Norman's New Orleans and Environs Part 12

THE NEW ST. CHARLES THEATRE

Like the phoenix, literally arose from the ashes of its predecessor.

The first house was erected by the sole exertions of James H.

Caldwell, Esq., in 1835, at the cost of $250,000, exclusive of the ground. It occupied one hundred and twenty-nine feet front by one hundred and eighty-six deep, and was seventy-six high. It held four thousand people, and was the fourth in size in the world--one at St.

Petersburg, in Russia, another at Pescala, in Milan, and the third at San Carlos, in Naples, were those only which excelled it in size. It was destroyed by fire in 1842. That structure was styled "the Temple of the Drama," and the city had good reason to be proud of such an ornament.

The present building has a front of seventy-nine feet on St. Charles street, extends back one hundred and forty-nine, and is fifty-three high. The main entrance and front wall are remains of the former establishment; which, from the substantial workmanship, resisted the conflagration so effectually as to be made available the second time.

Pa.s.sing this memento, the spectator finds himself in the vestibule, thirty-four by twenty-three feet, from which a double flight of geometrically formed stairs ascend to the first tier. Here the pit is seen in a semi-circular shape. The centre box is but fifty-one feet from the foot lights, which brings the audience within a convenient distance of the stage. The depth of the front boxes to the rear is twenty-one feet. The proscenium presents an elevation of thirty-nine feet in the clear, by fifty in width. The upper circles of boxes possess the like advantage of the first, in respect to a distinct view of the performances.

The fronts of the boxes consist of an open bal.u.s.trade, producing a novel, and agreeable effect. The dome is ornamented with sunken panels, suitably embellished with emblematic devices. A golden-fringed national drapery falls from the proscenium, displaying an ingeniously contrived allegory in the centre. Four columns sustain an ornamented entablature above, composed of a mixed style of architecture, and copied after those of the celebrated temple of Benares.

THE AMERICAN THEATRE

Burnt on the 30th of July, 1842, was rebuilt and reopened on the 5th of December following, at a cost of $28,000. The building is ninety by one hundred and fifty feet, and sufficiently elevated for all the purposes of the drama, but irregular in its alt.i.tude. The depth of the stage is sixty feet, and the width of the proscenium thirty-eight. The house will accommodate over fifteen hundred persons. It stands near Lafayette square, on Poydras street; and, from its isolated position, presents quite an imposing appearance.

THE CIRCUS

The company have fitted up the old depot of the Carrolton rail-road, situated on the corner of Poydras and Baronne streets, as a place for exhibiting feats of horsemanship. As the buildings possess no especial interest beyond these performances, they require no particular description--but as this amus.e.m.e.nt has an attraction for almost every cla.s.s of visitors, not to have referred to it might have been deemed an inexcusable oversight. There is a stage attached to this establishment; and farces and the ballet relieve the monotony of the sports of the ring.

THE PUBLIC SQUARES

Although the public squares in New Orleans are neither numerous, nor upon a very extended scale, they are located with good taste, and are exceedingly convenient. The centres of Ca.n.a.l, Esplanade, Rampart and Basin streets have a very considerable s.p.a.ce set apart for embellishments. Shrubbery, and other ornaments, are in progress, and they already begin to a.s.sume a beauty that does much credit to the city authorities. Nothing is more conducive to health than these pleasant resorts for wholesome exercise. Here the toil-worn citizen, the wearied scholar, and the confined artizan, may breathe the fresh air, enjoy a delightful morning or evening promenade, and catch an imaginary enjoyment, in miniature, of the blessed country.

WASHINGTON SQUARE is in the third munic.i.p.ality; is bounded by the Elysian Fields, Great-Men's, Casa Calvo and Frenchmen streets.--Though admirably situated, owing to the distance it stands from the denser portion of the city, it has not yet received those attentions which, at some future day, will render it a beautiful promenade.

PLACE D'ARMES, or _Parade Square_, is still more prominent, and is embellished with fine trees; but, as it is in the centre of the first munic.i.p.ality, with the public buildings on one front and the levee on the other, it is a matter of surprise that it has not been improved in a style worthy of the inhabitants; who, certainly are capable of appreciating the advantages of such delightful grounds.

CIRCUS PLACE is below Rampart street, with St. Claude on the rear, and St. Ann and St. Peter streets on its sides. This is the square once known as _Congo Park_; and is the place where the negroes, in olden times, were accustomed to meet to while away the cares of servitude.

Many an old inhabitant can remember when he beheld these thoughtless beings dancing "Old Virginia never tire," or some other favorite air, with such a hearty gusto, upon the green sward, that the very ground trembled beneath their feet. Though the loud laugh, and the unsophisticated break-down, and double-shuffle of these primitive days have ceased, the spot yet remains, with all its reminiscences, as original as ever, with its capabilities of improvement still unimpaired.

LAFAYETTE SQUARE is decidedly the handsomest in the city. It is in the second munic.i.p.ality, and has St. Charles and Camp streets in front and rear, and several public buildings in its immediate neighborhood.

It has a handsome and substantial iron railing around it, based upon well laid blocks of granite; is well laid off in regular walks, and is ornamented with beautiful and rare shrubbery, set out with geometrical accuracy on a raised surface, calculated to make it dry and pleasant.

ANNUNCIATION SQUARE, in the same munic.i.p.ality, is the largest, and, consequently, may some day become the most elegant in the city. Orange and Race streets are on its front and rear--and facing are some very tasteful private residences.

TIVOLI CIRCLE, as its name would imply, is a circular piece of land laid off as a public ground in Nyade, at the head of St. Charles street, and is intended to be ornamented.

THE OLDEN TIME

Antiquity! the olden time! the h.o.a.ry, venerable past! there is something sacred and soul subduing in the very sound of the words.

Like the dying echo of the last tones of the departed, it is full of hallowed memories, and cherished a.s.sociations, that haunt the inner chambers of the imagination, and linger with a mournful tenderness about the better feelings of the heart.

But what have _we_ to do with Antiquity! They of the old World, who were grey with time and tottering with decay when, but yesterday, they saw us spring into being, laugh at our sometime boast of Antiquity; and well they may, for it is hardly as well substantiated as that of the simple boy who conceived himself the oldest person in the world, because he could not remember when he was born. Yet even we, in the New World, we, of its second or third generation, whose fathers were present at its birth and baptism, even _we_ begin to talk gravely of the olden time, and to sigh and look sad over the melancholy grandeur of the past!

[Ill.u.s.tration: New Orleans in 1728]

Well, be it so. In these stirring times, an age is shorter, and sooner achieved, than in those of "the sluggish eld." Time is measured by events, and not by revolutions of the sun--by the progress of the mind, not by the slow sifting sands of the hour gla.s.s, and the amazing precocity of these latter days makes many ages out of a single century.

But what a vandal spirit is innovation! what a ruthless destroyer is this boasted modern improvement! It sweeps over the land with the energy of a new creation, demolishing and scattering whatever lies in its way, for the mere pleasure of reproducing it in a new and better form. It removes the ancient land marks, obliterates the last traces of ancient power and grandeur, levels mountains, fills up valleys, turns the courses of rivers, and makes all things bend to its iron will.

It works such rapid and magical changes in its headlong career, that few of us are able to point out what _has been_, or to predict with certainty what _will be_ to morrow. Let us cherish then, with deeper veneration, the few relics that remain of the days of our fathers. Let us reverence Antiquity such as it is. Let the street commissioner, and the _improver_ of old estates--

Spare that ancient house, Touch not a single brick--

It is almost alone in its sombre dignity, in the midst of younger and gayer edifices, that have swept New Orleans _as it was_, into the shade of oblivion. Antiquity--I mean, if I may be allowed the Irish figure of speech--modern Antiquity, her countenance grave with sorrow, with here and there a furrow upon her yet ample brow, protests against the desecration of all that _was_ dear and sacred. Standing on the verge of annihilation, with "one foot in the grave," and conscious that her days are numbered, her dissolution nigh at hand, she commands, she implores us to save one memento of the past, one legible souvenir of "the days of auld lang syne." And here it is.

[Ill.u.s.tration]

THE OLD SPANISH BUILDING

At the corner of Royal and St. Anne streets, is delineated in the above engraving as it now stands--and long may it remain as a memorial of other times.

Thirty years ago--which, comparatively would take us back three centuries in any European city--thirty years ago, one might have seen from that spot, then the centre of the city, long perspective street-scenes of a similar character. INNOVATION has now done her work--has absolutely trodden the city of the last century under her feet.

The Casa Blanca, at the corner of Bienville and Old Levee Streets, has also escaped the general demolition. It was once the courtly residence of Bienville, the first governor of Louisiana--the seat of power, and the centre of wealth, beauty and fashion in the province. It is still on its old foundation, standing "alone in its glory," and the spirit of innovation has so far respected its ancient uses, that it is still a treasury of wealth, and a conservatory of the _sweetness_ of our favored clime--a store house of sugar and mola.s.ses!

[Ill.u.s.tration: Environs of New Orleans]

EXCURSIONS

In consequence of the level surface of the country in the environs of New Orleans, a great variety of scenery cannot be expected--yet, on the northern sh.o.r.e of lake Pontchartrain, the ground is somewhat higher and rolling, and affords very pleasant positions. Although not formed like the prolific north and west, in hill and dale, cliffs and cascades, alternately varying and beautifying the landscape, yet there are charming rides and rambles in the neighborhood of this city, of which a more minute account will be given under their respective heads, which follow.

CARROLTON, a distance of six miles by the rail-road, is an exceedingly pleasant resort. The line, for nearly a third of the way, pa.s.ses through the suburbs of the city, and is dotted on either side with beautiful residences--the remainder pa.s.ses through cultivated fields, pleasant pastures, and delightful wood-lands. The road, like the country, is perfectly level, and kept in the finest condition. At the end of the route is situated the village; which is princ.i.p.ally composed of tastefully built cottages, constructed in every variety of architecture that suited the individual fancy of the owner.

Opposite the rail-road depot, is one of the handsomest and most extensive public gardens, that is to be found in the vicinity of New Orleans. A race course is near by; and the strolls around are quite cheering to those who fly from the turmoil and dust of the metropolis.

THE Sh.e.l.l ROAD of the Ca.n.a.l and Banking Company, affords an agreeable ride to lake Pontchartrain, also a distance of six miles. The highway runs on the margin of the ca.n.a.l, and is not excelled by any road in the United States. It is the great resort for every species of pleasure vehicle that the city furnishes; and here may be seen, on an afternoon, all grades of society, from the gay sportsman, mounted on his fast trotter, to the sober citizen, who sallies forth on his ambling poney, all of whom appear to realize an equal share of enjoyment. A line of comfortably arranged barges also ply on the ca.n.a.l from the lake, at which place a convenient hotel is established. Half way on this road, between the city and the lake, is the highly celebrated Metairie race track.

THE PONTCHARTRAIN RAIL-ROAD, runs to the lake from which it derives its name, from the head of Elysian Fields street, a distance of five miles. It is a very pretty ride. This route communicates with the great northern mail line, which goes by the way of Mobile--and all the steamboats, that traverse the lakes to the various villages and landings that surround it, make this their general starting point.

From here, a pa.s.sage is obtained to Biloxi, which, the reader will recollect, was the first spot settled by the French in this portion of the world; and, from that circ.u.mstance, will naturally excite the curiosity of the intelligent wayfarer. At the termination of this rail-road is a first-rate hotel for the accommodation of visitors.

Here is good bathing, fishing and shooting; and, beneath the shade of the trees, the breeze from the water is delightfully refreshing.