for four j'ears of the aforenamed period. Any one navigating or employing a boat in the specified waters, was to forfeit and pay to Livingston and Fulton $5,000.

Steamboats became so popular and steamboat navigation so universal, and so many of the new vessels were built, that this law could not continue in effect. In 1860 Captain Bruce, of the steamboat Dispatch, from Texas, lost $1,500 on account of this prohibition, as he was not allowed, at New Orleans, to take on a return cargo of sugar. Steamboats continued to visit this city, one from Wheeling, having been presented by the ladies of that city, with a beautiful flag, on which were the figure of Fame, and the mottoes: "Our friends shall not withhold what we have wrested from our enemies," and "Don't give up the ship," in reference to Mr. Livingston's claim. Finally the supreme court of the L'nited States declared the original right to be unconstitutional.

On June 3, 181G, at Louisville, Ky., was launched the Governor Shelby of 122 tons, for the purpose of plying between Louisville and New Orleans. In July, 181(5, the steamboat Vesuvius was burned opposite this city, with a loss of $200,000. On the 25th of July, the New Orleans began to ply between New Orleans and Natchez, bringing back on her first trip, 30 passengers and 800 bales of cotton. (Some years after she was sunk in the river near Baton Eouge.) About this time the Aetna arrived at New Orleans, and the Vesuvius, having been rebuilt, was ready for work May 1, 1817. May 4 saw the arrival of the Washington, which had made the distance from Louisville in seven days. On the 14th of May the Constitution arrived; on the Gth of January, 1818, the new Ohio of 450 tons, the largest boat on the river; June 15, the Kentucky; and May 16, the Robert Fulton from New York, Charleston and Havana, leaving Sunday, May 28, for Havana, Charleston and New York; her agents here were Amory Nott & Co. On May 11, 1820, the Car of Commerce made the distance from New Orleans to Shippingport, Ky., in 16 days, 12 hours, a very quick trip, which proved that New Orleans was not behind New York in steamboat progress. The Kobert Fulton was built by Henry Eckford and David Dunham, of New York, and before long was found to be unscaworthy, lier engines not being very strong, so she was taken off the route. But little was done up to 1849, in the way of building ocean steamships, but in that year, the steamship Crescent City was built by Newton Howard & Co., and proved the swiftest steamship afloat. The distance, to New York was made by her in less than seven days. About this time, the steamship Falcon was placed on the line, and the question discussed of cutting a canal through Florida, in order to reduce the sea trip 1,000 miles.

In July, 1820, the Mississippi and its tributaries, below the Falls of Ohio, were navigated by 73 steamboats; the amount paid for freight, at 2 cents a pound, between New Orleans and Louisville, was $1,898,000; for passengers, $338,-000; a total of $2,236,000; the annual income from vessels exclusively engaged in carrying sugar was $500,000; so the aggregate annual earnings of steamboats on the western waters amounted to $2,791,000.

The General Pike was the first steamboat of the western rivers built exclusively for passengers. Its route was from Cincinnati to Maysfield. The Alabama was built for the Bed Kiver trade, 1818, on Lake Pontchartrain; in 1818 also was built the Independence, the first boat to ascend the Missouri; and in the same year, for a New Orleans syndicate was built at Philadelphia the seagoing and river boat. Maid of Orleans; also in 1818, at Providence, R. I., the Mobile, which in 1819 ran between New Orleans and Louisville; and at New Orleans the Mississippi of 400 tons; the following year the Columbus of 460 tons, running between this city and Louisville. Other boats were the Yulcan, 300 tons; General Clark, 150 tons; a Columbus, built in Kentucky; the Tennessee, built in Cincinnati for New Orleans; the General Eobertson of 250 tons, at JefEerson-ville, Indiana. By 1820 the trade by means of steamboats was very extensive. About this time the Post Boy, first mail boat on the river, under an act of Congress passed in 1819, began to carry the mails from Louisville to New Orleans.

In 1832, the tonnage of 4,000 flat boats, which made the descent of the river, was 160,000 pounds; in 1849, that of all the steamboats, not more than 40,000. From September, 1831, to September, 1833, 66 boats were lost. Before the Civil War the largest boat load was 6,000 bales of cotton, carried by the Magnolia, and up to 1881 it was 9,226 bales of cotton, and 250 tons of other freight, by the steamboat Henry Frank, which made 12 trips that summer, carrying in the aggregate 76,009 bales of cotton, 28,23 8 sacks of cotton seed, 13,675 sacks of oil cake, 1,225 barrels of oil, and other freight. The Autocrat, a well-known boat, in 1840-1850 carried 5,000 bales of cotton. The iron steamboat, Charles P. Clioteau, whose largest load was 8,841 bales, brought down altogether in one summer 76,950 bales of cotton, 30,088 sacks of cotton meal, 15,335 sacks of oil cake and other freight. The Valley Forge, built at Pittsburg, 1839, and the Alleghany, built also at Pittsburg, in 1847, were the first iron boats, the latter being the first iron war vessel. In September, 1847, this boat left New Orleans for a cruise in Mexico. The W. W. Fry, built at Liverpool, and the John T. Moore at Cincinnati, were among the first iron vessels. The Charles P. Choteau, to whose

powers as a cotton carrier we liave referred, was built out of an old iron hull. She was the first steamboat to introduce the electric searchlight in river navigation.

In a quaint volume by Norman, published in 1845, we find that there were four routes of steamships from Xew Orleans to New York:

First, via Pittsburg; second, via St. Louis, Chicago and Buffalo; third, via Wheeling and Baltimore; fourth, mail-line.

In addition we find mentioned lines from New Orleans to Fort Gibson; to Balize, and Gulf of Mexico; to Pittsburg, Mississippi, to Nashville, Tennessee, to Florence, Alabama. New Orleans was always foremost in its transportation by water, though somewhat late in acquiring railroad connection with the rest of the world.

In 1858 we find the New Orleans and Mobile Steam !Mail Line organized by Capt. John Grant, and owning the low-pressure steamers Cuba, Florida, Oregon, California, Alabama and Creole, and a few high-pressure freight steamboats; also a line of small low-pressure steamboats plying between New Orleans, Mande-ville, Madisonville and Covington. These vessels were used by Confederates in 1861.

The Ouachita River Packet Company, organized 1870, ran six boats for a while. The Chalmette Packet Company, of the New Orleans & Western Railroad Company, is also called the Belt Line & Port Chalmette Terminals. The steamboats Chalmette, Dewey and Valley Queen, of this line, make weekly trips during the summer between Port Chalmette, New Orleans and Sunny Side, Ark. In winter two trips per week are made. The first steamboat used was the old Pargoud, run because the steamboat interests would not make the same rate on cotton to Chalmette as to the city front. The rates of the Pargoud were made exceedingly low for cotton, and the system has worked well. The officers of the company are: W. C. Dotterer, receiver and general manager; Charles W. Towsley, general agent, and G. McD. Nathan, treasurer.

Among the steamboat companies organized early in the navigation of the Mississippi river and its tributaries were the following:

The New Orleans & Yazoo Packet Company, in 1843, with four steamboats.

Kennedy, King & O'Donnel's Company, with three steamboats, plying between Brazos de Santiago and Brownsville.

The Cincinnati & New Orleans Express line, with ten boats.

The Lightning Line of steamboats, established in 1858, and plying between New Orleans and Louisville, a steamboat pool, with ten steamboats included, owned by difl:erent parties.

The St. Louis & Xew Orleans Packet Company, established in 1858, had nineteen boats, which connected at Cairo, III., with tlie Illinois Central Eailroad, and at St. Louis with the Ohio & Mississippi Eailroad. This was also a steamboat trust, and was immensely injured by the Civil War.

The Memphis & Xew Orleans Packet Company, organized in 1844, in that year, placed four steamboats in commission, and in 1849 they put in commission a new set of boats, which in 1857 were superseded by twelve other boats.

In 1840 there were three steamboats engaged in the New Orleans, Baton Rouge and Bayou Sara trade, named the Brilliant, the Baton Rouge and the John Armstrong, the number of steamers engaged in this trade having since then considerably increased.

The Atlantic & Pacific Company, with 25 boats, 19 of which were used during the war by Confederates, many being destroyed in 1867, in 1869 was succeeded by St. Louis & New Orleans Packet Company, John N. Boffinger, President. This became Merchants' Southern Line Packet Company, and finally the Anchor Line, which in 1892 had five boats running from New Orleans to St. Louis and five from St. Louis to Vicksburg.

The Oteri Pioneer Line, owned by Salvador Oteri, is composed of four steamers and one schooner, running in the fruit trade between New Orleans and Honduras and Bluefields, the business having been founded by Mr. Oteri's father in 1864.

Besides the Chalmette Packet Company, mentioned elsewhere in this chapter, the following are the steamboat lines plying between New^ Orleans and other points on the great Mississippi river system:

The Crescent City Packet Company, of which Franke Watson is agent, with office at 821 Gravier street; the Grand Lake and Vicksburg Line, of which Lord & McPeake are agents; the Lafourche Line, B. Rivet, agent; the Lower Coast Packets, Pa\il F. Renaud, agent; the Mandeville & Covington Line, W. G. Coyle & Co., agents; the Memphis, New Orleans and Cincinnati Packet Company, J. H. Wright, agent; the Mississippi Packet Company, James B. Woods, president, and John T. Hall, secretary; the New Orleans and Port Eads Packets, Paul F. Renaud, agent; the New Orleans and Washington Packet Company, G. H. Quatreveaux, agent; the Red River Line, Charles P. Truslow, president; C. W. Drown, secretary and traffic manager, and the St. Louis & New Orleans Boats, James B. Woods, agent.

The Crescent City Packet Company runs two boats, the T. P. Leathers and the America, the latter making her first trip September 2, 1899, both boats running as far as Cariola, Ark. The officers of this company are Norman Eustis, president, and Simon Weis, secretary and treasurer.

The United Fruit Company's Steamship lines comprise the following companies : The Snyder Banana Company, the Tropical Trading and Transport Company, the New Orleans, Belize, Eoyal Mail and Central American Steamship Company, limited, the Oterie Pioneer line, and the Planterst Fruit and Steamship line. The traffic manager of this company is M. J. Dempsey.

The Interstate Transportation Company has the towboats Henry Marks, T. A. Hendricks, Alarm and Crescent, and the tugs. Governor Nicholls and Lovey. It also has a number of pnmpboats for irrigating purposes. The officers of this company at the present time are S. V. Fornaris, president; W. C. Dotterer, vice-president and general manager; G. McD. Nathan, secretary and treasurer; Charles W. Towsley, traffic manager, and Victor von Schoeler, assistant general manager. Eecently a consolidation has been effected between this company and the New Orleans & Western Railroad Company, both companies being now managed by the same officers.

The Mississippi Packet Company owns the large steamers Imperial and Whisper, running between New Orleans and Bayou Sara, and the steamers Comeaux and St. James, the latter a fine new boat, built in 1898, both plying between the upper coast and the Bayou Lafourche. The president of this company is James B. Woods, and the secretary, John T. Hall.

The Lower Coast Packet Company owns the steamers Neptune, Louise and Grover Cleveland, which ply between New Orleans and New Canal, a point about ten miles below Fort St. Philip, bringing to the New Orleans market rice, sugar, oysters, oranges and vegetables. The agent of this company is Paul F. Renaud.

The Red River Line is composed of the following steamboats: Valley Queen, 800 tons; Sunrise, 800 tons; Electra, 600 tons; Halette, 450 tons; W. T. Scovell, 350 tons; and Gem, 300 tons. This line plies between New Orleans and points on the Red River. The officers of the Red River Line are: Charles P. Truslow, president; Charles W. Brown, traffic manager; W. F. Dillon, general freight agent.

The Morgan Line of Steamships, plying between New Orleans and New York, Cuba, Central America and Galveston, was established previous to the war by Charles Morgan, hence its name, with only a single boat. In those days one ship per week was enough for the traffic between this city and New York, but now five or six are required. And the number of ships plying between New Orleans and Havana is now two or three per week, while the Central American line has now two per week plying regularly between New Orleans and Central American points. The ships of this line are among the largest and swiftest freight carriers in this

country, and at Algiers the facilities for handling freight are most excellent, it being possible for eight ships to load and unload at a time. The vessels of this line are now as follows: Algiers, tonnage, 2,299 ; Arkansas, 1,156.78; Clialmette, 2,982.96; Clinton, 1,187.11; Excelsior, 3,263.95; El Paso, 3,531; El Monte, 3,531; El Dorado, 3,531; El Mar, 3,531; El Sol, 4,532; El Sud, 4,659; El Norte, 4,659; El Rio, 4,664.88; El Cid, 4,664.88; Gussie, 998.07; Harlan, 1,163.02; William G. Hewes, 1,117.61; Morgan City, 2,299; Morgan, 994.31; New York, 2,344; and Whitney, 1,337.64. The El Cid, El Rio, El Norte and El Sud are new, having been built recently at the Newport News Shipbuilding and Dry Dock Company's yards at Newport News, Va., to take the place of ships of the same names sold to the government during the war with Spain.

The oiSeers of the line are: A. C. Hutchison, president; J. Kruttschnitt, general manager; C. W. Bein, traffic manager. New Orleans; and Mark A. Morse, Algiers, superintendent.

The Cromwell Steamship Company has its office at No. 313 Carondelet street, and its landing at the head of St. Louis street. It maintains a regular weekly line between New Orleans and New York, having four fine iron steamships, the Louisiana, 2,840 tons; the Knickerbocker, 1,650 tons; the Hudson, 1,872 tons; and the New Orleans, 1,440 tons. In 1894 the agent was Alfred Moulton, but at the present time Alexander Harris is the agent.

One of the largest steamship agencies in New Orleans is that of A. K. Miller & Co., formerly A. K. Miller, Meletta & Co., having their office at No. 303 Carondelet street. Each year this company dispatches from 200 to 250 ships from this port to European ports, of which number about 100 are liners, running regularly between New Orleans and Liverpool, London, Havre, Bremen, Hamburg, Antwerp, Cadiz, Barcelona, and other ports. The Hamburg-American, formerly managed by this company, is now managed by Meletta & Stoddart, and has eleven vessels, with an aggregate tonnage of 26,680 tons. Meletta & Stoddart are agents also of the Anchor line, of the Austro-American line, of the Pioneer line, of the Prine line, and of the Wilson line.

Hammond's Steamship agencies were established in New Orleans in 1875 by the firm of DeWolf & Hammond, who were succeeded by William J. Hammond & Co., and this latter company by William J. Hammond, who has been in New Orleans since 1869, and now is agent for a fleet of 150 ships. These steamships ply between New Orleans and Liverpool, Bremen, Hamburg, Antwerp, Havre and London, and are known as Hammond's lines.

The Harrison line is represented by Alfred Le Blanc, whose office is at Xo. 829, Gravier street. This line comprises eighteen ships plying between New Orleans and all parts of Europe and Asia.

The Elder, Dempster line, which is owned mainly in Liverpool, England, has for its agents in New Orleans, M. & E. Warriner, who have been connected with the firm for many years. They operate steamers from New Orleans principally to Liverpool, Bremen and Havre, from two to four leaving weekly during the season. The office of the Messrs. Warriner is at No. 823 Gravier street and their fleet is composed of 110 vessels, twenty-five of which are chartered; in the aggregate they have a tonnage of 225,000.

The Argo runs six vessels of more than 12,000 tons, to Bremen and Antwerp via Cuban and other ports in the West Indies, and is really a part of the Elder, Dempster line, which is mentioned above.

The Forenede Gulf-Baltic Line to Copenhagen, has a fleet of eight vessels, having an aggregate tonnage of more than 15,000 tons. The business is principally in grain between New Orleans and Copenhagen, Charles F. Orthwein & Sons being the New Orleans agents, with office in the Hennen building.

The Chargeurs Reunis (French) Line has been long established in France and has a large fleet engaged in carrying both freight and passengers between France and the United States and the various South American republics. The agents of this line in New Orleans are S. V. Fornaris & Co., with their office at No. 827 Gravier street. They operate five different lines, that from New Orleans having direct sailing between New Orleans and the ports of Havre, Bremen and Antwerp. This line has lately established a line between New Orleans and Brazil, which materially increases the coffee trade of this port.

The West India and Pacific Steamship Company, Limited, of Liverpool, England, has a fleet of fifteen large steamships carrying passengers and freight across the Atlantic Ocean, making altogether about seventy round trips a year between this city and Europe, six of the largest steamships being engaged in this trans-Atlantic trade, while the remainder make regular voyages to the West Indies and South American ports, and thence cross direct to Liverpool. A special feature of the business of this line is its passenger business, tickets being issued either to England and return direct, or to return with tourists' tickets by way of the most interesting points in the West Indies, Spanish main and Mexico. M. J. Sanders is the New Orleans agent for this line with office at No. 225 Carondelet street.

Orthwein's Gulf Ports Line comprises forty-one vessels running to tlie various

European ports, and handles grain in bulk mainly. The tonnage of this fleet is more than 75,000 tons. Charles F. Orthwein & Sons are the New Orleans agents, with office in the Hennen building.

The Head Line (British), for Dublin and Belfast, Ireland, comprises five vessels of more than 18,000 tons. This line of vessels makes connections with various other ports in Ireland, and also in Scotland, such as Dundee and Glasgow. Charles F. Orthwein & Sons are the agents in New Orleans. This line has six ships running to Belfast and one to Dublin.

The Mediterranean and New York Steamship Company has been recently established. It runs its steamships from New Orleans to Venice and Trieste. Charles F. Orthwein & Sons are the New Orleans agents.

The Pioneer Line runs its steamships from New Orleans to Manchester, England, the cargoes consisting of cotton, cottonseed oil, grain and pig iron, the design of the managers of this line in England being to prove the superiority of Manchester over Liverpool.

The Wilson Line between New Orleans and Hull, England, connects at the latter port with vessels running to the Baltic Sea. The Creole Line has three vessels plying between New Orleans and Genoa, Italy. The Freitas Line (British) has twelve vessels vvitli an aggregate tonnage of more than 19,000 tons, plying between New Orleans and various continental ports. The Compania Bilboa de Navigacion (Spanish) transports most of the cotton used in Spanish mills as well as a considerable portion of that used in the mills of France.

The Companie Messagerie Francaise has twelve vessels of more than 33,000 tons burden, a large part of which are running between New Orleans and Havre and Bordeaux, France; the Glynn Line (British) has eight vessels of an aggregate tonnage of 16,000 tons running to Liverpool, and the Larrinaga Line (Spanish), also running to Liverpool, has five vessels of an aggregate tonnage of about 10,000 tons. The Holt Line (British) has eleven vessels of an aggregate of more than 18,000 tons, plying between New Orleans and Havre, and the Cuban Steamship Line has four vessels running to London and Antwerp, via of Cuban ports, the aggregate tonnage of the four vessels being nearly 8,000 tons.

The Mexican Gulf Steamship Company, of which 0. F. Spindler is agent, has ships running to Tampico, Mexico, connecting there with steamers for Vera Cruz and other Mexican ports and with the Mexican Central and Monterey & Mexican Gulf Railroad.

The Central .\meriean Commercial Steamship Company plies to Honduras and Colombian ports, and p;irticularly Bocas del 'I'oro and Colon, the fleet consisting

of six steamers of more than 6,000 tons burden. The Costa Eica Steamship Line, of which Snyder Bros, are agents, has four steamers plying to Port Limon, Costa Eica, of somewhat more than 3,000 tons burden, two or three of which leave Xew Orleans every week.

The ISTew Orleans Belize Eoyal Mail & Central American Steamship Company, limited, of which M. Macheca is president, and 0. V. Fernandez, secretary and treasurer, is imder subsidy by the British government to run regularly, transports all the mail and most of the freight to Belize. The fleet is composed of six vessels of an aggregate of 4,500 tons, which run also to Puerto Cottez, Honduras, and Livingston and Puerto Barrios, Guatemala.

The Pioneer Line to Santo Tomas, Ceiba, Truxillo, the north coast of Honduras and the Honduras Bay Islands, has four steamers aggregating 4,740 tons, which leave New Orleans three times per week. The Bluefields Steamship Company, of which S. Steinhardt is president and E. H. Merrick, secretary, is composed of the Weinburg Steamship Company, the Caribbean Fruit Company, and Orr & Laubenheimer, uses six vessels of about 2,100 tons in the aggregate, plying to Bluefield and other ports on the coast of Nicarauga. They are small in order that they may enter the shallow waters of the Central American coast.

The Creole Line, running steamships from New Orleans and Galveston to Genoa, has four steamships, the Citta Di Messina, Sicilia, Citta Di Palermo and one other running from New Orleans, and others from Galveston. Charles F. Orthwein & Sons are the New Orleans agents.

The Hamburg-American Line runs steamships from New Orleans and Galveston to Hamburg, having four ships on the line between New Orleans and Hamburg, the Emma, the Tuskar, the Galicia and the Al. Charles F. Orthwein & Co. are agents for this line.

The Florio Line has a line of steamships plying between New Orleans and Palermo and Genoa, and the Gulf Ports Steamship Line between New Orleans and Galveston and Eotterdam, and the Texas Transport Steamship Line has four vessels plying between New Orleans and Galveston and Bremen and Eotterdam.

STAXDAUD HISTORY OF NEW ORLEANS.

Following is a statement of the vessels belonging to the port of New Orleans July 31, 1899:

Steam,

Number of Vessels. Gross Tonnage. Net Tonnage.

Ocean (wood)

Ocean (iron and steel).

River (wood)

River (iron and steel).

Total steam Sails-Ocean (wood) .. River (wood) ..

Total sail

Grand total

And as showing the growth or rather changes occurring in recent years it may be stated that on July 31,1897, the totals were 241 vessels, with a gross tonnage of 41,233.54 and net tonnage of 29,391.89, and for July 31, 1898, the number of vessels was 231, gross tonnage, 35,009, and the net tonnage, 25,336. And also that vessels of less than five tons net are not taken into account, of which there were on July 31, 1899, about 200, with a gross tonnage of about 1,000 and a net tonnage of about 800. The largest number of vessels that ever entered the port in any October was 156 in October, 1899, of which 144 were steamships.

As showing somewhat in detail the movement of vessels to and from the port of New Orleans the following tables are of interest and value:

Number and tonnage of vessels cleared at this port by months for the year ending July 31, 1899:

August 24

September 21

October 18

November 25

December 29

January 37

February 34

March 38

April 32

May 31

June 26

July 27

Totals 1898-99..342 Totals 1897-98.. 340 Totals 1896-97.. 285

Number and tonnage of vessels entered at this port during the year ending July 31, 1899, also by months :

Months, Coastwise American Vessels from Foreign Vessels from

1898-99. Vessels. Foreign Ports. Foreign Ports.

With Cargo. In Ballast. With Cargo. In Ballast.

No. Tons. No. Tons. No. Tons. No. Tons. No. Tons.

August 18 36,431 49 48,273 31 51,939

September 19 39,730 6 2,074 48 52,448 29 53,291

October 21 33,212 9 4,867 1 964 46 61,824 35 64,251

November 27 45,438 13 7,345 4 3,157 35 45,170 41 83,938

December 32 50.310 7 4,018 6 2,973 35 52,587 50 105,502

January 31 47,988 12 7,846 13 10,337 35 49,777 49 86,823

February 24 40,342 12 7,300 12 7,695 36 57,824 44 88,570

March 25 45,436 18 12,343 8 3,984 41 53,857 32 62,822

April 26 42,445 16 8,854 1 678 39 38,685 16 25,147

May 26 43,156 19 11,368 3 2,113 51 55,745 18 32,904

June 20 38,245 19 9,925 3 1,183 52 63,095 19 33,828

July 27 43,086 13 7,758 4 2,264 47 52,263 19 32,522

Totals 1898-99..296 505,819 144 83,698 55 36,348 514 631,548 383 721,537

Totals 1897-98.. 252 524,959 139 77,446 32 33,604 464 583,324 459 901,605

Totals 1896-97.. 272 544,303 186 114,583 9 9,804 485 532,410 360 689,544

The Ferry franchises were leased to Captain Thomas Pickles in 1877, he being provided with landings in the Second, Third and Fourth districts on the business side of the river, and also for the Freetown ferry, and also corresponding lands on the Algiers side of the river. He furnished nine steam ferryboats, especially built for the purpose, all of which he owned, as well as the improvements at the landings. Captain Pickles was born in England, but came to New Orleans in 1849, and besides his several ferryboats he was also the owner of the Algiers and Gretna street railroad, three and a half miles long on the right bank of the river. Captain Thomas Pickles died December 29, 1896, and since that time the ferry business has been in the hands of the Union Ferry Company, which operates eight boats, at Jackson, Canal, Second, Third and Richard streets. The president of this company is A. M. Halliday; secretary and treasurer, William G. Brothers, and assistant secretary and treasurer, Floyd W. Morgan.

RAILROADS.

Before entering upon the subject of railroads in New Orleans, we must take a brief glance at those historic railroads which were the precursors of all our present mighty line of travel. The Stockton and Darlington line in England first ran September 27,1825, with a train of 3-4 cars and one locomotive, of which Stephenson «as the engineer. A man on horseback trotted in advance of this wonderful train.

whose greatest speed was 15 miles an hour. This was the first railroad in the world, but the Liverpool and Manchester, constructed later (1829), had a greater effect in impressing on the public mind the magnitude of the new invention.

The first railroad in the United States planned by Gridley Bryant and built with the aid of Colonel T. II. Perkins, ran in 1826, carrying granite from Quincy, Mass., to the nearest tide water. The second ran in 1827 from the coal mines at Mauch C'liunk to the Lehigh Kiver. Three locomotives were purchased at this time by the Delaware & Hudson Canal Company; one, built by Stephenson, arriving at New York in the spring of 1829; one, built by Foster Sastrick & Co., coming soon after, going upon the railroad at Honesdale Eailroad, and making the round trip with Horatio A. Slen as engineer. With these locomotives steam power was first introduced upon the American railroad. The locomotive last referred to called the Stourbridge Lion, had four wheels, a multi-tubular boiler and an exhaust blast, and may now be seen in the National Museum, Washington, D. C.

Passing over the beginning of the Baltimore & Ohio Eailroad in 1828, the building at Baltimore, 1830, of the first locomotive used in America for passengers, the animal power railroad from Charleston to the Savannah Eiver, South Carolina, which was propelled at the rate of 12 miles an hour by a horse on an endless platform; the use on this same road, 1835, of a steam locomotive, called the "Best Friend," the first to use four wheeled trucks and the building of various other lines, among them one from Eichmond to the coal mines, we come to the New Orleans & Pontchartrain Eailroad, four and one-half miles long, running April 16, 1831.

Though in 1832 there were 92 miles of railroad in the United States, and by 1858, 7,000, only one considerable venture was made during this time by New Orleans, and that proved a failure. M. W. Hoffman and the Hon. Clark Woodruff in 1835 obtained a charter for the building of a railroad to Nashville. But after 20 miles of it had been built and were in operation, the enterprise failed disastrously, and in a few years no traces of it could be found.

In 1852 an impetus was given to public spirit by a series of papers published by C. S. Tarpley, urging the building of a road from New Orleans to Jackson, Miss., and a meeting was held at Monticello of Louisiana and Mississippi delegates. The following committtees w^ere apppointed:

On Eoutes—John Marshall, Hon. E. Ford, W. H. Bowen, A. Steele,

Love, S. M. Catchings, W. A. Grice, John M. Bell, and N. S. Edwards.

On Statistics—W. F. Eobinson, J. T. Lampkin, C. S. Tarpley, G. Nicholson, E. Safford, and J. D. B. De Bow, the latter of New Orleans.

On Memorials—S. J. Peters, James Robb, J. W. Stanton, A. Hennon, J. Leeds, and James Saul, all of New Orleans; and Messrs. Penn, Tarpley, Stone, Catchings, Matthews, Guion and Waull, of Mississippi.

A meeting held March 81, 1850, was poorly attended, but in April, 1851, a few prominent gentlemen excited public enthusisam and promised their aid in building the railroad under discussion. Mr. Eobb in particular awakened great interest by his speech. A bonus of $100,000 was promised by members from Opelousas to any company who would build a railroad to Point Coupee. The Attakapas county was also urgent in demanding railroads; and at a meeting presided over by Maunsel White, it M'as decided to build a road all the way down to New Orleans. A series of resolutions drawn up by Glendy Burke at the City Hall, June, 1851, called for a general convention of Southern and Western delegates and a committee was appointed of Glendy Burke, A. D. Grossman, J. D. B. De Bow, Alexander Monton and C. S. Tarpley to visit the various States and awaken interest in the subject of railroads.

An elaborate address prepared by this committee and read before a meeting in New Orleans, January, 1852, contained these words:

"What, then, must be done for New Orleans ? She must, by a wise and liberal stroke of polic}', regain a part, if not the whole, of the trade she has supinely lost, and open new sources of opulence and power which are abundant all around her. She can do this by changing and modifying her laws bearing lanequally or hardly upon capital and enterprise; by cheapening her system of government; by affording greater facilities and presenting less restrictions to commerce; by establishing m.an-ufactures, opening steamship lines to Europe and conducting a foreign import trade; and finally, and what is of first importance and should precede every other effort, by MUNIFICENT APPROPKIATIONS TO EAILROADS BRANCHING TO THE WEST, AND THE NORTH, AND THE EAST, FROM A TERMINUS AT HER CENTER, OR FROM TERMINI ON SUCH INTERIOR STREAMS AND RIVERS AS ARE NECESSARILY TRIBUTARY TO HER. Now is the accepted time. To-morrow will be too late'"

The two lines then in projection for the purpose of connecting Louisiana with neighboring States were as follows:

1. The New Orleans & Jackson Railroad, designed to be extended to Holly Springs, Tenn., to Kentucky and the Ohio River.

2. The New Orleans & Opelousas Railroad, ultimately designed to be extended to Texas, and thence to Mexico.

At that time Louisiana liad only sixty-three miles of railroad in operation, as follows: Carrollton, G miles; Clinton «fe Port Hudson, 24 miles; Lake Ponchar-train, 6 miles; and the Mexican Gulf, 27 miles. Following arc brief histories of the several railroads now centering in New Orleans:

There was a division in this last convention, certain delegates withdrawing for a convention of their own, in which Alfred llennen occupied the chair. Their preamble and resolution follow:

"Whereas, The delegates to the New Orleans & Jackson Kailroad convention favorable to tlic route via ]\Iadis(mville have felt constrained to withdraw from its deliberations, they deem it due to themselves and liio public to declare the reasons therefor; therefore be it

"Resolved, That the refusal of the convention to allow the advocates of the Madisonville route to be heard through their engineer, Lieutenant L. H. Smith, United States Engineers, who had surveyed the route, by laying on the table a resolution in its behalf before its supporters had an opportunity of being heard, made it imperative on them to withdraw from their seats in that body."

This convention favored the route across Lake Ponchartrain, whose total cost was estimated at $33G,400; steamboats for crossing the lake, $70,000 each, and cost of operating them $15,000 a year. The superior advantages of this route were described at length by Lieutenant Smith.

The Mississippi Legislature granted a charter to the New Orleans & Jackson Eailroad Company; and by July, 1851, nearly $500,000 was raised. It was proposed to build the road (of 213 miles) up tlu- loft bank of the Mississippi to avoid swamps and navigable streams.

New Orleans was awakened to her duty as a progressive city by the loss to her commerce from linos of railroad then in action. For instance, in 1850 New Orleans lost 12.6 per cent of the cotton crop. Charleston and Savannah together had gained 13.8 per cent. This was owing to the opening of the Western & Atlantic Railroad between Chattanooga and the two coast cities, while the extension of the Chattanooga road into Alabama and Tennessee, then in contemplation, would prove a still greater disaster to New Orleans.

A railroad convention was held June 4, 1851, composed chiefly of wealthy Creoles from the parishes, who represented about $15,000,000. These men determined to show the world that the Southern States could take their place in the front ranks of progress without aid from the North. The officers of this meeting were:

President, Maunsel White; vice-presidents. Judge Overton, General Declouet,

picture8

Governor Mouton, 0. Cornay, J. W. Tucker, W. Jxikinot, Dr. Kittridge, D. F. Kcn-ner, Ambrose Lanfear, A. D. Grossman, L. Matthews, E. Lesseps, A. Boutee, A. B. Segar, H. E. Lawrence and Judge Woodruff; secretaries, John E. King, Eobert Taylor, Dr. Hawkins, John Burns and Frederick L. Gates.

A railroad was planned by the convention from New Orleans to Washington, St. Landry Parish (173 miles) and the permanent committee of the Opelousas, Atta-kapas & Kew Orleans Eailroad was as follows:

M. 0. H. Morton, J. B. Bellocq, M. M. Cohen, J. W. Stanton, Buckner H. Payne, Alexander Lesseps, R. F. Nichols, J. Bernard, S. Benoit, Benjamin Buisson, C. Forshey, Ambrose Lanfear, Judge Labranche, D. F. Kenner, John Thebank, A. Mouton, Joaquin Revillon, E. H. Martin, J. C. Anderson, Alexander Declouet, John Moore, F. D. Richardson, John B. Murphy, J. C. Potts, J. H. Hanna, George S. Guion and A. Collins.

The report (December, 1851) of Civil Engineer Augustus S. Phelps concerning this projected route gave as its cost, $244,596. Phelps surveyed the portion between Thibodaux and Berwick's Bay, and A. G. Blanchard that between Algiers and Thibo-daux (51 miles), the cost of which he stated as $800,000.

A company to build this road was incorporated by the Legislature by the name of the New Orleans, Opelousas & Great AVestorn Railroad Company, with a capital of $3,000,000, divided into shares of $25 each. The first officers of the road were as follows:

President, Christopher Adams. Directors—Christopher Adams, Jr., Ambrose Lanfear, J. Y. de Egane, J. W. Stanton, A. Chiapella, J. D. Denegre, R. B. Sumner, L. J. Sigur, L. Leon Bernard, General A. Declouet, Harvey Hopkins and M. 0. H. Norton.

The part of this line known as Morgan's Louisiana and Texas line, extending from New Orleans to Vermillionville (144 miles), its company being chartered in 1877, with $5,000,000 capital, has the following branches: From Vermillionville to Alexandria, 84 miles; from Terre Bonne to Houma, 15 miles; from Terre Bonne to Thibodaux, 6 miles; from New Iberia to Salt Mine, IQ miles; from Cade to St. Martinsville, 7 miles; from Baldwin to Cypremort, 15 miles, the latter being constructed in 1885.

The company also owned four ferryboats, a number of dredge boats, tugs, seventeen iron going steamships, six plying between New York and New Orleans, nine between Morgan City and various Texas and Mexican ports, two from New Orleans to Florida and Havana; also most of the stock of the Gulf, Western &

Pacific Railroad, Texas Transportation Company, Buffalo liayoii Ship ('hniiiiol Company and Houston & Texas Central Railway Company.

In 18S4 A. C. Hutchinson, of New Orleans, was president of the company."and also in ISS6, at this latter date J. Q. Schricver being vice-president; J. B. Richardson, secretary and treasurer.

In January. 1853, a great railroad convention was held at New OrlcMiis, wiih 600 delegates from thirty Louisiana parishes; JclTcrson City, New (hlcans, Lafayette, Virginia, Kentucky, Tennessee, Alabama, Florida, Missouri, Mississippi, .Vr-kausas, Texas and Ceorgia. It renuiined in session from January T) to January !>, its otliccrs being:

Tresident, ex-Governor Alexander Mouton. Viiv-presidenls—C. S. Tarplcy, Mississippi; Joseph Forsyth, Florida; Lucius C. Polk, Tennessee; William N. Hur-well. Virginia; Amos Morrill, Texas; H. Chouteau, Missouri; P. T. Parham. .Ma-bama; J. N. Beadles, Kentucky; Judge James Campbell, Louisiana, and Absalom, Arkansas. Secretaries—John Calhoim, Louisiana; R. C. Farreley, Arkansas, and John Duncan, Mississippi.

Various committees were appointed and a resolution adopted to the elTeet tluit New Orleans would liberally contribute to the proposed road; another approving donations by which public lands and public interests would be benefited. A national road was favored to the Pacific Ocean, its terminals on the ^lississippi. one north, one south of the Ohio; and later the Louisiana Legislature incorporated by an act the New Orleans. Jackson v^* On\it Northern Railroad Company, with $3,000,000 capital, and these ollicers:

President, James Kobb. Directors—James Robb, A. D. Kelly. J. P. Benjamin, J. P. Harrison. Isadore Labatut, W. S. Campbell, John Slidell. W. P. Converse, E. W. Morse. Ku\ile La Seiv. H. S. Buckncr and Charles Bride.

The New Orleans, Mobile & Chattanooga Railroad Company was chartered in Alabanui, November St, 1SG6; in Mississippi, February 7, ISOT; in Louisiana, .\u-gust 0, ISiiO, and in Texas, January 10, 18(10, its design being to construct under these several charters railroads from Mobile to New Orleans, 141 miles; from New Orleans to the Sabine Rivt-r. '.^V^T miles; from the Sabine River to Houston, Tex., 108 miles; with branches from Vermillionville. La., to Shreveport, 195 miles, and from Vermillionville to Brashear City. La.. C>5 miles, the total length of the main lines and branches. T35 miles.

In 18t>7 it acquired tlie rights of the Wills Valley Railroad Company, extending from Gadsden. Ala.. 84 miles, with the plan of continuing to Cliattanooga. and

Louisiana subscribed to this company $2,500,000 and a subsidy of $3,000,000, payable in four installments; the completion of the road to Donaldsonville, to Vermil-lionville, to the Sabine River and to Houston, Tex. New Orleans also granted valuable terminal facilities.

In October, 1870, a division of this road between New Orleans and Mobile was finished, and in 1871 a second division from New Orleans to the Sabine River was completed to Donaldsonville, when the company was reorganized under the name of the New Orleans, Mobile & Texas Railroad Company. Some litigation in 1874 resulted in the transfer of the road west of Vermillionville to the Louisiana Western Railroad Company. Other portions of this road were transferred, the portion from New Orleans to Mobile being sold in 1880 under foreclosure and leased to the Louisville & Nashville Railroad Company for fifty years.

The New Orleans, Opelousas & Great Western Railroad Company, chartered in April, 1852, for the purpose of building a line of railroad from Algiers via Thibo-daux, Berwick's Bay and Washington to the Sabine river, and with a branch off to the northwest to the southern boundary of Arkansas, completed its road of 80 miles to Berwick's Bay, Brashear City, in 1857. On June 21, 1852, New Orleans voted to tax herself $1,500,000 to pay for this road, and in 1853 Louisiana agreed to subscribe one-fifth of the stock (conditionally). Congress donated certain lands (which, however, never came into possession of the company), and in August, 1852, the road was begun. On November 6, 1854 the road was opened from Algiers to Lafourche Crossing, a distance of 52 miles; on October 15, 1855, to Tigersville, on March 1, 185C, to Bayou Boeuf, and on April 12, 1857, to Berwick's Bay; total distance, 80 miles.

On February 1, 18fiG, this road, held during the war by the Federals, was returned to its company. It was purchased in 1869 by Charles Morgan of New York City, for $2,050,000, and the branch to Havana completed in 1871. In 1879-80 the extension from Berwick's Bay to Cheneyville, distance 124 miles, was finished, and also the Thibodaux branch, C miles long, and later the Salt Mine branch, the St. Martinsville branch and the Cypremort branch were constructed.

In 1884 the capital stock of the railroad company was purchased by the Southern Development Company, and in 1885, 40,627 shares out of 50,000 passed into the hands of the Southern Pacific, a new company then controlling the lines of the "Sunset Route" between New Orleans and San Francisco. At this time the lines of railroads and steamboats were divided into three systems:

First, the Pacific system; second, the Atlantic system; and third, the steam-

ship lines. The Pacific system was then 3,001.19 miles in length; the Atlantic system, 1,709.84 miles, and the steamship lines, 4,205 miles, giving a total length of 8,916.03 miles.

The eighteen sea-going steamships of the Morgan line, running in connection with the Southern Pacific railway lines, plied semi-weekly between New Orleans and New York, and weekly between New York and Galveston; New York, Key West and Havana; Morgan City and Vera Cruz; and Galveston, Indianola, Corpus Christi and Brownsville. The officers of this company elected in April, 1885, were: Leland Stanford, president; C. P. Huntington, vice-president; Charles Crocker, second vice-president; C. F. Crocker, third vice-president; A. N. Towne, of San Francisco, general manager of the Pacific system, and A. C. Hutchinson, general manager of the Atlantic system, at New Orleans.

The Southern Pacific Railroad Company was formed October 12, 1870,. of the consolidation of the following lines: The Southern Pacific, chartered December 5, 1865; the San Francisco & San Jose, chartered August 18, 1860; the Santa Clara & Pajaro Valley, chartered January 2, 1868; and the California Southern, chartered January 22, 1870. The Southern Pacific Branch Eailroad Company, chartered December 23,1872, was consolidated in the Southern Pacific, August 19, 1873, and the Los Angeles & San Pedro Railroad Company, chartered February 18, 1868, was consolidated therein December 18, 1874. The total length of the lines of all these companies was 1,022.20 miles.

The road as completed was opened to Fort Yuma, 729 miles from San Francisco, via Lathrop and Goshen, May 5, 1877. From the California boundary eastwardly the road was extended by the Southern Pacific Railroad Companies of Arizona and New Mexico, connection being made with the Atchison, Topeka & Santa Fe at Deming, N. M., 466.6 miles east of Yuma and 1,197.5 miles east of San Francisco, March 18, 1881. During this year the road was continued to El Paso, 88 miles, making a connection with the Mexican Central, which was completed in 1883, to the City of Mexico, and also with the Galveston, Harrisburg & San Antonio, thus forming a through connection, or transcontinental line, from San Francisco to New Orleans. This through line, of which the Texas & New Orleans, the Louisiana Western and Morgan's lines, formed parts, was opened for traffic to New Orleans January 15, 1883.

This latter line in 1885 passed under the control of the Southern Pacific company, which practically began Jlarch 1, 1885. having by July, 1887, control of the Central Pacific, of the Southern Pacific, of the Atlantic system, of the New York,

Texas & Mexican, and of the Southern Pacific Coast Line, and o\vning 613 locomotives and 15,845 cars.

From July 1, 1889, the railroad leases in Texas held by this company were cancelled and operated from that time by their own officers. The following lines in Texas were controlled by the Southern Paciiic Company: The Texas & New Orleans; Galveston, Harrisburg & San Antonio; Gulf, Western Texas & Pacific, and the New York, Texas & Mexican.

The New Orleans, Jackson & Great Northern Railroad, before referred to, was completed by 1860 to Canton, Miss.; the Mississippi Central by 1860 to Jackson, Tenn., and by 1873 to the Ohio Eiver; and by October 29, 1889, a route was opened of 2,888.47 miles between New Orleans and the great lakes. This road, becoming November 8,1877, the Chicago, St. Louis & New Orleans Railroad, was leased June, 1882, to the Illinois Central Company. Its capital stock is now $10,000,000; its bonded debt, $18,000,000.

In 1889 the Mississippi & Tennessee Railroad was consolidated with the Chicago, St. Louis & New Orleans Railroad Company, and was also leased to the Illinois Central.

The Yazoo & Mississippi Valley Railroad extends from New Orleans to Memphis, a distance of 456.15 miles, and has several branches, increasing the length of the system to 807.27 miles, that being the length of the lines in operation June 30, 1897. The Illinois Central Railroad Company purchased nearly all the stock of the Louisville, New Orleans & Texas Railroad Company in 1892, on the basis of paying $5,000,000 in cash and $20,000,000 in its 4 per cent called bonds of 1953, and in the year last mentioned the latter railroad company and the Yazoo & Mississippi Valley Railroad Company were consolidated, and since November 1, 1892, they have both been operated by the latter company, which owns the Yazoo division of the Illinois Central Railroad, of which division there are two branches; one running from Jackson, Miss., to Parsons, a distance of 115.69 miles, and the other running from Durant, Miss., to Tchula, a distance of 24.67 miles, this division having been leased to the Illinois Central Railroad Company in 1888.

The Mississippi, Terre Aux Boeufs & Lake Railroad Company was chartered March 23, 1877, for the purpose of building a railroad from New Orleans to Shell Beach, distance 30 miles. The road was opened May 8, 1884, and the directors elected March 2, 1886, were as follows: Lloyd R. Coleman, Lucas E. Moore, James A. Shakespeare, M. R. Spcllman and B. S. Story, all of New Orleans, and John R. Elder and William L. Elder, both of Indianapolis, Ind. John R. Elder was chosen

president, and Lloyd E. Coleman vice-president. The capital of the company was $199,500, and the road cost $483,740.25. This company in 1886 was merged in a new company called the New Orleans & Gulf Railroad Company, which had been chartered to build a line from Poydras, on the line of the former company's road, to Point-a-la-Hache, the quarantine station for the port of New Orleans, a distance of 36 miles, with two branches aggregating 2.5 miles. The capital stock of this new company was $300,000, and the officers remained after its incorporation the same as those of the older company.

Track laying was begun in January, 1887, and the line was completed the same year. The company purchased the three steamboats and the entire business and good will of the Red River & Coast Line Steamboat Company from New Orleans to the Jetties, which included the United States mail contract and gave the company a monopoly of the traffic between New Orleans and the Jetties on both sides of the Mississippi River. As now constructed, the main line of this road extends from New Orleans to Bohemia, 50 miles, and the Shell Beach branch is 15.50 miles long. The officers up to 1891 remained as above given.

As successor to the above company, the New Orleans & Southern Railroad Company was chartered September 15, 1891, the property having been sold under foreclosure March 5, preceding. A receiver was appointed for the property June 6, 1895, and the property was leased to the New Orleans & Western Railroad Company February 1, 1896, the latter company owning a railroad from Port Chalmette to Shrewsbury, La., 12 miles, and from the latter place to Southport, 2 miles. This company was chartered January 17, 1895, their road being opened January 11,1896. It owns extensive terminal facilities at Port Chalmette, including 2,300 acres of land, 1,500 feet of covered wharfage, eighty warehouses, four cotton compresses, a grain elevator, waterworks, etc. Its road connects with every railroad entering the city. On February 1, 1896, this company leased the New Orleans & Southern Railroad for one year, provided it were not sold imder foreclosure before the expiration of that period.

In 1896 the officers were as follows: President, Charles E. Levy; vice-president, Charles B. Van Nostrand, of New York; secretary and treasurer, D. B. Morey, and auditor, G. McD. Nathan. The office of the company was then in the cotton exchange building in New Orleans.

The rails of the New Orleans & Western Railroad connect directly with those of the Illinois Central, the ^lississippi Valley, the New Orleans & Northeastern and the Louisville & Nashville, and interchange is made with the Texas & Pacific

by boat to Port Chalmette, and with the Southern Pacific by transfer boat to Port Chalmotte, the same as with the Texas & Pacific, and by rail throiigh the Louisville & Nashville.

The Port Chalmette terminals are the largest and most complete in the Southern States. There is a wharf frontage of 2,475 feet, with more than 1,800 feet of shed on the same. Seven steamers can all occupy quay berths and load at the same time and during the last cotton season (1898-99) more than once ten steamers were at one time loading various cargoes at this wharf. In addition to these wharf facilities, the company owns and operates three large cotton compresses; eighty brick warehouses, whose aggregate capacity is 96,000 bales of flat cotton, and also several large storehouses, in which 40,000 additional bales of cotton or other freight can be stored. It also has a 500,000 bushel elevator. These large terminal,? and other facilities are located on historic ground, the place having been formerly known as the "Battle Ground Plantation." The remnants of the manor house are where General Packenham had his headquarters in the war of 1812, and from this manor house to the public road is an avenue of live oaks unequalled anywhere else in the South. One of the principal advantages of these terminals and the belt line is that shippers are not confined to the terminals of the road over which they ship, and manufactories located on its line are practically located on every line coming into the city. The officers of the New Orleans & Western Railroad Company are: W. C. Dotterer, receiver and general manager; J. W. Mumper, assistant general manager; G. McD. Nathan, secretary and treasurer; Charles W. Towsley, general agent, and R. B. Fowler, general superintendent.

The New Orleans, Spanish Fort & J-ake Railroad Company is an old organization. The property was purchased in 1896 by Eastern capitalists and leased to the New Orleans & Western Railroad Company for the purpose of giving that company an entrance into New Orleans. Spanish Fort used to be the chief lake resort for the people of New Orleans, but of recent years it has become the chief resort of the colored portion of the inhabitants.

The Texas & Pacific Railroad Company, formerly known as the New Orleans Pacific Railroad Company, was organized in June, 1875, for the purpose of building a railroad from the upper Red River country to New Orleans, the latter city contributing $354,000; Alexandria, $15,200; Natchez, $25,000; Mansfield, $15,000; De Soto, $100,000; Shreveport, $25,000; Caddo, $20,000, and Marshall, Tex., $60,-000, together with the charter of the Marshall & Mansfield Railroad Company, and 286,720 acres of land belonging to this latter company. The work of construction

was carried on from 1875 to ISTO, the Louisiana Construction Company ceasing work in 1878, after spending $100,000. In July, 1880, the American Railroad Improvement Company took charge, and in October resumed the work of construction, and the last rail was laid July 11, 1882, the road at that time being 171 miles long and having cost $3,537,000. On September 19 of that year the new road was transferred to the Texas & Pacific Railroad Company, under articles of consolidation. The part of the old road between Shreveport, La., and Marshall, Tex., was completed July 38, 1866, the first train passing over it the next day. The first train from Dallas to Shreveport over the Texas Pacific road reached Shreveport August 11, 1873, and the road was opened for regular traffic August 13, 1873.

This road was first projected early in the forties, and a sketch of the road made in 1851. The branch from Baton Rouge Junction to Port Allen forms a part of this system, and the new road from Alexandria to Arkansas City, as well as the road from Plaquemine to Indian City.

In 1892 this company purchased the Kansas City, El Paso & Mexican Railroad, generally known as the White Oaks road, which was projected from El Paso to White Oaks, ten miles of which frpm El Paso north had been constructed and laid with steel, the cost to the purchasing company being $50,000; but this road was afterward sold to a local company for a sum sufficient to cover the cost and interest.

The Louisville, New Orleans & Texas Railroad was built to a point 80 miles above Vicksburg by July 25, 1884, and 315 miles of continuous track led north from New Orleans along the Mississippi River. February 1 of that year the telegraph was completed to the terminus of the road, fifty miles north of Walnut Hills. The road was completed January 1, 1885. Its branches are the Glendale & Eagle Nest, the Leland & Huntington, the Wilzcinski & Glen Allen, the Lament & Rondale and the Slaughter & Woodville.

This railroad company was formed by consolidation August 12, 1884; the main line was completed in October and opened November 1, 188-1. The main line forms the connecting link between the Chesapeake & Ohio system on the north and the Southern Pacific system on the south. The only New Orleans member of the board of directors elected in 1884 was A. C. Hutchinson. The distance from New Orleans to Memphis by this line is 456.18 miles. In 1884 its branches were the Leland branch, from Leland to Huntington, Miss., 21.90 miles, and the Washington branch, 34 miles long, making the entire length of the road 512.08 miles. The Issaquena branch, 1.37 miles long, was opened in 1888. October 3, 1887, R. T. Wilson was elected president, and in 1896, I. E. Gates was president; J. Kruttschnitts, vice-president, and Paul Flato, treasurer.

The Xew Orleans & Xortheastern Kailroad Company was chartered March 16, 1870, its tirst president being Adam Thompson, and its first chief engineer, G. Ingram. Surveys of the route were made, but the project of building the road was not immediately carried out, and it was not until 1881 that the surveys began for the actual construction of the road. At the close of that year work was begun on the road, the road being complete to Meridian, Miss., in November, 1883, and being opened for traffic to New Orleans November 1. The length of the road was then 195.9 miles, of which 151.595 miles were in Mississippi, and the total cost was $5,612,778.24.

This road is now a portion of the Queen & Crescent system, which comprises the Cincinnati, New Orleans & Texas Pacific, 336 miles; the Alabama Great Southern, 295 miles; the New Orleans & Northeastern, 196 miles; the Vieksburg & Meridian, 142.5 miles; the Vieksburg, Shreveport & Pacific, 189 miles, and the Postevent & Faure. In 1885 the following directors were elected: From New Orleans, Robert Mott, E. L. Carriere, J. H. Oglesby and Henry Abraham; the president being John Scott, of Cincinnati. Of the 196 miles between New Orleans and Meridian, 194.17 miles had steel rails. December 31 of this year the company had an aggregate of 927 cars and twenty-four locomotives, and the capital stock was $5,000,000.

On March 2, 1885, Frank S. Bond was elected president of this company, and Charles SchifE vice-president. In 1887 Charles Schiil was elected president, and C. C. Harvey vice-president, serving also in 1889. In 1897, C. C. Harvey was elected president and Charles Schifl vice-president.

The Louisiana Western Railroad, from Yermillionville to Orange, Tex., was begun in 1879, the entire line being completed in 1880, which completed the direct line from New Orleans to Houston, Te.x., as follows: The Te.xas & New Orleans Railroad from Houston to Orange, 106 miles; the Louisiana Western from Orange to Vermillionville, 112 miles; and Morgan's Louisiana & Texas Railroad from Ver-millionville to New Orleans, 144 miles; total distance 362 miles. In 1884 the entire line was under the management of C. P. Huntington, president, and the capital stock of the Louisiana Western was $3,360,000. The entire line was leased to the Southern Pacific Company February 10, 1885, for ninety-nine years from jNTarch 1, 1885.

The New Orleans, Fort Jackson & Grand Isle Railroad Company was chartered in 1890 for the purpose of constructing a railroad from New Orleans to Fort Jackson, with the view of connecting at the latter place by steamboat with Grand Isle.

The road was completed in 1891 to Buras, La., a distance of 59.6 miles, and from Socola Junction to Grand Bayou, La., 13 miles. Tlie officers of this company in 1896-99 were H. C. Warmouth, president; J. Wilkinson, secretary; A. Baldwin, treasurer; and F. L. Place, auditor. The office of the company is in New Orleans.

In closing the subject of the railway advantages of New Orleans, the following considerations may be adduced: The short rail distances from several of the interior grain market and packing-house centers to New York and to New Orleans compare as follows:

Miles

To To Saving to

New York. N. Orleans. N. Orleans.

Chicago, 111 , 913 912 0

Duluth, Minn 1,390 1,337 53

Minneapolis, Minn 1,332 1,279 53

St. Paul, Minn 1,321 1,268 53

Sioux City, Iowa 1,423 1,258 164

Omaha, Neb 1,402 1,070 332

Dubuque, Iowa 1,079 988 91

St. Louis, Mo 1,058 695 363

Peoria, 111 1,006 860 146

Cairo, 111 1,089 554 535

Evansville, Ind 989 708 881

Louisville, Ky 867 746 121

Nashville, Tenn 939 557 '382

Denver, Colo 1,933 1,356 576

Kansas City, Mo 1,335 878 457

Terminating in New Orleans and radiating therefrom in all directions are the following six great railroads : The Southern Pacific, operating 7,614 miles of road; the Queen & Crescent, operating 1,155 miles; the Louisville & Nashville, operating in its own name 2,988 miles, and controlling, through ownership of stock, the Nashville, Chattanooga & St. Louis Railwaj', 1,189 miles more, making in all, 4,177 miles; the Texas & Pacific Railway, operating 1,493 miles; the Yazoo & Mississippi A'alley Railway, operating 969 miles, and the Illinois Central Railway, operating 3,679 miles, making a total railway mileage tributary to New Orleans of 19,086 miles.

Whether these several railways discriminate in favor of or against New Orleans is a question too complicated and far-reaching for this work to undertake to determine, but it may be stated that the total value of the imports and exports of the port of New Orleans for the year ending June 30, 1899, was $100,090,537, while

the total receipts of the roads above enumerated from the carriage of passengers and freight was $130,037,703. Another matter is somewhat remarkable, for whereas in former years all the cotton that reached New Orleans was brought in by steamboat or other vessels, the railways since their recent improved condition have so reduced freight rates as to successfully compete with river transportation, and in tlirce of the recent years not a bale of cotton was carried to New Orleans by boat. It is certainly true that the railways centering in New Orleans have one great advantage over those centering in New York, in the matter of transporting freight from Chicago and other Western points, for the roads entering New Orleans from Chicago have a dead lift of only 214 feet, while in running from Chicago to New York there is a dead lift of 1,571 feet, or on some lines which cross the Alleghanies by longer routes the dead lift is about 500 feet.

A mail coach ran in 1804-5 from New Orleans to Manchac Church twice a week. It was owned by Hays & Commack.

The oldest line of street cars in the city, and in fact the first line established in the United States, was that of the New Orleans & Carrollton Company, which opened September 26, 1835 (having been chartered in 1833). It ran from the corner of Baronne and Canal to tlie little village of Carrollton, practically the same route now traversed by its cars. The charter obtained from Governor A. B. Romain is rather amusing when read in the light of modern progress and improvement :

"Be it resolved, that the New Orleans & Carrollton Eailroad Company be and are hereby authorized to place one single rail track from the lower limits of the Nims plantation, down Naydes street (St. Charles avenue), across Tivoli place (Lee Circle), down Triton walk (Howard avenue) and Baronne street to the point where this last street meets with Canal street.

"Be it resolved, that at any time hereafter the majority of the inhabitants and property holders through which the road passes can complain thereof as a nuisance, and the company, after receiving thirty days' notice from the mayor of the city, shall cause said railroad track to be removed, and the street put in the same order as it was before." (The company had the mud street paved with cobble stones at its own expense).

In 1834 the fare of this line was fixed; 12| cents from Canal to Tivoli Circle, 18| cents from the Circle to Jackson; 50 cents from the Circle to Carrollton. The president was then D. F. Burthe; the secretary, L. F. Generes. In 1845 steam "dummies" were placed on the road, running all the way from Carrollton to Lake

Pontchartrain, the line becoming the Jefferson & Lake Pontchartrain Kailroad. From Lee Circle the cars were brought down by means of animal power. While General Beauregard was president of this company, rope cables were tried as a way of propelling the cars, but, owing to the shrinking of the rope with changes of the barometer, had to be abandoned. Of course, the wire cables afterwards tried in San Francisco proved a great success.

The city station was formerly on the block enclosed by Baronne, Poydras and Perdido streets, afterwards occupied by the Globe Theater. The right of way was of 384 foot breadth.

In 1894 electricity was tried on this road, the first in the city to adopt it. Last year (1899) the track was rebuilt. It has now a fine road-bed, with stone ballast and strong cross-ties. The cars are good and run easily; the road is solid. April 15, 1899, the Canal & Claiborne Railroad was purchased by it and now forms part of the line, which comprises 70 miles of railroad. The two power houses (of 3,400 horse power together) are situated respectively at Napoleon avenue and the river front, and the head of Elysian Fields street. The New Orleans & Carrollton Company own 200 cars. They have grants for 40 more miles of track. Their franchise will not expire until 1933. The receipts in 1899 amounted to $675,000. The lines are as follows:

The St. Charles avenue belt line, from the head of Canal street through St. Charles avenue to its terminus, at Jeanette street, returning via Carrollton avenue and Tulane avenue to the starting point.

The Tulane avenue belt line, starting from the head of Canal street, through Tulane avenue and Carrollton avenue to its terminus at Jeanette street, returning via St. Charles avenue to the starting point.

The Jackson avenue line, starting from the head of Canal street, passing out through St. Charles avenue to the head of Jackson avenue and return.

The Napoleon avenue line, starting from the head of Canal street and passing out through St. Charles avenue to the head of Napoleon avenue and return.

The Claiborne line, starting from the head of Canal street and passing through Canal, Claiborne, Elysian Fields and St. Claude avenue to its terminus at Louisa street.

This system of street railways is now under the control of the following officers: J. K. Newman, president; Joseph H. Degrange, vice-president; S. H. March, second vice-president; Walter V. Crouch, secretary, and George H. Davis, general manager.

The Canal & Claiborne line was a "mule road," chartered in 1867 and beginning to run in 1868. It is now an electric line and part of the New Orleans & Car-rollton road, in which the two former lines, Claiborne avenue and Tulane avenue, are merged

The company of the City Eailroad formed in June, 1860, with $100,000 capital. It commenced to run June 1, 1861, starting at Canal and Rampart, where the people were assembled in crowds to watch it. The cars ran down Rampart and out Esplanade to Bayou bridge; fourteen crowded ears in all that day. They were built in omnibus fashion. The fare each way for the 3-mile trip was 5 cents. At the end of the line was the old-fashioned turn-table, turned by mules, such as most of us recall a few years ago on all the lines. On June 2, 1860, a little negro boy, at the corner of Canal and Rampart streets, was run over and killed, this being the first accident on the line. In June, 1864, improvements were made on the line to prevent accidents. At this time the company had cars running as follows: On Magazine street, 23; on Bayou road, 17; on Prytania street, 1-t; on Canal street, 18; and on Dauphine street, 24. In 1873 this company had the following lines in operation : The Esplanade line, to Bayou bridge, 3^ miles; the Magazine and Prytania lines, both running to Pleasant street, 2^ miles; the Rampart and Dauphine lines to the Barracks, 5 miles; the Canal street line, running to the city park and the cemeteries, 3 2-3 miles, the latter being patronized then more than any other line in the city. The original cost of constructing and equipping these lines was $997,-194.86, of which sum the horses and mules costing $99,329.40, and the cars, $74,-438.75.

The Levee line opened May 6, 1866, the company (the City Railroad Company) having a stock of $1,300,000. In 1871 the Canal street track, at a cost of $37,000, was removed from over the Canal to its sides. In 1872 the Barracks line was extended to the slaughter house and other improvements were made.

The City Eailroad Company was chartered February 28, 1899, for ninety-nine years. The capital stock consists of $2,500,000 of 5 per cent cumulative preferred, dividends payable in January and July, and $5,000,000 of common stock. The preferred stock has preference over the common as to assets, as well as to dividends, and the company cannot create a new lien without consent of a majority of the preferred stock, which latter also elects a majority of directors, until dividends shall have been paid thereon for five consecutive years.

This company has purchased the properties of the N"ew Orleans City and Lake and the Crescent City Railroad Companies. West End, a pleasure resort on Lake

Pontchartrain, lias been nnieh improved since it has been under its present owners. It has a fine band stand and pavilions. During the summer music, vaudeville shows, flower beds and the scenic railway combine to make it a most attractive place. No fee is charged for admission to this resort, and on summer evenings it is usually crowded.

The St. Charles Street Eailroad Company organized in ]866, and in that year built the Carondelet, Dryades and Clio lines. The five men most active in this work were: William H. McLellan, president; Alden McLellan, secretary; and John H. Nicholson, Henry Hart and John Pettit, the engineer being Samuel L. James. The capital was $500,000, increased in 1873 to $600,000, when the Koyal street lino was built, and in 1893 to $1,000,000. The president is now Albert G. Phelps; the secretary, N. Riviere. There arc forty cars and 18 miles of road. The power liouse, corner of Marigny and North Peters streets, contains three cross-compound Hamilton Corliss engines, and three 8-pole 200 kilowatt Walker generators. The directory is composed of Edward Toby, S. 0. Thomas, John W. Fairfax, H. T. Hart, E. S. Eeems and John McCloskey. The mechanical engineer is E. B. McKin-ney, and the electrical engineer Alexander L. Black.

The lines run as follows:

The Carondelet street line starts on Elysian Fields avenue, passes up Royal to Canal, up St. Charles, Howard avenue and Baronne to the station on Eighth street, returning by Carondelet, Bourbon and Esplanade avenue; the Dryades street line extends from Clay statue up St. Charles to Howard, on Dryades, Felicity and Baronne to the Eighth street station, and returning by Dryades, South Rampart and Canal; the Clio line extends from foot of Elysian Fields avenue up Royal, St. Charles, Howard avenue, South Rampart and Clio to the station, and returns by Erato, Carondelet, Bourbon, Esplanade and Decatur.

In 1898 this company began issuing transfer tickets from one to another of its various lines.

The Orleans Railroad Company organized in 1869, with $185,000 capital, and has three lines: Bayou St. John, Broad street. City Park and French Market, a total of 11.3 miles. Electricity was first used in 1895. The power house, near the Old Basin, has an Ellis-Corliss engine of 200 horse power. The company has thirty-one cars (single and double motors) and 150 employes. The president is E. Perrin; C. J. !MacMurdo, secretary; V. Willoz, electrician, and W. G. Leahy, chief engineer. The first president was Felix Labutat.

It may be said in conchision that New Orleans has one of the best systems of street ears in the world. There is hardly a portion of the city or its suburbs to

which one or another of the excellent lines just mentioned is not accessible. The cars are handsome and comfortable, nm easily and preserve a steady schedule in traversing their routes.

CHAPTER XIII.

SECRET ORDERS. BY Walter Parker.

SECRET ORDERS have thrived in New Orleans since the opening chapter of the city's history. IMasonry came with the early refugees, and the latter day fraternal organizations were, as a rule, introduced here soon after their inception. For over a hundred years the Masons have had lodges in New Orleans, and, with the exception of a few years prior to the civil war, they have enjoyed continuous progress and prosperity. Odd Fellowship gained a foothold in New Orleans a few years after the city became part of the United States, making rapid strides during the forties, when many now lodges were formed. The Knights of Pythias began organizing lodges immediately after the civil war and successfully combated the evil political influences which prevailed in those trying times, and to-day this organization is one of the strongest in the State. The labor and trade organizations were not so prompt to get a foothold here, but once established, their growth has been rapid and substantial, and indications are that within the next few years labor organizations will have become firml}- established and will embrace in their membership rolls all trades and occupations. In the last few years many organizations, such as the p]lks, which now has handsome headquarters, the T. P. A., etc., have been organized in New Orleans, and the membership and work of the various orders is generally satisfactory.

MASONRY.

Masonry was introduced into Louisiana during the latter part of the eighteenth century, its establishment being hastened probably by the hostility of Spain to the order, for while the Masons in New Orleans were mostly Frenchmen and few

in number, and while they were compelled to act cautiously and with considerabk circumspection in order to avoid giving offense to the authorities and becoming amenable to process of law, yet these restrictions only resulted in bringing the brethren closer together and strengthening-their bonds of union, a most natural result of any form of tyranny or oppression. Masonry had for many years existed in San Domingo, introduced by the French, and when a number of refugees came to Xew Orleans from the West Indies, it was but natural that they should seek their own countrymen here, and that the natives and immigrants should seek to strengtlien further the bonds of friendship by the organization of lodges of their own order. Hence, in 1T93, several Frenchmen, Freemasons, then residing in New Orleans, organized themselves into a lodge, by the name of Parfaite Union, and made application to the Grnnd I-odge of South Carolina for a charter, whicli was irriinied, pnd they were constituted as "'T.oge r.irfaite Union No. 39,'' the officers being installed in the York rite, March 30, 1794, by Jason Lawrence, who was specially deputed for that purpose. These first officers were: Laurent Sigur, W. M.; Laurent Chou-riac, S. W.; and Andres Wakernie, J. W.

During the same year, 1794, several members of the French or Modern Eite resolved to form themselves into a lodge, under the name of ''Etoile Polaire," applying to the Grand Orient of France for a charter; but this application proved futile, owing to the fact that the Grand Orient of France had suspended its labors because of political troubles then agitating that country. This being learned, these members made a similar application to the Provincial Lodge, "la Parfaite Sincerite" at Marseilles, which granted them a provincial charter in 1796, entrusting it to Dominique Mayronne with power to constitute the new lodge and to install its officers. Polar Star Lodge was, therefore, duly constituted and its officers installed under the French rite, December 27, 1798, with officers as follows: Duprelong Peytavin, W. M.; Chcv. Desilets, S. W., and F. Marc, J. W.

The Grand Orient of France, having in 1803 resumed its labors, took action on the petition of the members of the Polar Star Lodge, sent in 1794, and in 1.804 granted a charter and deputed Ch. Tessier to carry it to them and seal their work. Under this charter Polar Star Lodge No. 42C3 was reconstituted and its officers installed November 11, 1804, by A. Pinard and A. Marmillion, specially deputed for that purpose by the Grand Orient. The first officers under this charter were A. B. Chastant, W. M.; A. Marmillion, S. W.; and J. Pinard, J. W.

Some time previous to this latter date certain residents of New Orleans and former members of Candor Lodge No. 12, of Charleston, S. C, which had become

extinct, resolved to revive their old lodge in this city, and made application for a charter to the Grand Lodge of Pennsylvania, which was granted May 18, 1801, the lodge receiving the name of Candor Lodge No. 90, and having for its first officers, N. Definiels, W. M.; Gaspard Debuys, S. W.; and Pierre D. Berne, J. W. Under this charter it is thought by the best authorities on Masonry in New Orleans that no organization was effected, for the reason that its Worthy Master was the same as Charite Lodge No. 93, which was chartered March 1, 1802, but did not receive its charter until 1804, on May 13 of which year the lodge was duly constituted and the officers installed in the York Rite by Eugene Dorsiere, specially deputed for that purpose by the Grand Lodge of Pennsylvania. Its first officers were: N. Definiels, W. M.; D. Baron, S. W., and J. Carrick, J. W.

Louisiana was admitted to the Union April 30, 1812, a political change which had a corresponding effect on Masonry in the Territory, now changed to a State. Measures were immediately taken to form a Grand Lodge for the new State, the movement being initiated by Perfect Union Lodge No. 29, each of the lodges in the State sending three delegates to a meeting held in its hall at the corner of Camp and Gravier streets. New Orleans, April 18, 1812, the lodges represented being as follows: Perfect Union, No. 29; Charity, No. 93; Louisiana, No. 1; Concord, No. 117; Perseverance, No. 118; Harmony, No. 122, and Polar Star, No. 129. The delegates to this meeting organized themselves into a "General Masonic Committee of the State of Louisiana to provide for the establishment of a Grand Lodge in the city of New Orleans," with P. F. Dubourg, president, and two secretaries. The second meeting of this general committee was held May 16, 1812, at which it was resolved that a summons be issued calling together a "Grand Convention" to deliberate upon the necessity of organizing a Grand Lodge for the State. This grand convention met June 13, 1812, and as a result of its deliberations the "Grand Convention of Ancient York Masons" assembled in the room of Perfect Union Lodge, No. 29, and elected grand officers as follows: P. P. Dubourg, Grand Master; Hon. L. C. E. Moreau Lislet, Deputy Grand Master; Jean Blanque, Senior Grand Warden; Francois Pernot, Junior Grand Warden; J. B. Pinta, Grand Treasurer; J. B. Veron, Grand Secretary; Mathurin Pacaud, Grand Orator; Yves Lemonnier, Grand Pursuivant; and Augustin Macarty, Grand Steward. Thus was the Grand Lodge of the State formed June 20,1812, and in due time this Grand Lodge was admitted into full fellowship with all her sister grand lodges in the United States.

The Grand Royal Arch chapter of Louisiana was formed March 8, 1813, by

Concord and Perseverance Royal Arch Chapters, working under charters from the Grand Chapter of Pennsylvania and attached to lodges of the same name, and on March 13, the Grand Officers were elected and installed as follows: P. F. Dubourg, G. H. P.; Moreau Lislet, D. G. H. P.; J. Soulie, G. K.; and Thomas Urquhart, G. S.

It should be stated that when the Grand Lodge was organized two of the lodges then in existence failed to participate, viz.: Louisiana Xo. 1, and Harmony Xo. 122. Up to the close of the year 1818, the Grand Lodge had granted nine charters, only three of which were for lodges in Louisiana, and none of tlie three in New Orleans. But the three new lodges, together with the five which united in forming the Grand Lodge, made eight lodges in the State acknowledging its jurisdiction. Louisiana Lodge had gone out of existence and Harmony Lodge, No. 182, was still working under its charter from the Grand Lodge of Pennsylvania and there was another lodge in the State of which the Grand Lodge had no knowledge until years afterwards. From this time on until 1846 there was a great deal of confusion in Masonry in the State, lodges being formed under jurisdictions other than the Grand Lodge of the State, as under the French Rite, under the Grand Lodge of Mississippi, and other bodies; but since 1850 there has been little or no conflict of authority, all of the lodges having come under the jurisdiction of the Grand Lodge of Louisiana. For a detailed history of Masonry in Louisiana the reader is referred to the "Rise and Progress of Freemasonry in Louisiana," by James B. Scot, who had unusual facilities for writing a book of this kind, and did his work well. The following is a list of the Masonic lodges in New Orleans, together witli the dates of their organization:

Perfect Union Xo. 1, organized 1793, date of present cliarter August 15, .1812; Polar Star No. 1, originally No. 5, organized in 179-1, date of present charter August 15, 1812; Perseverance No. 4, organized in 1810, date of present charter August 15, 1812; Cervantes No. 5, organized February 14, 1884; Los Amigos del Orden, organized September 24, 1842, having been consolidated August 23, 1883, with Silencio No. 9; Germania No. 46, charter dated April 18, 1844; Friends of Harmony No. 58, April 22, 1848; Mount Moriah No. 59, March 24, 1849; George Washington No. 65, March 3, 1850; Hiram No. 70, March 3, 1850; Alpha No. 72, February 14, 1860; Quitman No. 76, March 4, 1850; Hermitage No. 98, January 21, 1851; Louisiana No. 102, January 23, 1851; Ocean No. 144, February 10, 1857; St. Johns No. 153, February 10, 1858; Linwood No. 167, February 13, 1861; Kosinos No. 171, February 9, 18G4; Union Xo. 172, February 17, 1865; Dante No.

174, February 14, 18C6; Corintliiau No. 190, February 9, 1869; Jefferson Xo. 191, February 9, 1869. Besides these lodges there are the following organizations:

The Grand Chapter, organized March 13, 1813; and the Grand Conimandery of Knights Templar, chartered February 12, 1864, and two commanderies in New Orleans subject to the jurisdiction of the Grand Conimandery, viz.: The Invisible Friends Conimandery, No. 1, chartered May 4, 1816, and the Jacques De Molay Commandery, No. 2, chartered April 15, 1851.

Under the Grand Royal Arch Chapter of the State are the following: Orleans Royal Arch Chapter, No. 1, and Concord Royal Arch Chapter, No. 2. Under the Grand Council of Royal and Select Masters, which meets annually in February, there is the Louisiana Council, No. 2, which meets monthly. There are also the Eagle Council of Kadosh, No. 6; the Pelican Chapter, Rose Croix, No. 11; the Albert Pike Lodge of Perfection, No. 1; the Jerusalem Council, Nobles of the Mystic Shrine, and the ]\Iasonic Veterans Association.

The colored JIasons have the following organizations:

The W. M. Eureka Grand Lodge and constituent lodges as below: Richmond Lodge, No. 1; Berry Lodge, No. 2; Stringer Lodge, No. 3; St. Luke's Lodge, No. 4; Tuscan Lodge, No. 5; Gilbert Lodge, No. 6; DeGruy Lodge, No. 7; Progress Lodge, No. 16; Mount Olive Lodge, No. 21; Vera Cruz Lodge, No. 24; Ezra Chapter, No. 1, R. A. M.; Alpha Chapter, No. 2, R. A. M.; Eureka Chapter, No. 3, R. A. M.; Constantine Conimandery, No. 1, K. T.; Bethany Commandery, No. 2, K. T.; and Godfrey, No. 3, K. T.

In connection with the history of the Louisiana State Lottery it should be mentioned that a lottery was authorized by the Legislature for the purpose of erecting a Masonic temple in New Orleans; but under that authority it is not now remembered that any action was taken. But in 1859 the Masons of the city determined to erect one of the finest temples in the country, and purchased for $60,000 the ground known as the Carrollton Railroad Depot, included between St. Charles, Carondelet, Calliope and Delord streets, with the exception of a small angle at Carondelet near Calliope, upon which stood a couple of houses. Upon this ground the foundations of a temple were laid at a cost of $30,000, the design being to erect a building to cost $250,000, but the project was abandoned because of the great expense. Land was sold off to the amount of $80,000, and the old Commercial Exchange building, standing at the corner of St. Charles and Perdido streets, was purchased for $55,000, the building being used as a temple until about 1890, when the erection of the present temple was begun, the corner-stone being laid

October 20, that year. The building was completed in 1892 at a total cost of about $110,000.

INDEPENDENT ORDER OF ODD FELLOWS.

Odd Fellowship was founded in Louisiana by the organization of Louisiana Lodge No. 1, under a charter granted by the Grand Lodge of the United States, February 20, 1831, the lodge being instituted May 23, following. The Independent Order of Odd Fellows was introduced into the United States in 1806, and in 1819 some persons who had been members of English lodges established a lodge at Baltimore which soon received a charter from the Manchester Unity. Thomas Wildey, who was one of the promoters of the Baltimore lodge, was largely instrumental in organizing the Grand Lodge of Louisiana, a charter for which was granted by the Grand Lodge of the United States, in an adjourned meeting held at Baltimore March 5, 1832, the Louisiana branch being proclaimed instituted January 6, 1833. Eleven years later the State Legislature passed an act incorporating the body, the charter extending over a period of fifty years. The first encampment of the patriarchal branch was named Wildey, No. 1, and was organized under a charter from the Grand Lodge of the United States, granted March 5, 1832, to be located at New Orleans, and instituted by Grand Sire Wildey, December 24, 1832. Afterward other encampments were organized in different parts of the State. The Grand Encampment was organized under a dispensation issued October 2, 1847, to Wildey, No. 1; Louisiana, No. 2, of St. Francesville; Hobah, No. 3; and Magnolia, No. 4, of Baton Eoiige, the Grand Encampment to be located at New Orleans, and known as the Grand Encampment of Louisiana. The preliminary meeting to act upon the dispensation was held January 13, 1848, the same being accepted and the meeting adjourned on the 10th of the month following. Under Grand Lodge authority to establish Rebekah lodges, Naomi Lodge, No. 1, was instituted May 16, 1874, at New Orleans, and other lodges of the same degree were soon afterward organized at other places in the State. To the jurisdiction of Louisiana belongs the credit of originating and carrjdng to success three important adjuncts of the order, viz.: The General Eelief Committee, organized in 1846; the Odd Fellows Eest cemetery, consecrated Febriiary 26, 1849, and the Widows and Orphans' Relief Association, organized in 1864. The Auxiliary Endowment Association of Louisiana was organized in May, 1882.

The home of the Odd Fellows in New Orleans was formerly located at the corner of Camp and Lafayette streets, where now stands the Fisk Free and Public library building. Here the corner-stone of the first Odd Fellows' Hall was laid

April 26, 1850, and the building was dedicated November 23, 1852. It was destroyed by fire July 4, 1866, and the present Odd Fellows' Hall, situated on Camp street, between Lafayette and Poydras streets, was built in 1867-68, and dedicated November 10, of the latter year.

In 1862 the Grand Lodge and the Grand Encampment effected a separation from the Grand Lodge of the United States and assumed independent authority. Fraternal relations were restored in the early part of 1865.

During the great epidemics of yellow fever in New Orleans the Odd Fellows, as did all the older fraternal orders, accomplished many noble deeds in relief work.

Prior to 1840, charters were granted to the following New Orleans lodges: Louisiana, No. 1; Perseverance, No. 2; True American (changed to Washington), No. 3; Unity, No. 5. Louisiana, No. 1; Perseverance, No. 2; Washington, No. 3, and L'nity, No. 5, surrendered their charters May 23, 1840, in order to form a lodge to be known as Union, No. 1. The charter was granted, but, due to the fact that a new lodge could not take the number of an old one, the name of the new lodge was changed to Union, No. 6. Subsequently Louisiana, No. 1, and Washington, No. 3, reclaimed their original charters.

The subordinate lodges of Odd Fellows now in existence, together with the date each was instituted, follow:

Louisiana, No. 1, May 23, 1831; Washington, No. 3, December 27, 1838; Teutonia, No. 10, April 28, 1846; Magnolia, No. 22, January 29, 1848; Independence, No. 23, October 25, 1848; Columbus, No. 24, April 23, 1849; Southwestern, No. 40, January 2, 1854; Gretna, No. 53, January 16, 1889; Progressive, No. 54, June 24, 1899.

Ora Rebekah Lodge, No. 7, was instituted November 13, 1890, and Vashti Rebekah Lodge, No. 17, February 15, 1899.

Wildey Encampment, No. 1, was instituted December 24, 1832, and Washington Encampment, No. 6, March 11, 1848.

The colored organizations of Odd Fellows are as follows:

Louisiana Grand Lodge, No. 21, and subordinate lodges; Butler, No. 1336; Amos, No. 1487; Emblem of Progress, No. 1507; Pride of Louisiana, No. 1529; 0. J. Dunn, No. 1548; Crescent, No. 1646; Good Intent, No. 1656; Pride of Jefferson, No. 1679; La Creole, No. 1918; Israel, No. 1971; Magnolia, No. 1990; Orleans Progress, No. 2327; and John and Jacob, No. 2842.

KNIGHTS OF PYTHIAS.

The Knights of Pythias organized lodges in Louisiana as early as 1868, but shortly thereafter, in fact as soon as the Grand Lodge had been got in shape, the political corruption which was then tearing the State from center to circumference, invaded the organization and an effort was made to control the vote of the members. This quickly caused a revolt and the Grand Lodge was practically disorganized. The next effort of the order was made in 1876 when on April 1-5 of that year Orleans Lodge, No. 1, was organized under a charter granted hve days previously. In May of 1880 Supreme Chancellor S. S. Davis, of Maine, came to Louisiana and reorganized the Grand Lodge at Monroe. The Endowment and Uniform Eanks were also organized about this time, and since then the order has flourished here. The Louisiana branch of the K. of P. bears the distinction of having liad at one time an orthodox Catholic priest as prelate of one of its lodges.. The headquarters of the Grand Lodge are now located'at New Orleans, with the following officers: P. A. Capdau, G. C.; W. A. Knapp, G. V. C.; W. L. Erwin, G. P.; T. C. Will, G. M. of E.; John A. McLean, G. K. of R. and S.; W. C. Davis, G. M. A.; P. J. Chappuis, G. I. G.; P. J. Alexander, G. 0. G.; J. Zach Spearing and Henry Bernstein, Supreme Representatives. The lodges of the Knights of Pythias, together with the date each was organized, are as follows:

Orleans, No. 1, April 10, 1876. Halcyon, No. 66, April 10, 1886.

Crescent, No. 3, Aug. 31, 1878. Garibaldi, No. 72, Oct. 21, 1886.

Royal Arch, No. 8, March 28, 1879. Excelsior, No. 74, Oct. 30, 1886.

Samaritan, No. 9, Aug. 25, 1879. Lexington, No. 73, Nov. 4, 1886.

Paragon, No. 16, May 14, 1880. Washington, No. 75, Dec. 2, 1886.

Ivanhoe, No. 22, Jan. 14, 1881. Samson, No. 80, April 25, 1887.

Tivoli, No. 25, March 8, 1881. Jefferson, No. 81, April 26, 1887.

Alma, No. 42, Oct. 12, 1883. Virginius, No. 88, April 27, 1889.

Dionysius, No. 45, April 17, 1884. Audubon, No. 90, June 3, 1889.

Myrtle, No. 47, July 5, 1884. Ivy, No. 93, Nov. 3, 1889.

Perseverance, No. 48, July 12, 1884. Onward, No. 95, Dec. 6, 1889.

Syracuse, No. 50, Oct. 2, 1884. R. E. Lee, No. 99, March 14, 1891.

Columbia, No. 52, Feb. 3, 1885. Empire, No. 113, April 9, 1892.

Manhattan, No. 53, May 25, 1885. James G. Gregory, No. 117, April 29, 1893.

France, No. 56, September 16, 1885. Apollo, No. 127, March 23, 1894.

Eagle, No. 57, Oct. 13, 1885. Metairie, No. 126, March 24, 1894.

Minerva, No. 58, Oct. 38, 1885. Beauregard, No. 128, May 17, 1894.

Kenilworth, No. 69, Nov. 6, 1885. Confidence, No. 131, July 7, 1894.

American, No. 62, Dec. 10, 1885. Virginia, No. 136, June 15, 1895. Hercules, No. 68, April 3, 1886.

KNIGHTS OF HONOR.

Tlie Knights of Honor became established in Louisiana July 8, 1881. with the organization of Alj^ha Lodge, No. 2501, at Shreveport. The first New Orleans lodge was Pelican, No. 2511, which was formed July 25, 1881, with forty members. The prime movers in the organization of this lodge were Dr. S. M. Angell, F. H. Eobinson and D. J. Searcy. The lodge has been a popiilar one ever since it was chartered, and at the beginning of 1900 had a membership of 140. There are at the time of this writing 18 lodges in New Orleans, with a total membership of 1676. The Uniform Bank was established in the State December 6, 1887, by the formation of Eagle Commandery, No. 9, which was afterward changed to the Crescent City Commandery. The subordinate lodges in the city are as follows: Pelican, No. 2511; New Orleans, No. 2515; Eagle, No. 2519; Eureka, No. 2524; Excelsior, No. 252G; Union, No. 2531; Continental, No. 2532; Washington, No. 2540; Columbia, No. 2546; Carrollton, No. 2747; Algiers, No. 2549; Orion, No. 2561; Arlington, No. 3532; Progressive, No. 3578; Avenue, No. 3586; Perseverance, No. 3596; Germania, No. 3606; Minerva, No. 3626; and Palmetto, No. 3775.

ANCIENT ORDER OF UNITED WORKMEN.

The Ancient Order of LTnited Workmen was not introduced into Louisiana iintil eighteen years after the order was founded at Meadville, Pa., in 1868. The first Louisiana lodge was established at Gretna in 1884, under the title, Jefferson Lodge, No. 12, biit, due to the prejudice then existing against New Orleans because of epidemics, the order was kept out of the city proper until 1894, when Corinthian Lodge, No. 19, was organized, and duly chartered with 87 members. Just prior to the organization of this lodge, the Southern Jurisdiction, embracing Louisiana, Arkansas, Texas and the Indian Territory, which had existed from 1884 to 1892, was changed to embrace Arkansas, Louisiana and the Indian Territory, with the Grand Eecorder's headquarters at Bentonville, Ark., and it was due to this change that the ban against New Orleans was removed. While being one of the largest in point of membership of all the fraternal organizations in this country, the Ancient Order of United Workmen does not appear to have gained a particularly strong foothold here. The lodges in the city proper are: Corinthian, No. 19; Lafayette, No. 20; and Crescent, No. 22. The Louisiana representatives to the Supreme Lodge are J. H. Shepherd, Shreveport; W. W. Whit-tington, and W. J. Calvert, Alexandria.

AMERICAN LKGION OF IIOXOR.

The American Legion of Honor gained a foothold in Xew Orleans through the organization of Chalmette Council, No. 801, in the latter part of 1881. The days of greatest prosperity for the order in this part of the country were between the years 1885 and 1890, when the membership in the State reached about 2,500. The membership is not so large now. The next meeting of the Grand Council will be held in New Orleans in May, 1901. The subordinate councils in New Orleans are: Concord, No. 206; Louisiana, No. 455; Orleans, No. 507; Chalmette, No. 801; Bienville, No. 869; De la Salle, No. 862; Dixie, No. 879; Columbia, No. 926; Walhalla, No. 939; and Tulane, No. 1167.

Among the other orders represented in New Orleans are the following:

The Knights and Ladies of the Golden Eule, by Chalmette Castle, No. 100, the Grand Chapter having been organized in 1884.

The Order of Heptasophs, or S. W. M.—Subordinate Conclaves, Eagle, No. 3, and Aetna, No. 15.

The Ancient Order of Druids, with the following groves: Concordia Grove, No. 1; Mispel Grove, No. 6 (German) ; Orient Grove, No. 10; Louisiana Grove, No. 13 (German) ; Crescent, No. 17; Merlin, No. 18; American, No. 19; Harmony, No. 22; Friendship, No. 23; Elvin, No. 24; Ivy, No. 25; Orleans, No. 26; E. E. Lee, No. 27; Stonehenge, No. 28; Hope, No. 29; Morvin, No. 30; Manhattan. No. 32; and Louisiana Circle, No. 1.

Tlie Templars of Honor and Temperance with two organizations—The Grand Temple of Honor of Louisiana, and Howard Temple, No. 2. Besides these there are the New Orleans Catholic Total Abstinence Association, the St. Joseph's Total Abstinence Society, St. Alphonsus Total Abstinence Society, and the Woman's Christian Temperance Union.

The Catholic Knights of America have the following branches in New Orleans: Numbers 271, 278, 291, 311, 343, 352, 356, 394, 416, 467 and 506.

The Woodmen of the World have the following camps: Palmetto, No. 1; Orange, No. 8; Eureka, No. 27; Hickory, No. 28; Tulane, No. 48; Acorn, No. 51; Live Oak, No. 53; Magnolia, No. 58; and Yellow Pine, No. 60.

The Patriotic Order Sons of America has the following camps: Washington, No. 1; No. 4; No. 5; No. 6; No. 11; No. 15; No. 16; and No. 17, and the Louisiana Commandery, which meets on the fourth Thursday of each month, at No. 407 Carondelet street.

The Patriotic Order of Americans has the following camps: Martha Washington, No. 1; No. 2; and No. 3.

The Independent Order of B'nai B'rith has the following lodges: Crescent City, No. 182; B'nai Israel, No. 188; Gulf, No. 224; Home, No. 243; and James W. Gutheim, No. 439.

CHAPTER XIV.

THE NATURE OF BIRD LIFE AT NEW ORLEANS.

i By Henry H. Kopman.

IT IS singular that a city so near the tropics as New Orleans should be restless and changeful, yet it is so, not only in its civic institutions, but also in nature's round. Though its temperatures are rather even than otherwise, the place does not bask in the undisturbed enjoyment of a subtropical climate. Still, when we thoroughly realize now and again the strength of the tides of changing seasons with us, the true conception comes rather in the nature of a surprise; for the extent of New Orleans' climatic changes does not live perpetually before the minds of the inhabitants, and with a few exceptions the whole course of the year makes an impression of much more equable conditions than exist.

This partial failure of adjustment between observation and somewhat preconceived notions is explained by the fact that while a very lasting and a very clearly determined predominance is not ordinarily the accompaniment of the sets of commoner conditions belonging separately to each of the four seasons, there are several changes much more sudden and much more complete than is commonly realized. These changes are, especially, the ones caused by the thrilling life of spring; they are very effectual in introducing a new course of natural affairs. By them the early Southern summer is very remotely separated from the Southern winter as its predecessor; a long way lies again to winter through the successive steps of autumn. Yet even after a little observation makes it manifest that in its own time and in a modified way New Orleans passes through the whole succession of year phases proper to the temperate belt of the Northern hemisphere, the

possibility of tlie most radical disarrangements and reorganizations of the bird forces is not taken into consideration except by those who have had their attention drawn to these things. As a matter of fact, such phenomena are most dependable witnesses to the often covered advance of seasonal activities. But if the whole subject of movement among the birds is ignored nothing like a correct idea of the composition of the avifauna at New Orleans or in other Southern localities can be formed. In the North it is familiar enough that many of the birds are gone all winter, and their home-coming is most patent; but, excepting a few generally appreciated facts, as, "Eobins come in cold weather," the extent of what goes on in bird migration with us is not suspected by most persons. They see many birds here the year round, and they look upon them as unequivocal inhabitants of the soil, the birds of Louisiana only, and not of twenty or thirty other States as well. This impression that lower Louisiana, particularly, is a land peculiar in its bird dwellers may be traced very probably to the richness of the avifauna in certain tribes of birds, and to the often well-earned conspicuousness of single species whose fame emanated largely from here through the expositions of great Audubon. Many of his biographies had a very direct bearing on North American birds as found tenanting this State. Gaudy and varied marsh denizens, Orphean Mockingbirds and Wood Thrushes, the Nonpariel, the rainbow's color chart, all these among a host were held up to the world as samples of a multitude of beauties that were not absolutely peculiar to the section from which many of them were depicted, but which shone there on all sides.

But, after taking actual census, what do we find most of the birds of all parts of Louisiana to be but the birds of North America, and what the very small remaining fraction but those of a considerably extended Gulf region, in several cases merely proving most characteristic within such limits, and widely transgressing them in a more restricted manifestation. There is absolutely no species of bird known to be peculiar to Louisiana. Still that does not remove the fact that bird-study in New Orleans' environs presents many differences from other bird-lore; we catch a peculiar light on the strangers that pass our land. What is seen of the bird life here, as in all other sections of the United States, is only different segments of the great body of a continental avifauna, whose advance to the northward or southward depends upon the operation of the weather and climate forces. Having, like other cities, its times of exodus among annual travelers, and its waves of disturbance arising from readjustments of residence made necessary by the course of activities and pursuits, New Orleans is as natural a place as

any for a comparison of the bird movements and human concerns. Like the great thronging in early summer to cooler climates is the all-embracing spring progress of the birds northward, with the corresponding return in fall; at other times of the year are the local exchanges of population. At those periods in the year during whicli release from routine, no matter when it comes, is enjoyed by city-bred men and women, it must occasion interest to learn the constant character of the aspects proper to these recurring times.

Especially in the autumn, when nearly every one is touched more or less directly by the important readjustments previous to the settling down of affairs to a winter status, a chance arises of watching the birds that enliven the days of fall bustle and preparation, of the return of travelers, the greetings of friends. During this time, which is focal in so many lives, the ornithologist feels that he is taking up a very fresh chapter in the yearly history of his bird friends. The weather, as a basis of this study, is of its usual importance; in this case its point of notice is the strange mixture of warmth and the energizing quickness and freshness of bright fall weather, especially about the second and third week of October. Either returned from a higher latitude or filled with deep satisfaction in the reviving air of the season after a summer at home, the interest of the ornithologically inclined centers in the wish to be out and to recall how this weather and its accompaniment of birds harmonizes with a country which at last acquaintance was under the sway of very different conditions of the weather.

As the actual city borders are nowhere within a short distance of anything approaching woodland, the bird life that laps against the city's threshold at other times than the nesting season presents a majority of species living in fields and other open places. Still these species give to the town naturalist hints of what is proceeding among wider bird areas.

If an excursion for the purpose of noting these things is delayed until October 10, we shall certainly find an assemblage that is without an exact parallel at any other time. Battered rows of corn and okra stalks are thoroughfares for the Savanna Sparrows that slip through the grass; in notes, feathers, and form there is decided delicacy about these birds; their color is pale, and their markings are faint, as is the slightly metallic note that escapes each as it oscillates in low flight over the grass. The Phoebe bird, from low, exposed perches, calls attention to itself by its somewhat peremptory salutation. Blended gray and brown, it need have no shame for its plain feathers, whose color is repeated all over the tops of the weed fields, and in the fall grasses. The Indigo birds, purely brown at this

season, are an invading army during their three weeks of passage through the vicinity of New Orleans. Their day is about over when the Kiltdeers are beginning to come, a few at a time, to the pastures. Out upon the fields to profit by the plentiful grasshoppers and other insects, making a iinal rally in the still warm sun, are the Sparrow Hawk and the Loggerhead Shrike, the latter undoubtedly with an eye to the small birds that stay along the edges of the thickets or in the weeds. Never absent from these scenes, but unconcerned in the affairs of the other birds, White-bellied Swallows float and sail all day.

About October 20 the occurrence of the most perfect examples of the days peculiar to these middle weeks of October ceases, though possibly a little later than that date there is often a very bright, fresh-aired day, its atmosphere less akin to true fall weather than to the days of the earlier winter. This is the time for the coming of the first Titlarks, which are heard during the day, flying by at a considerable height. If many pass at once, there is a conglomerated twittering, but the voices of the single birds are rather decisive. After this there is a continual approach to Indian summer, whose absolute fulfillment comes some time after all summer birds are gone, and the fall transient migrants, too. The last birds of these two classes with a few exceptions, stay scarcely until November 1. In the last week or ten days of October there is a tremendous exodus of Indigo-birds, Chimney Swifts, Nighthawks, Hummingbirds, many Warblers, noticeably, the Hooded, Parula, Eedstart, Magnolia and Tennessee, and sometimes the Black-throated Green and associated species; all remaining Catbirds, Wood Thrushes, Tanagers, Red-eyed, Yellow-throated and Philadelphia Greenlets, Barn Swallows, Green-crested Flycatchers, Wood Pewees and Cuckoos. For a short while there are not many birds to take the place of these, but soon White-throated Sparrows and Goldfinches troop through the woods and thickets, reinforced by the many Myrtle Warblers. The Robins, with hardly any exceptions, are the most cautious about installing themselves here for winter, the Rusty Blackbirds, however, being of about the same mind. The completest representation of this array is found, perhaps, in December, for the whole fall from October is signalized by a series of southward, deliberate advances. In the migration of the White-throated Sparrows this is especially well seen; each new invasion of winter, severer than the one before, brings detachments of them; those before welcome those forced on, this order being repeated until all the White-throats are transported, and in the face of the winter's later biting winds no fresh voices are added to the call notes of the hosts. Specifically described, the first White-throats appear furtively and

uncertainly the last half of October among the great numbers of birds about; by All Saints day the numbers swell, and Thanksgiving passes with an accompaniment that comes universally from the thickets.

After the sudden cold breath that initiates each change whereby the country is more securely held under the grasp of winter conditions, not those of temperature alone, there is generally a lapse into a period of mild, half bright, sometimes steaming weather, which seems to afford great pleasure to the birds. They associate a great deal at this season, as there is an evenness of taste among them about where to disport themselves; the smaller growths along the edges of the low woods, preferably with a cover of briers near, suits the needs of nearly all. Here, when summer walks in his sleep among his despoiled domains, lively birds become jubilant over the nearness of his presence; there are Kinglets, Titmice, Wrens, a Thrasher or Hermit Thrush, and far less frequently a Bluebird; Myrtle Warblers, White-throats, Swamp Sparrows, Cardinals and sometimes in these lower levels of the woods a flock of Goldfinches, and, as a sentinel for the whole body, the ever-same Phcebe-bird. Two birds that are thoroughly at home in this company, but that are found with it more rarely, are the Orange-crowned Warbler, and the Blue-headed Greenlet. The latter is an interesting bird as a winter resident, the general supposition appearing to be that it does not remain within the United States after fall; while rarely met with here in the migrations, it is regular in midwinter.

Going just outside of New Orleans in winter to the first woods we find, we are at once in the midst of the normal conditions of bird life here in winter. There is such a thorough agreement between the birds and the surroundings that it is hard to realize that the majority of the former belong only secondarily to the soil, brought to it by the progressive changes of the year. In addition to the Ruby-crowned Kinglet, and the Myrtle Warbler, the Swamp and White-throated Sparrows form the body of these winter sojourners. The last two species and the Savanna Sparrows, however, are of equal importance outside of the woods, being, in fact, immeasurably the most plentiful winter sparrows in districts of Louisiana similar to those near New Orleans. Any field that is wet or marshy in spots and that has thickets of dead weeds or briers is the absolutely certain abode of all three species. The Vesper Sparrow is seldom found in the fields at New Orleans, and the Fo.x-colored Sparrow is ordinarily a rarity, most likely to appear with and after the occasional spells of rigorous weather experienced at the end of our winter; the same is true in the main of the glowingly bright Purple Finch. February

is a contradictory month in its bird movements; at one time there seems undeniable progress towards spring conditions and without warning comes a retrogression to a temporary winter siege. The balmy breezes on cloudy days may induce the arrival of venturesome Purple Martins by February 10, or even sooner, and the middle of the month, at least, usually brings the first of this species. Representative of nearly the other extreme of weather, at all events of the inclement February days, are the Cedar-birds seeking out the berry-bearing trees of the city that will yield the best repast for their small amount of trouble. However, Cedar-birds show no inclination to go after the disagreeable February weather is long forgotten in the realization of spring.

When the blizzards keep hands off long enough for our woods to show what they can do with a fair chance, many of the trees are in a very inviting condition almost by March 1, especially live oaks and willows. Following the advent of the month by from four days to a week come the first summer birds that arc in any sense wood birds, the Parula Warblers. The faint music of the scouts swells in a day or two into the delicate symphony of scores. This is always the first fact of unequivocal importance in the growth of winter into spring. With the coming of this bird breaks the spell which made it seem as though in the matter of birds our winter had not caused us many deprivations. The reputation of a balmy. Southern climate has not appeared more than deserved; as we have followed the birds through the winter, their homes have come to seem a veritable bird metropolis, with plentiful animated dwellers; but how low the ebb of all this life even, how little thrill in it, when we are brought face to face with the unbroken inpouring of spring's birds. This follows the slight pause after the Parulas enter the woods, and after the passage through them of the magician, warm spring moisture, who unseals the buds and drapes the twigs with filmy, fluttering leaves. As we have seen, other signs of spring's beginning have been vouchsafed before this, but when the trees in the primitive swamps and level woods become misty with young foliage, the increase in spring's votaries is almost immediate. The Hooded Warbler is in the forefront of this invasion from the tropics. For the first two or three days after March 10 or 12 one may go through the woods and find the birds only here and there, singing modestly, but others have crowded in by the end of a week, and their music is not seriously rivaled in the woods except by that of the White-eyed Greenlet and the Parula Warbler. If the latter species were represented by only a few of its kind in a small area, its notes would not tell, though they are very incisive; but as there are such numbers of Parulas, their

songs form almost a background for other notes. As one of the louder-voiced musicians ceases to sing, it happens half the time that there is the unfinished trill from one of a score of Parulas distant a hundred yards or more to punctuate the other song.

Another bright Warbler that soon follows the Hooded Warbler in its occupancy of the woods, especially those that are swampy, is the Prothonotary Warbler, which arrives with lively habits, and a gleesome heart that often overflows with a short rippling song, direct, and as bright and simple as a nosegay of spring wild flowers. Its feathers, indeed, are a bouquet of colors, yellow, blue and white, dispersed in that order from head to tail.

The new leaves now are past the stage when to a human eye each one is a marvel; a deeper green is stealing into them, and the gaunt tree frames which have stood out so sturdily against winter's assaults are already well screened. Hardly later than the Prothonotary Warbler comes the Red-eyed Greenlet; as it slinks about in the heart of the foliage it is a particularly inconspicuous bird; it is slim, green above, with darker cap, bordered by strong lines, and white below, tinted, especially about the sides, with pale greenish yellow. The notes commonly heard from it at this time comprise a much accentuated double whistle, often immediately repeated in another key. As sounds impress us, these are just a little wistful.

It would not do to be all of the time within the cover of the woods at this season; one would miss then as pleasant a sight as spring affords, the first Chimney Swift cutting quickly across the sky or vacillating as it coquets with the breeze. It has returned with others of its kind in time to dance in the air, filling with the rising spring incense from locusts, sweet olives, and magnolia fuscatas in city gardens. The Swift is an easy figure to recognize under nearly any circumstances; the long black wings form a crescent, whose perfection of outline is scarcely broken by the small, dark short-tailed body. As almost a responding voice to the Swift's homelike, often excited twitter, we hear the Blue-gray Gnatcatcher's persuasive lisp, nearer the earth, among suburban trees, the smaller live oaks seeming especially to be given over to it. This is one of the frailest of North American birds, and apparently absolutely fearless, besides. Its white underparts, washed with light gray, the ashy blue upperparts, and the long white and black tail call attention to this mite of a bird, which is always remembered by what might be said to be its grown-up ways, some of them appearing as if copied from its larger relatives—the Mockingbird and the Catbird.

Acquaintance with tlie Sandpipers and other small wading birds in their more usual environment of the seashore would scarcely suggest the possibility of their conveying as true a spring flavor as surrounds them when they tarry in migration at inland feeding tracts. By the middle of March, under the full sway of balm-bearing winds and genial rains, they are induced to range far and wide over wet or pond-splotched pastures. In their quick transits from spot to spot they often come within the shadow of the fresh woodland borders. Two of the kinds most conspicuous are commoner inhabitants, it is true, of wet or only grassy localities away from the seashore tlian they are of coasts. Solitary Sandpipers, or Tattlers, in companies of only two or three, to irresponsible flocks of as many as twenty, are probable lingerers about any good-sized puddle or muddy pond. They often permit a close approach and after flying rise high, or, making a small detour, slant on half-closed wings to the ground again, silently, though with great earnestness. But their leave-taking of any spot from which they are frightened is made known to every creature within many stones' throws; time after time the clear "peet-weet" whips the air.

Among the pleasant evening spring sounds the soft note of the Bartramian Tattler, famous as the "Papabotte," is prominent for part of the spring after March 25; the marvel of this bird's call is that a voice absolutely free from all the harsh elements of sound can travel so far; calmness is its pre-eminent quality. In clover pastures this species may become a familiar sight throughout April, though it is during the southward migration late in summer and in the fall that it attracts such attention from hunters, caterers, and epicures successively. The only really common flocking Sandpiper at New Orleans in spring is the "Grass Snipe," properly the Pectoral Sandpiper. Quickly moving, compact bodies of this species fly restlessly and noisily among marshy pastures.

The same side of bird-life in spring as the Sandpipers exhibit, the bird-life that chafes at narrower limits than those of fresh, open green places, has for its further exponents the Swallows, glittering and multitudinous in the soothing brightness of spring sunshine. The White-bellied, as at nearly every time of the year, is the commonest species, though Barn Swallows are often astonishingly plentiful in April; brown Rough-winged, and Bank Swallows are lost in the outnumbering crowds of the two other species. At New Orleans the Cliff Swallow appears to be almost unknown.

The woods are well filled a few days before April 1, yet an important group of summer residents have vet to come, and numberless transients. The month of

showers is followed by a retinue of bright and graceful birds to bring smiles the quicker when the tears have been shed. Ordinarily just preceding the inception of the woodland gayeties of these later migrants a curious example of bird travel can be noticed in the city. When a week's growth of the potency of spring air appears to occur between the morning and evening of a day in late March, hundreds of Chimney Swifts arrive; the air thickens with them in the later hours of afternoon. Then come whole troops of Orchard Orioles, the Wood Thrush, the Summer Tanager, the Yellow Warbler, the Kentucky Warbler and the Indigo-bird, famous for their melody and their plumage, with other less noted fellow travelers. That class of woodland near New Orleans distinguished by the greater variety of its gro^vth,, and the absence of low, wet tracts, draws the majority of these birds. The largest number of birds seen in a single day is noted when the birds recorded in such woods the first week or ten days of April form part of the number. Ovenbirds, Water Thrushes, Catbirds, Thrashers, Red-eyed and White-eyed Greenlets, the Crested Flycatcher, and the Wood Pewee swell the concourse of the more beautiful species and of those Warblers that have been noticed already as customary in spring. Despite the wealth of color distributed among the birds then present, and the pleasant condition of the woods, the charm of this chapter in the spring story does not originate wholly with those circumstances. The soft showers that make the earth and growing things mellow set the birds in almost as cheerful and as beautiful an aspect as the sunlight; boughs dripping with warm moisture become mysterious from the scores of small, feathered forms that continue with unallayed industry their fruitful explorations; there is a suppression of music, but not of activities in these early April showers that produces a curious effect; in the light of the lower part of the woods Catbirds, Ovenbirds, Wood Thrushes and others of the larger birds engage in a continual restless moving about that seems almost like a romp among them, except that their notes seldom disturb the silence.

Still, the consummation of spring in southern localities from an ornithological standpoint is in some ways very imperfect. The final result of so many migratory advances is not woodland and fields filled with the welcome birds that have come back one after another; on the contrary, the country is poorer in many birds at the end of the season than in its early part, for our districts are not by any means the goals of many of the migrants.

One odd feature of the supplying of our woods with their summer birds is that several species should not arrive until the height of the direct course of the

spring migration is over, carrying past birds that will nest well to the northward, and that would not seem, therefore, to have precedence in travel over those kinds that are to be perfectly fitted to Louisiana's summer conditions. The Cuckoo and the Yellow-breasted Chat exemplify this matter. At the same time, their coming does not bring the migrations to a close, for while their advent has been later even than the dates we should ascribe for the first passage of many birds nesting northerly, actual experience with such kinds has shown that their travels through our land, when apparent, usually occur at the very end of spring. It is very likely that the earlier part of the migrating of such birds does not take place along tracks of travel through the belt of country in which New Orleans lies. The most noticeable of the birds that are finally swept along by the receding of perfect spring conditions that have had a temporary extension far southward are several of the Thrushes. In the last third of April and a few days in May their graceful ways are half hid by the pleasant shade of the thickets and forest. No songs come from their throats at this time, but their forms and wood-brown colors have the refinement of beautiful music. The Olive-backed and Gray-cheeked Thrushes are nearly always associated at this time, and the Wilson's Thrush is often with them.

It is commonly during the early part of this period, in which the late migrants take advantage of the last opportunity of resting here during weather suitable to their needs, that the meadows of Audubon Park grow doubly cheerful with the odd ditties of the Black-throated Bunting. There is no need of searching deeply for the source of its song; there it is, right among the pink clovers, and the soft, wavy breeze. Barn Swallows add the pleasure of the eye to what the Black-throated Bunting has done for the ear. The highest pitch to which this short burst of delights rises comes always very near April 20. It sometimes happens that a succession of warm thunderstorms occurs a few days later than this. It is characteristic of this locality to find Spotted Sandpipers in the warm, bright days following such disturbances. These alert birds start out from the banks of canals and basins as one approaches.

May is still very young when these and other l)irds, moving nortliward under like circumstances, the less common Thrushes and Warblers, occasional Scarlet Tanagers, Rose-breasted Grosbeaks, and Baltimore Orioles, cease to be seen. Then there is only the even round of the lives of birds quartered in our woods and suburbs for the summer. Excepting the Woodland species the Orchard Orioles are more prominent than any other birds, though the Yellow-billed Cuckoos are commendably industrious in occupying many shady retreats.

The maturing forces of summer continue steadily until after the middle of June, wiien slight indications of restlessness rise to the surface. A few of the birds are then beginning to range a little more widely from the close bounds of their nesting neighborhood. Purple Martins collect in considerable flocks about dead trees; but after three weeks or a month more it is no longer by faint intimations that a turn in the year is made apparent. When the sea breezes of July die at nights they leave an open way of invasion for innumerable Warblers of certain species, which need very little encouragement to press southward. The fairly substantial resemblance to autumnal conditions produced by the north airs that often blow after dark is certain to be followed by the coming of the Yellow and the Black-and-White Warblers, the Eedstart, sometimes one or two species of Greenlets, several of the Sandpipers and Swallows. Though migratory movements do not continue as apparent at all times in the remainder of the summer, it is doubtful whether they ever cease long previous to the regular fall migration. More than half of September may pass, however, without conspicuous influxes of birds; but between the 30th and 25th of the month important events are occurring. Usually, when the cool shadows lie under the thickets and groves on bright days in late September, the Olive-backed Thrush and the Catbird are back once more, the Eedstart plays airily on the under boughs, and Kingbirds collect in the more open places for a final rally.

During these times it is particularlv noticeable what good observation grounds weedy fields about the city make in fall, especially where there are thickets or higher growths of some kind. Nearly all the birds present stop in them at one time or another; the Warblers, as the Magnolia, the Tennessee, and the Yellow, gravitate most naturally to these repositories of insect or vegetable dainties.

When the woods are comparatively unfruitful for the observer whose purpose is to extend his experience to as many different birds as possible, the circumstance of finding an unusually fresh concourse of birds in the commonest weeds is strong argument in proof of the unusual conditions of bird-life about New Orleans.

In fact, the peculiarities here are very plain when it is recalled tliat the country is such as can effectually invite inhabitance of Catbirds at certain times in the year, can harbor all summer the Wood Thrushes, and that it is the very stronghold of the White-throats from autumn to spring, yet that it seldom sees a Baltimore Oriole or a Bluebird, and that a Song Sparrow or a Chipping Sparrow is practically unknown within its limits. Further, it overflows with Tcnnes.see Warblers in autumn and more than occasionally displays in that season a decided

commonness of several Warblers of Dendroeea that are limited in nesting time to northern districts, but in spring affords glimpses of such birds most infrequently.

The matter of the rarity of several of our birds is interesting because it is the limitations of their surroundings here that prevent their greater abundance. They are set completely into these surroundings but occasionally, when all favorable circumstances occur at the same time. Then they are no rarer than birds constantly found in our districts. Good fortime for the ornithologist in these cases is to be in the right places at the right time.

To be able to see the unusual among the birds at Xew Orleans requires experience in watching the weather and the progress of spring and fall as they affect migratory movements. The success of trips out of the city, measured by the variety of birds seen, is only conditional if, as is generally true, the expeditions are planned of necessity for a definite date without reference to the probability of favorable circumstances. One might go into the woods here for years, even in spring and fall, without ever coming upon certain birds, if the expeditions were made on days lacking the element of the weather necessary for brisk and all-embracing migration. On the other hand, diiring a flurry of intense migratory activity the suburbs fulfill nearly all the requirements of satisfactory observation. For detaining many of the Warblers, the normally constituted and usual woods do not surpass many peculiar spots whose condition has arisen somewhat through human means; for instance, growths, not native, planted with some special object, but which are not held to the exact state intended for them, are moulded back as a whole by nature to a likeness of themselves where they exist naturally. These often supply the very harbors which the passing migrants, accustomed to such growths in the land of their nesting life, are seeking. Examples of spots distinguished by this peculiarity are many of the suburban gardens in Xew Orleans; groves and high hedges about sparingly cultivated fields are likewise interesting places for the bird-lover in migration.

The best woods for observation near New Orleans are across the river from the city, in Jefferson Parish, especially those about a mile back from the river and from half a mile to nearly two miles west of the Harvey's Canal. The woods on the Xew Orleans side of the Mississippi are rather poor in varieties of birds, but some suburban localities repay many visits. In the upper districts of Xew Orleans, the neighborhood of Nashville and St. Charles avenues, particularly the unopened street called "Blue Alley,"' is visited by many unexpected birds. North of this neighborhood, out among the cut-iip fields and generally moist pastures, are suf-

ficient diversifications of these open places to induce a considerable number of birds to establish themselves there, or at least to tarry. Audubon Park is undoubtedly growing more interesting each year in some of its bird conditions.

The expedition from New Orleans that one does well to save until late in April is out on a canal or bayou into the marshes. The Company's canal in Jefferson Parish, meeting the Mississippi at Westwego, is particularly favorable for bird-observing. It is like dreamland to pass quietly along this water alley, a mere fissure in the thick swamp, whose inner life thus crowds to the very edges of the parting. As for the birds, they are not to be held to the divisions this artificial intrusion has made in their domain, Init continually break from the trees along the shores and hastily cross the water. During the first part of this route the songs and notes that issue from the swamp are the amassed representation of the birds that earlier in the season were severally distinctive of certain periods. There is now one general blend of the songs of the Red-eyed and White-eyed Greenlets, the Indigo Bunting, the Sycamore, Parula, Prothonotary, Hooded and Kentucky Warblers with each other and with the notes of the Tufted Titmouse, Carolina Wren, Carolina Chickadee and Cardinal. Some of this music is still assailing our ears when the view from the boat begins to open up; when, in fact, the principal hindrances to clearly seeing the marsh beyond are irregular ranks of regal old cypresses. The most constant tenants of these are the Parula. the Sycamore aud the Prothonotary Warblers. It is curious to find Orchard Orioles common and thoroughly habituated to these swamp wastes. Small colonies of them live about the random willow groves on the beds of firmer land. In the part first traversed of this tract, the convergence of swamp and marsh, the Red-winged Blackbird is already common enough to suggest the character of the marsh avifauna, and among the most outlying low willows, where the unbroken extent of marsh grasses begins, the Redwing's title to being the liveliest and the showiest bird in such situations is made good, if for no other reason, by the absence of any considerable rivals. But once well in the marsh, we are brought in contact with another typical product of the place, the Boat-tailed Crackle, a large, lumbering Crow-blackbird. Its voice is perhaps the most unmusical among all our birds, but this fact cannot have become evident to it, for its noisiness quite equals the Red-wing's. Whether rising laboredly from the marsh or flying over at some height, or only making an unimportant change in its position a Boat-tailed Grackle rarely fails to keep its companions apprised of its movements and actions. This it does by a flat, uninflected "chuck," a guttural "plup-plup-plup," etc., like the quick flapping of wings when

large birds rise from the water, or by more thin-voiced notes that would scarcely be rougher were they jolted out of the bird. The female would hardly be taken for the mate of such a resplendently glossy bird, being plain brown above, and a lighter, somewhat tan-colored shade beneath. As the tail feathers lack in the female the great length they attain in the male, the peculiar, keel-like arrangement which often they are made to assume in the latter is not particularly evident in the former. All the dimensions of the female are much less than those of the male.

If there is any ground for believing that opposites meet, the facts of bird-life in the marsh would seem to support such a cult. Hidden in the grass over which the Boat-tails vociferate ceaselessly are birds mute in comparison. Foremost of them at this season are the Least Bittern and that beautiful water hen, the Purple Gallinule. The fame of the Gallinule's splendor is spread in all localities, whose gunners, woodsmen, or boatmen know the "blue rail." Usually when the Gallinules retreat from intruders they prefer threading their way among the marsh grasses to rising dangle-legged, above their surface. But when reassured, they answer from their various stations. Sometimes the note sounds like the noise made by striking a tin pan lightly, but on other occasions there is a deliberate guttural sound given, rather resembling a low note from a large frog.

The season being so far advanced at this time, much of the nesting life of these different birds may be observed closely. Passing slowly from one to another of the platforms on which the Least Bitterns have laid their pretty, pale green eggs, or the Purple Gallinules the rich, flesh-colored, well-filled shells, with an extravagance of bright brown spots, and almost as large as hens' eggs, we are impressed with the sameness of purpose among these feathered tribes. When we tip-toe from the boat to peep into the pockets the Boat-tails have hung among the tall reeds, and see again the same pledges of future bird life, only concealed under a different exterior, the gaps between the birds themselves seems more nearly bridged than at any other time. In the fact of the workmanship on the structures made to hold the delicate, precious eggs: in the fact of the tireless care of the clustered treasures, existing birds, despite some renegades from these greatly honored traits, express elements of their being not matched in any other creatures.

[The matter on the following pages was compiled Yty the author for the tabular form, in which shape it would indeed be far more convenient, attractive and useful; but, we regret to say, the mechanical character of this work will not admit of either a folder or of a chart with great blanks scattered through it.—The Publishers.]

Following is a condensed view of bird life in the vicinity of Xew Orleans, giving—

1. The local popular name, when there is one.

2. The correct common name.

3. The scientific name, in parenthesis.

4. Marked characteristics.

5. Locations preferred by the bird.

6. Migratory movements and degree of abundance.

7. The breeding range and season.

(For the ducks and certain other birds not brought within this list, see supplementary remarks at the end.)

Die Dipper; Hell Diver. Pied-billed Grebe. (Podilymbus podiceps.) Ease of disappearance on the water. Somewhat duck-like in form. Ponds and small streams. Present from fall to spring; not particularly common. Nests northward from Indiana, Illinois, etc.

Loon; Diver. (Urinator imber.) Ability to swim considerable distances under water. Open water. Arriving some times in September and staying until spring. Not very common. Breeds in the northern United States and northward.

American Herring Gull. (Larus argentatus smithsonianus.) Heavy body and grayish-brown plumage in young. Seen about the shipping on the Mississippi at New Orleans and on Lake Pontchartrain. Present in winter after October and until March or April. Breeds in the northern United States and northward.

Ring-billed Gull. (Larus delawarensis.) Slim-winged and slight-bodied compared to the former species. Flies regularly about the shipping at New Orleans and on Lake Pontchartrain. Common, from November to mid-spring. Breeding range northern United States and northward.

Laughing Gull. (Larus atricilia.) Medium size birds seen on the Mississippi in winter; back and wings slaty blue, the latter with black tips. The river or the lake at New Orleans. Abundant, leaving the Mississippi at New Orleans in spring when nesting begins on the Gulf coast. May ( ?) to August ( ?)

Bonaparte's Gull. (Larus Philadelphia.) Small size; much mingled blackish and white seen in the plumage of the birds on the Mississippi in winter. Seen on the Mississippi at New Orleans. Occasional in winter. Breeds in southern Canada and northward.

Oyster Opener; Slicarwater. Black Skimmer. (Rhyncops nigra.) Glossy black upper parts, snowy under parts and curiously formed red bill, whose lower mandible protrudes farther than the upper. Common on the coast, sometimes ascending the Mississippi.

Water Turkey; Bee-a-lancette (Creole). Anhinga; Snakebird. (Anhinga anhinga.) Extreme length of neck and tail, which makes the linear dimensions almost or quite equal to the wing-spread. Plumage black. Open swamps and swamp lakes. Resident and common. April-July.

American White Pelican. (Pelecanus erythrorhynchos.) A winter visitor to Louisiana waters. Nests in the northern United States and northward.

Pelecan (with French pronunciation). Brown Pelican. (Pelecanus fuscus.) Great size and low, often labored flight. Tendency to move about in filing flocks. Salt water. Resident.

Storm Bird. Man-'o-war Bird. (Fregata aquila.) Great wing-spread and gracefulness of flight. Salt water. Sometimes driven a considerable way from the Gulf by storms, and of possible occurrence at New Orleans.

Flamingo. (Phoenicopterus ruber.) Its occurrence on the Gulf coast of Louisiana has been recorded, but there is no probability of its coming nearer New Orleans than that.

Flamingo. Roseate Spoonbill. (Ajaja ajaja.) Rosy and carmine plumage, and spoon-shaped bill. Remote and deep swamps and marshes. Becoming a rare bird in the eastern parts of Louisiana.

Spanish Curlew. White Ibis. (Guara alba.) White plumage, black wing-tips and sickle-shaped, pink bill. Swamps and marshes. Abundant in summer, a few wintering possibly. April-July.

Wood Ibis; Wood Stork. (Tantalus loculator.) General resemblance to the White Ibis, but much larger and greater extent of black on wings. Swamps and marshes. Not known to be common near New Orleans.

American Bittern. (Botaurus lentiginosus.) Marshy ditches and canals. Found principally, if not wholly, in winter. Breeds chiefly in the more northern parts of the Ignited States.

Gaze-soleil. Least Bittern. (Botaurus exilis.) Blackish and tawny feathers, long neck and peculiar crouching position when lit on the marsh grasses. L^sual locations, marshes. Noticed chiefly in summer. Abundant. April-July.

Sandhill Crane; Big Blue Crane. Great Blue Heron. (Ardea herodias.) Blue plumage, great size and hoarse notes. Swamps and marshes. Oftenest seen in summer.

American Egret. (Ardea egretta.) Large size, immaculately white feathers, graceful flight. Marshes and other open wet places. Common only in summer, but some probably winter.

Snowy Heron. (Ardea candidissima.) Purely white plumage, with yellow legs and black toes. Not to be confused with individuals of the Little Blue Heron in a white plumage. Marshes and other open wet places. Becoming a rare bird, known principally as a summer resident.

Louisiana Heron. (Ardea tricolor ruficollis.) The mi.xed plumage of blue, chestnut and white, the second of these colors being seen on the neck, and the last on the under parts. Marshy places. Like the other Herons, noted chiefly in summer.

Blue Crane; White Crane. Little Blue Heron. (Ardea eoerulea.) Almost uniform blue or white color, and medium size. Swamps and marshes. Migratory, abundant; arriving by the middle of March or earlier. Late April to July.

Cap-cap. Green Heron. (Ardea virescens.) Somewhat crested appearance of head, length of neck, bluish green plumage and noisy notes. Wet woods, ponds and marshy places. Common in summer, the first coming after the middle of March, and great numbers passing at night late in April. April-July.

Black-cro^vned Night Heron. (Nycticorax nyeticorax naevius.) Dark color of back and creamy color of breast, contrasting strongly with the slaty shade on the throat and under side of neck. Marshes. Common locally in summer. April-July.

Grosbec. Yellow-crowned Night Heron. (Njcticorax violaceus.) Harsh cry heard chiefly in night-time flights. Swamps and marshes. Common from March to September. Breeds April-July.

Whooping Crane. (Grus americana.) Occurs in lower Louisiana in winter. Breeds in northern localities.

Sandhill Crane. (Grus mexicana.) Tall stature, white plumage, black wing-tips. Marshes, prairies and other open wastes.

Marsh Hen; Eal Jaune (Creole). King Eail. (Rallus elegans.) Marshes. Resident and abundant.

Clapper Eail. (Eallus longirostris crepitans.) Salt marshes. Resident.

Virginia Eail. (Rallus virginianus.) Marshes and other wet places. Found from autumn until April. Breeds in the northern United States.

Soree; Ortolan. Sora Eail. (Porzana Carolina.) Low, weak flight, smal' size, relatively shorter bill than in the large Eails. Marshes and other wet places. Abundant from August to April. Breeds in northern localities.

Yellow Eail. (Porzana noveboracensis.) Yellowish tan plumage, very small size. Marshes and other wet places. Found in winter; not common. Breeds to the northward.

Blue Eail; Eal Bleu (Creole). Purple Gallinule. (lonornis martiniea.) Purple plumage, yellow legs. Marshes. Common, occurring chiefly in summer. Breeds April-July.

Florida Gallinule. (Gallinula galeata.) General resemblance to the Coot, but distinguished by the red shield on the forehead and brighter color of legs. Marshes and marsh ponds. Usually observed in summer. Common. Breeds April-July.

Poule d'eau. American Coot. (Fulica americana.) Somewhat duck-like in appearance and of deep sooty color. Ponds and open water. Commonly arrives on the first cool moonlight nights after the middle of September. Abundant during the winter, but few probably remain to breed.

American Avocet. (Reeurvirostra americana.) Upward curve of bill, and black and white plumage. Shallow water. Has been common formerly in Southern Louisiana, but now rare.