Norman's New Orleans and Environs Part 10

LOUISIANA STATE BANK

This building was erected in 1822, at a cost, including the ground, of $55,000. The plan was from Latrobe, and Benjamin Fox the architect. It stands on the corner of Royal and Bienville streets, and presents rather a plain but neat external appearance. It is most substantially built; the lower story is heavily arched, and the banking apartments are completely fire-proof. Capital, $2,000,000.

THE MECHANICS' AND TRADERS' BANK

Is situated on Ca.n.a.l street, occupying only an ordinary house, compared to some others, and requires no particular description.

Capital, $2,000,000.

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THE CITY BANK

Is a building of the Ionic order, situated in Camp, near Ca.n.a.l street, and designed by W. L. Atkinson, architect. Its construction was commenced in 1837, and finished in 1838, under the superintendence of J. Gallier, at a cost of about $50,000. The banking room is admired for its elegant simplicity. Capital, $2,000,000.

THE GAS BANK

This building, in St. Charles street, between Ca.n.a.l and Common streets, is so closely squeezed in among others, that it has little opportunity to show off the beauty it possesses. It was erected in 1839, under the superintendence of Sidel & Stewart, at an expense of about $25,000, ground $25,000, making $50,000, and is every way well calculated for a banking house. The original capital was $4,000,000, but it was reduced to $180,000, and by request of the stockholders, the banking privileges have been withdrawn by an act of the Legislature of 1845.

THE Ca.n.a.l BANK

Has its entrance in the centre of the front on Magazine street, of a substantial granite building which stands on that and the corner of Gravier street. That portion of the edifice is very tastefully arranged after the designs of Dakin, the architect. It was erected in 1845. The residue of the structure is used for stores. Capital, $4,000,000.

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THE BANK OF LOUISIANA

Is a fine Ionic building at the south-west corner of Royal and Conti streets, surrounded by a handsome court. The whole edifice is well arranged, the banking room in particular, is admired for its good architectural effect, being 60 feet square, and of a proportionate height, with a fine gallery above. It was commenced by Bickle, Hamlet and Fox, builders, in 1826, and finished the following year, at a cost of $80,000. Capital, $4,000,000.

BANKS' ARCADE

Occupies the front of a square on Magazine street, between Gravier and Natchez streets, having a main entrance, from each of those last named, to the Arcade, which divides the building through the whole length--being three stories high, and covered in with gla.s.s, to exclude rain and admit the light. In the lower and second stories, are offices of almost all descriptions--and the third is appropriated mostly to sleeping rooms.

The bar room, opening on Magazine street, is 100 by 60 feet, and 35 in height. It is handsomely embellished, has a gallery surrounding the upper story, and is a popular place for public meetings. It will accommodate 5,000 people on such occasions. This building stands in the centre of business, and, consequently, is a place of great resort for merchants and others. Erected by Thomas Banks in 1833, Charles Zimple, architect.

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CITY EXCHANGE

This magnificent edifice, which is one of the greatest ornaments of the city, fronts on three streets--about 300 feet on St. Louis, and 120 each on Royal and Chartres street--the building being intended by the projectors to combine the convenience of a city exchange, hotel, bank, large ball rooms, and private stores.

The princ.i.p.al facade, on St. Louis street, may be generally described as being composed of the Tuscan and Doric orders. The main entrance is formed by six columns of the composite Doric order. Through this portico, access is had to the vestibule of the Exchange, a handsome, though simple hall, 127 by 40 feet. This room is appropriated to general business, and constantly open during waking hours. You pa.s.s through this into one of the most beautiful rotundas in America, which is devoted exclusively to business, and is open from noon to three o'clock P. M. This fine room is surrounded by arcades and galleries, always open to the public, (Sundays excepted,) and its general appearance cannot fail to impress upon the mind a most favorable idea of its grandeur and beauty. The dome is most tastefully laid off in compartments, within which the magic pencils of Canova and Pinoli have portrayed allegorical scenes and the busts of eminent Americans, in rich fresco--a style of painting comparatively new in the United States. The floors of the gallery which engird the rotunda, and the winding stairs leading to them, are of iron.

By a side entrance on St. Louis street, access is obtained to the second story; the front of which, on this street, is occupied by a suite of ball rooms and their dependencies. The great ball room is magnificent in its size and decorations. The building also has a capacious entrance on Royal street, as a hotel that can accommodate 200 persons. At the corner of Chartres street are the public baths. In the spring of 1840 this building was nearly burnt down--but, in less than two years, it was completely restored to its original splendor.

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THE COMMERCIAL EXCHANGE

This edifice is now being erected upon the south west corner of St.

Charles and Perdido streets, fronting one hundred and three feet upon the former, and running one hundred upon the latter. The main part of the building is to be constructed of brick and stuccoed; the upper portion is purely Corinthian the lower entirely Tuscan. The princ.i.p.al entrance on St. Charles street, is by a portico supported by two Ionic pillars, and the same number of pilastres, composed of granite. The vestibule is eleven feet deep, which admits visitors by three separate doors into the exchange saloon, the most s.p.a.cious apartment of the kind in the United States; it being seventy by one hundred feet, and twenty seven to the ceiling, which is supported by twelve well arranged and substantial pillars. At the rear of this public room are two others, intended for the accommodation of auctioneers, leaving only sufficient s.p.a.ce on the left for the necessary offices and access to the second floor.

The structure shows three stories in front--on the second of which is the news room, expressly arranged for the occupation of the New Orleans Reading Room. This apartment is fifty-five by eighty-three feet, and thirty-seven to the ceiling; and is lighted by thirty-six windows. A portico, with a recess of eleven feet, occupies the immediate front, supporting the pediment by two Corinthian pillars, and an equal number of pilastres. Two rooms are set apart in connection with this establishment, one for the accommodation of captains of vessels, and one for that of sugar-brokers. On each side of the news-room are ranges of offices, to which admission is obtained by corridors on the inner side. Immediately over these, the third floor is arranged in the same manner. The intention of the company, under whose auspices this exchange is building, is, to furnish to the mercantile community a place solely for the transaction of business, similar to Lloyd's of London. There are to be no liquors sold on the premises. Mr. Gallier is the architect, and builder, and the building and land cost $90,000.

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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 s.p.a.cious 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 s.p.a.cious 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 munic.i.p.alities. 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 surpa.s.sed by our pride in its success.

In accordance with an act of the legislature, approved the 14th of February, 1841, authorizing the munic.i.p.alities of New Orleans to establish public schools, the authorities of the second munic.i.p.ality set themselves at work with a will. They selected twelve of their fellow-citizens as a board of directors for public schools, together with a standing committee on public education, to whom were granted almost unlimited powers.

Zealous of acquitting themselves with honor, they at once looked to the fountain head, to New England, where the best schools in the country existed, and secured the aid of Mr. J. A. Shaw, who was perfectly conversant with all the improvements, and placed this efficient gentleman at the head of the department as superintendent.

From a despairing beginning, in less than one year, the prospect seemed to be most cheering. Commencing with only thirteen children of each s.e.x, it increased, in two years, to ten hundred and sixty-one in actual attendance--and nearly double that number enrolled.

Thus far these schools occupied rooms under the Methodist church in Poydras street, and a new building, called the Washington school, on Magazine, at the corner of Basin street; but since that, the undertaking has been continually extending, until it was found necessary to erect another structure, the Franklin school, on St.

Charles street--all of which are now scarcely sufficient to answer the increasing demand for admission.