The Americans as they are

by Charles Sealsfield

The Protestants have three churches. The Episcopalian, at the corner of Bourbon and Canal-streets, is an octagon edifice, with a cupola, in bad taste. Out of gratitude to the late governor Clayborne, the inhabitants have erected in the church-yard, a monument to his memory, with the following inscription:

THE
CITIZENS OF NEW ORLEANS,
TO
TESTIFY THEIR RESPECT FOR THE VIRTUES
OF
W. C. C. CLAYBORNE,
LATE
GOVERNOR OF THE STATE OF LOUISIANA,
HAVE
ERECTED THIS MONUMENT.

The Presbyterian church, in the suburb of St. Mary, is a simple, but chaste building, the expense of which amounted to 55,000 dollars. The congregation being unwilling to defray the cost of its erection, it was sold by the sheriff, and is now the property of Mr. Levy, an Israelite, who leases it out to the congregation for 1500 dollars. The Methodist church is a frame building, erected in 1826.

The public hospital, in Canal-street, consists of two square buildings, with wards for fever maladies; for dysentery; one for chronic diseases; another for females; a third for convalescents; a bathing-room, an apothecary’s-room, and a room for the physicians and assistants. Out of 1842 patients who were received into this hospital in the year 1824, 500 died, and the rest were discharged; out of 1700 received in 1825, 271 died, the others recovered. The accommodations in this house seem to be respectable; it has one thing, however, in common with all hospitals, that no one is tempted to return to it a second time.

There are now four banks in New Orleans; the United States Bank, with a capital of one million of dollars; the Bank of the State, the Louisiana Bank, and the Bank of New Orleans, each having likewise a capital of one million of dollars. The insurance offices are five in number: the Louisiana State Insurance Company, with a capital of 400,000 dollars; the Fire Insurance Company, with 300,000; the Mississippi and Marine Insurance Company, with 200,000; and the London Phoenix Insurance Company. New Orleans has no less than six masonic lodges, including the grand lodge of Louisiana; a French and an American theatre. The latter was built by a Mr. Caldwell, from Nashville, in Tennessee, who has also the management of it. It has the advantage in point of architecture, and the French theatre in the selectness of its audience. Close to the latter are the ball-rooms, where are given the only masked balls in the United States. Among the public buildings may be reckoned the three market halls, for the sale of provisions of every kind; one of them is in the city, the two others on the upper and lower suburbs, on the Levee.

The nuns have removed two miles below the town, and this convent is now the residence of the Roman Catholic bishop. In the chapel divine service is performed; this chapel, and the cathedral, are the places of worship belonging to the Catholics.

The cotton-pressing establishments deserve to be mentioned. These are now nine in number; the most important is that of Mr. Rilieux, at the corner of Poydras-street. It has three presses; one worked by steam, another by an hydraulic machine, and the third by horsepower. For the security of cotton bales, eight wells, a fire-engine, &c., are within the range of buildings; the expenses of which amounted to 150,000 dollars. The cotton press formerly belonged to a German commission merchant, who failed in consequence of his extravagant cotton speculations; it is simple, but of solid construction. It can receive 10,000 bales. The expenses of the building amounted to 90,000 dollars. Besides these are the presses of Shiff, a Jew from Germany, Debays, Lorger, &c. A steam saw-mill on the bank of the Mississippi, in the upper suburb, with a few iron foundries, are the only manufacturies in New Orleans; every thing being imported from the north.

Carondolots canal is in the rear of the town, towards the marshes. The entrance is a basin, containing from thirty to fifty small vessels, and opening into a canal, or rather a ditch, which has been cut through the swamps, in order to join the Bayon St. John with New Orleans.

Small vessels drawing no more than six feet of water, arrive from Mobile and Pensacola[H], through lake Pont Chartrain, Bayon St. John, and the above-mentioned canal at New Orleans, performing only a third of the way they would otherwise have to make by going up the Mississippi. They are in general freighted with wood, planks, bricks, cotton, &c.; and take in goods in return. This canal, which is of great importance for the part of the city lying contiguous to the swamps, was commenced by Baron Carondolet, but given up at a subsequent time, and resumed in the year 1815. Its cost was trifling compared with the advantages resulting to this city, and the salutary effects it must have in draining off part of the swamps.

The president of the city council is a mayor, or Maire, a creole. His police regulations deserve every praise, and New Orleans, which less than fifteen years ago was the lurking hole of every assassin, is now in point of security not inferior to any other city. The revenues of the city corporation amount to 150,000 dollars, which are, however, found to be insufficient, and loans are resorted to in order to cover the expenses.