere else in America, or, for that matter, in the world; and to meet these conditions experiments of various kinds, some of them the crudest imag- inations, were tested from time to time. It can be said of New Orleans that every variety of municipal government that has ever been tried anywhere on the face of the civilized earth has been tested in the "Crescent City," from the centralized government dominated entirely by the State or by the military power, to an almost separate and independent municipality. Conseils superieux, cabil- dos and municipalities have followed each other in rapid succession. Now the French, now the Spanish, now the pretended American form of government has been adopted, each of them to last for a few years; and charter has succeeded charter, each radically different from the other. At times, so impossible did it seem to reconcile the differences, racial and political, which existed between the population of the different districts of New Orleans, that the Legislature in despair split the city up into several municipalities or cities, each with an inde- pendent government of its own, thereby reverting to the system which prevails
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in Oriental cities, where the European population lives in a different quarter and under different laws and regulations from the Orientals or natives.
It can be imagined from these facts how interesting the municipal history of New Orleans must be, especially as in 1896 this city secured one of the most "up-to-date" and advanced charters possessed by any municipality in the United States, and containing in it all the reform provisions inculcated and proposed by the Municipal Reforni League and other organizations, which have worked for the better government of American cities. Perhaps the history of New Orleans is lacking in some of the poetry that clings to the earlier colonial story of Louisiana as told by Gayarre, but it is rich and profitable in all matters of economical and municipal politics, and teaches a far more valuable lesson than the "Romance of Louisiana."
From 1718 to 1900, New Orleans has passed through several forms of gov- ernment, each radically different, as follows :
1718 to 1767-Superior Council (French).
1767 to 1803-Cabildo (Spanish).
1803 to 1805-Appointive (temporary).
1805 to 1836-Council (American).
1836 to 1852-Separate municipalities (American and. Creole).
1852 to 1862-Council (bi-cameral).
1862 to 1866-Military (martial law) .
1866 to 1870-Council (bi-cameral).
1872 to 1882-Administrative (Legislative and executive the same).
1882 to 1896-Cameral (one chamber).
1896 to -Model charter, civil-service reform, etc.
THE SUPERIOR COUNCIL.
The first governing body of the city of New Orleans was the Superior Council, which was created by the King of France, Louis XIV. This Superior Council continued, more or less, the governing body of the city during all the earlier French days and up to 1767, when Spain took possession of Louisiana and substituted for it a Spanish organization, but it changed and modified from time to time. It was composed originally of only two persons, the Governor and the commissary ordonnateur. This council was subsequently increased to three, the Governor's clerk being added to it; later to six, when it included the Governor, commissioner, clerk, chief engineer, military commander and attor- ney general. It was still further enlarged in 1732, when the council, besides
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those already enumerated officials, included the two lieutenants de roi (lieuten- ant governors) and four of the more prominent citizens. Finally, in 1742, in view of the fact that the litigation before the Superior Council had become so great-for the council was not only the governing body of the city, but the su- . preme court as well, hearing all the higher cases, where the amount in dispute exceeded $22 -- the Governor and the commissary ordonnateur were in the King's letters patent directed to appoint four assessors to serve in the Superior Council. They ranked after the Councilors proper and their votes were received only when the record was referred to them to report on, or when they were called upon to complete a quorum, or in a case where the council was equally divided upon any question coming before it.
The Superior Council, however, was not always in control of the govern- ment, and was subject to those frequent changes and revolutions which occur in countries where pure autocracy prevails. The real governing power was the Council of State of France, or rather the King himself who interfered fre- quently and arbitrarily in the most trivial matters in the government of New Orleans. All the laws for New Orleans were framed by this Council of State, or rather the King; and they were often wholly unsuited to the country to which they were applied. Thus, in 1723, among the laws passed by the Coun- cil of State for Louisiana and New Orleans, was one punishing with death any. person who killed a cow or horse belonging to another, and punishing the owner of a cow with a fine of 300 livres if he killed it without a permit from the government.
In that same year, 1723, the power of the Superior Council was suppressed and remained suppressed for some years. The Council of State had sent over an inspector to examine into the condition of affairs in New Orleans. This in- spector, de la Chaise, presented a vigorous report in which he showed the gross mismanagement existing in the colony. The result of his report was the removal of the councilors, who were ordered to report in Paris, and the govern- ment was given into the hands of the Governor, Perier and the Inspector Gen- eral de la Chaise. These continued in charge until the India Company sur- renderd its charter in 1732. It was a better government than New Orleans had had before, though somewhat severe and rigid, and a number of important and indeed necessary improvements were made by it for the little city. The most important of these was the construction of a broad and high levee in front of the town and its continuation above and below for a distance of eighteen miles.
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STANDARD HISTORY OF NEW ORLEANS.
When the city was founded by Bienville, it was believed to be safe from any overflow from the river; but this was soon afterwards discovered to be a mis- take, and the frequent floods left the streets in a muddy and almost swampy condition for a large part of the time. Levees were therefore absolutely neces- sary, and Périer's levee has been kept up ever since.
Governor Périer also founded for the protection of the eity from another danger. The Natehez massaere had caused a great exeitement among the colo- nists and there seemed a possibilty that the hostile Indians might deseend upon New Orleans. To protect the eity from them or other marauders, it was pro- vided with a stoekade and with eight small forts. The manner in which public works were done at that time is well illustrated in the construction of the levee and forts. Governor Périer assessed the inhabitants for the work, not in money, but fixing how many negro slaves each should contribute to the foree at work. Their labor was contributed by their owners without charge, but the government fed them. At that time there was no tax of any kind and there seemed a com- plete ignoranee on the subject of taxation.
Governor Périer was a man of most progressive ideas for his time and his régime saw the passage of the first sanitary ordinanee for New Or- leans. He arrived at the conclusion that the siekness which prevailed in the eity during the summer was due to the dense forests that grew between it and Lake Pontchartrain, and which, as he thought, prevented the winds from blowing freely from the lake. In order to allow the "proper ventilation of the city" he began the gigantic task of removing these forests and put a large force of negro slaves at work felling the trees ; but he did not complete the undertaking; it was too great for the time and his resources and the other work he had undertaken.
He also undertook to construct a canal from New Orleans to Bayou St. John, so as to connect with Lake Pontchartrain, and pursued the same plan of obtaining the necessary labor as with his other improvements assessing the owners of slaves for as many negroes as he thought each of them could afford to contribute. This improvement also was left uneompleted and not taken up again until 1790.
Governor Périer received special recognition from the government for the serviees which he rendered in the way of publie improvements in New Orleans, and was given, in addition to his regular salary as governor, a large grant of land, and as an additional salary eight negroes each year of his term of office.
The government of the eity, at the time, was as far from municipal as it
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is possible to conceive. The people of New Orleans had no hand or part in the government of their city, and were in no wise consulted as to it. The police power was in the hands of the governor, and was enforced by him through the military. There were no provisions whatever for the extinguishment of fires ; but when a fire occurred the population was impressed into service to put out the flames as best they could. There were no engines or other implements that could be used, and when a fire became very threatening it was fought by tearing down exposed buildings with pikes and halberds borrowed from the arsenal.
Education was entirely in the hands of the regular authorities, the Ursu- lines providing for the education of the girls on the condition that the governor general should furnish them with quarters and support, and caring also for the hospital, while the Jesuits looked after the boys.
The lawmaking power was vested in the Council of State or King of France. The basis of the laws was what was known as "the custom of Paris," which be- came the common law of Louisiana as it was of the other French colonies. This common law had been supplemented by statutes passed by the Superior Coun- cil, supposed to control local matters. Such, for instance, is the Black Code of 1724, which bears the signature of Bienville and de la Chaise, and was the first system of law adopted for Louisiana and New Orleans. This Black Code gives an excellent idea of the political and legislative conditions of the colony at the time.
It makes the Catholic religion the only one to be practiced in New Orleans and decrees the expulsion of all Jews from Louisiana.
It requires masters to impart religious instruction to their negroes, and provides that negroes placed under the direction or supervision of any person who is not a Catholic shall be confiscated.
It contains a very rigid Sunday law, for it declares that Sundays and holi- days (saints' days) are to be strictly enforced, and any negroes found working on these days were subject to confiscation.
It will be seen from these ordinances that the religious sentiment in the colony was very strong, and that great care was taken to make Christians and Catholics of the slaves.
It is unnecessary here to go into the other provisions of this law, which merely covers the regulation of slavery. The code was less severe than those proclaimed in the Southern States later, as indeed the last article (No. 56) may be considered a very liberal one for the time, providing that "all manumitted
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or freed slaves shall enjoy the same rights, privileges and immunities as those enjoyed by free-born persons. Their merit in having their freedom shall pro- duce in their favor not only in regard to their persons, but also as to their prop- erty, the same effects which other subjects deserve from the happy circumstance of being born free." This liberal spirit prevailed during most of the French régime and long after New Orleans passed under the power of the United States, and free negroes were employed on both the police force and the fire depart- ment ; nor were they debarred from municipal service until in the days just pre- vious to the Civil War, when the abolition movement reached fever heat. But the police regulations as to negroes published elsewhere in this article were, as will be seen, very severe and harsh.
The Superior Council when in office represented the judicial department of the Governor. In civil cases three members constituted a quorum ; in crim- inal cases, five. In the event of the proper absence of members (who excused themselves because of personal interest in the suit before them) or their absence from some other reason, a quorum was obtained by summoning to the council as many notable citizens of New Orleans as were needed. Originally the sessions were monthly, and it was afterward provided that two or more members might be delegated to meet bi-weekly, when cases were numerous and pressing. The council was a court of last resort. Its jurisdiction at the beginning extended to original cases ; but later on it was elevated into a jurisdiction purely appellate and such tribunals 'as were found necessary were established. In 1723-24, it exercised the powers of police; in 1728 the King assigned to the council the supervision of land titles ; and in 1748 the power of the council over land deeds was so extended as to allow it to make titles good upon inventories prepared in good faith and recorded, although unofficial and informal, when the defects in the title were due to the absence or incompleteness of the public officials.
The legislation was arbitrary and despotic. As shown elsewhere, the gov- ernment changed the currency no less than three times, and swindled the people each time ; and to prevent any opposition to its changes it passed severe laws against those who refused to accept whatever currency it might issue or who dealt in other currency-these offenses, when repeated, being punished by public whipping upon the bare back. The Council of State also arbitrarily fixed the price at which the people should sell tobacco, rice and such products as they raised; assumed absolute control over all commerce, and either operated all in- dustries itself or sold the monopoly of dealing in goods. For instance, in 1760
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the monopoly of printing books and papers in Louisiana was sold to one Brand, and it was made a penal offense for any one else to publish a book, pamphlet or paper of any kind.
As for such functions as the government had to perform, they were, in nearly all cases, performed badly. The numerous investigations made of the local officials closed with nearly the same severe arraignment of the mismanage- ment, and indeed corruption, that prevailed. The government, that is, the King, found it necessary to interfere again and again to protect the people. He did this in the case of the paper money, issued without authority by Governor Vaudreuil; and again in 1760, when, as the ordinance declares, the mails had been so tampered with and so many letters opened, lost or misappropriated, that it became necessary to take some action to protect the inhabitants, in consequence of which it was provided that any officials tampering with the mail should be punished by a fine of 500 livres.
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