the proclamation being attested by Daniel Webster as Secretary of State. There was an article on "Washington's Birthday,' stating among other things that Jenny Lind would give a charity concert in the evening at the St. Charles Hotel. Nearly a column gives an account of the ceremonies incident to the laying of the corner stone of the Mechanics' Institute. H. W. Palfrey was grand marshal.

New Orleans Daily Delta, March 31st, 1857, consisting of four pages and a two-page supplement. Though this was the date on which the corner stone of the Institute was to be laid, nothing appears in the paper about it. Among the advertisements is that of Swan & Co.'s lotteries, to be drawn in Atlanta every Saturday in April. There is also a list of the nominations of the American Party, including T. G. Hunt as Judge of the First District Court. Among the advertisements are those of Rochereau & Co.

Copy of the Daily Delta, February 22nd, 1851, containing an account of a Jenny Lind ball, to be held that night at the St. Louis Hotel, where among the noted guests were to be Generals Twiggs and Quitman. There was also an advertisement of a new law firm, composed of P. Soulé, Seth Barton and H. Remy, with offices at No. 71 Bienville street. There was also an editorial on the Third Anniversary of the French Republic, which was described as "Now a Fixed Fact."

Copy of the New Orleans Price Current, March 28th, 1857, containing among other advertisements those of Daniel Edwards, foundry; G. A. Fosdick, ship agent; there is also a reference to a decision of the Supreme Court of the United States, holding that for goods destroyed by fire while on ship board, the carrier was liable, the results of this decision being to put fire among the exceptions in bills of lading.

Notice to subscribers to the Institute loan to join in the parade on February 22nd, 1851.

Copy of New Orleans Commercial Bulletin, February 22nd, 1851. This gives an account of the ceremonies which were to be held for the laying of the corner stone of the Institute.

Newton Richards was the grand marshal. Among the interesting advertisements in this paper is one of the New York Life Insurance Co.; others are of Fairbanks scales, the New Orleans and Carrollton Railroad Co., and Willard's Hotel, Washington.

Copy of the German Gazette, February 22nd, 1851, Joseph Cohn, publisher and printer.

Copy of New Orleans Daily Crescent, March 31st, 1857, containing, among other interesting items, statement of the condition of the banks of New Orleans every week from September 1st, 1856; an advertisement of the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad, of W. L. Cushing, agent for the Grover & Baker sewing machines, and of Mrs. W. G. W. Roper, milliner.

Copy of the New Orleans Picayune, February 22nd, 1851, containing an editorial on the future of New Orleans, in connection with a railroad system for the city; also notices of the laying of the corner stone of the Institute on that day. The interesting advertisements are those of Charles Leighton, gentlemen's furnishing store; F. H. Knapp, dental surgeon; Maunsel, White & Co., bankers, and Allen Hill, household hardware.

Copy of the Daily Picayune, December 27, 1854, containing ordinance of the City of New Orleans regarding hacks and wagons. Advertisement of the Mexican Gulf Railway to Lake Borgne. Appointment of committee to erect monument to Daniel S. Woodruff and William McLeod, members of Mississippi Fire Company No. 2, killed at a fire December 16th. Advertisement of Home Mutual Insurance Company of New Orleans; advertisement by Samuel Locke of James H. Hall's ploughs.

Copy of New Orleans Commercial Bulletin, March 31st, 1857, containing, among other interesting advertisements, those of William Bloomfield, printer; C. T. Buddecke & Co., agents of the Hazard Powder Co.; Spalding & Rogers Museum and Amphitheatre, containing this odd notice, “Quadroon private boxes, $2 to 5," and H. Cassidy, sailmaker.

Picayune of March 31st, 1857, containing an editorial on the Southern Pacific Railroad Company, though the route thereof is not given except that it was to go through some part of Texas. Among the advertisements are those for the sale of two pews in the Church of the Messiah; L. Elkin & Co., carpet dealers; D. E. Morphy, general auctioneer; J. Vegas, dancing academy, and a number of rewards for runaway slaves. Advertisements appear on every page and occupy about one-half of the entire paper.

Doubtless when this box and its contents are placed with the State Museum they will be so arranged as to be easy of access and examination.

PROGRAMME OF THE RIDE THROUGH THE VIEUX CARRE ON THE OCCASION OF THE VISIT OF PRESIDENT TAFT TO NEW ORLEANS, DURING THE LAKES-TO-THE-GULF DEEP WATERWAYS CONVENTION, SUNDAY, OCTOBER

31ST, 1909.-ADDRESSES OF PROFESSOR

FORTIER AND PRESIDENT TAFT.

The committee in charge of the entertainment to be tendered to President Taft on behalf of the Louisiana Historical Society was composed of the following gentlemen: Alcée Fortier, chairman; Philip Werlein, president of the New Orleans Progressive Union, ex officio; Albert Baldwin, Jr., Joseph A. Breaux, Pierce Butler, Charles F. Claiborne, Gaspar Cusachs, H. G. Dupré, Albert Estopinal, Stephen M. Foote, H. M. Gill, W. O. Hart, L. G. LeBeuf, E. T. Merrick, Henry Renshaw, Charles T. Soniat and T. P. Thompson. The programme included an automobile ride through the more interesting portions of old New Orleans, during which objects of interest. were pointed out to the President and his party, followed by a trip to Jackson Barracks on vessels of the United States Revenue Service. An attractive and interesting folder, giving outline plans of the city as it was in 1718, and as it is to-day, with illustrations showing historic buildings, historic events, and distinguished persons connected with the history of the city, and with a detailed plan of the route to be followed in the ride, upon which historic sites were marked, was prepared by Mr. T. P. Thompson. A specially prepared copy of this programme was presented to President Taft, as a souvenir of his visit. The thanks of the Society, and of all who participated in the ride, are tendered to Mr. Thompson for the handsome folder prepared by him, the text of which is given below.

The party started from the Common Street entrance of the St. Charles Hotel, thence down St. Charles Street, following a route described in the programme: "St. Charles Avenue and Street, from which the visitor enters the 'Vieux Carré,'

was in colonial times a roadway leading out from the ancient gate of the palisaded capital towards the German Coast settlement.

"As we cross Canal Street we enter the original city, the embryo New Orleans, the historic parallelogram laid out and named in honor of the then Regent of France in 1718 by Bienville, its founder.

"John Law, the head of the Western Company, chartered to exploit the Mississippi country in 1717, had many schemes to promote the trade of the Province with its mother country, France. Establishing a capital on the banks of the Mississippi was one of the first moves, the order was given, and thus the 'Vieux Carré' came into existence.

"As we ride down Royal Street, whose name is so suggestive of fealty to a crowned head, we remember it was once a residence district, until after the fire of 1788, and later, the American occupation changed it gradually into a business thoroughfare. It was the first street paved in the city; granite blocks brought as ballast in ships being used by Mayor Roffignac in 1819. To-day, merchants in antiques hold sway, and many old buildings of the last two centuries give it an atmosphere quite different from the bustle above Canal Street. Here in Royal Street, houses stand well to the front, with closed court yards, but if one might peep through the stone. arched entrances, one would find gardens of exquisite beauty and trees that were planted a hundred years ago.

"Turning into St. Peter Street, a name reminiscent of old Louisiana's catholicity, we come to the parade ground of colonial New Orleans, 'Place d'Armes,' now called Jackson Square in honor of the victor in the battle of New Orleans.

"This square was once the exact center of old New Orleans. It is faced by the Cathedral, Cabildo and Presbytère of the Spanish domination, and is flanked on either side by the Pontalba buildings, erected about 1846 by Madame de Pontalba, daughter of Don Andres Almonester y Roxas, who built the Cabildo in 1795 and the Cathedral in 1796-the last