Could you tell me which old New Orleans newspapers published the departure and arrival dates of passenger ships that plied between Savannah and New Orleans during 1861? I would appreciate any history on these ships and passengers.

Dorothy

The New Orleans Bee newspaper can be viewed online, where you'll find early issues such as this one, originally published in 1828.

Dear Dorothy,

In 1861, there were about a dozen newspapers being published in New Orleans, and practically all of them listed the arrival and departure of steamships and steamboats to and from New Orleans. These papers included The Daily Picayune, the New Orleans Daily Delta, the New Orleans Bee, the New Orleans Commercial Bulletin, and the Daily Crescent. All of these newspapers and more are on microfilm, and you can find them on the third floor of the New Orleans Public Library at 219 Loyola Ave. You could spend many happy hours poring over these old papers searching for the information you're looking for. One especially useful piece of information that may help you is the fact that the New Orleans Bee is now online. However, I must tell you that some of it is in French.

Another place to search is the New Orleans Public Library's Web site, www.nutrias.org. When you reach this site, click on City Archives/ Special Collections. There you will find a wealth of information about New Orleans and Louisiana, including a section on passenger arrivals at the Port of New Orleans.

Good luck with your search.

Hey Blake,

In the early 1960s, while living in New Orleans, I learned part of the city had been built on cotton bales. Since I now live in Alaska, I am having trouble substantiating this.

Dean Mooring

Dear Dean,

This city is absolutely full of stories that are interesting but false. The reason you are having trouble substantiating the belief that part of the city was built on cotton bales is that it is not true. The specific story that is spread around is that the Custom House is built on a foundation of cotton bales. Another story that is untrue is that the Battle of New Orleans was fought from behind cotton bales.

There are two reasons the story about part of the city being built on cotton bales might have developed. In the South, in the early days, a bale of cotton was a standard value. Therefore, it is possible that a reference was made that the foundation of the Custom House cost a certain number of bales of cotton. There also is another possibility. When the entire area under the building was excavated to about 11 feet 8 inches below the curb, it was also below water level. Sheet piling was necessary to hold back the water. Because this method was not waterproof, cotton rope was made from cotton bales hauled to the site. The cotton ropes were used to seal the piling.

In fact, work began on the Custom House on March 23, 1848. The old Custom House was razed, and its bricks were used in the foundation of the new building. The cornerstone for the new building was laid on Feb. 22, 1849.

All buildings in New Orleans today are built on many pilings, but this is a relatively recent construction development. When the Custom House foundation was laid, it was a network or frame of timber called "grillage" typically used on ground that is wet or soft. In 1848, these "floating foundations" were the only kind constructed in New Orleans. The grillage under the Custom House is made of cypress.

Hey Blake,

What can you tell me about Hinderers Iron Works? I have an old coal hatch that has the name on it. Where were they located and when did they go out of business?

John James

Dear John, I don't know what you mean by "old," but Hinderers Iron Works was in business in 1950 and was located at 1780 Prytania St. Twenty years later, the business was at 1470 Urania St., where it remained until it went out of business about 1985.