THE MERCHANTS' EXCHANGE
Fronting on Royal street and Exchange Place, was erected by a joint stock company in 1835-6, from the designs and under the superintendence of Mr. Dakin, architect. Both fronts are of marble, in a plain and bold style. The cost of the erection was $100,000.
THE MERCHANTS' READING ROOM
Entrance from Royal street and Exchange Place. This reading room occupied a spacious apartment in the second story of the Merchants' Exchange, and is under the patronage and control of the company interested in that building. It is generally supplied with most of the newspapers of the country, and has received a patronage quite equal to the extent of its accommodations.
THE NEW ORLEANS READING ROOMS
Occupy the second story of a spacious building on the corner of Common and St. Charles streets, opposite the Exchange and Verandah hotels. This is an enterprise started upon the plan of Galignani's, in Paris, and Lloyd's, in London—professing to supply the earliest commercial and general information. The fixtures are arranged with a degree of neatness and convenience that is extremely gratifying to the stranger, who has a spare hour to devote to reading. Here he can peruse the latest papers, not only from almost every section of the United States, but English, French, German, Mexican, Irish, Scotch, and Colonial, together with all the periodicals, to his heart's content. The merchant can see the prices current from nearly every part of the world; arrivals and departures of vessels and of travellers—sales of the great staples and merchandise and their prices, and many such matters of interest to the business man.
THE PUBLIC SCHOOLS
In each parish, have heretofore been placed under the management of a board of five administrators, who reported annually to the secretary of state the condition of those under their direction. This system has been adhered to, till very recently, in the first and third municipalities. In the second a change took place in 1841, which has proved to be so complete a revolution, is attended with such important results to this large portion of the city, and so extended its influence even to the neighboring parishes, that it is referred to with a degree of pleasure which can only be surpassed by our pride in its success.