March 3, 1832

In 1832, the arduous task of digging the New Basin Canal from the city through alligator and snake-infested swamps to the lake at West End was begun, mostly by Irish immigrants whose lives were monetarily less valuable than slaves. A cholera epidemic that year hit the city. Six-thousand New Orleanians died in 12 days, many of them Irish.

The Milneburg Lighthouse (also known as the Port Pontchartrain Light) first shone from the shore of what became Pontchartrain Beach.  The lighthouse is still there but in need of salvation. 

The Pontchartrain Railroad (also known as the Smokey Mary) first took passengers from town at Elysian Fields Avenue near the river to the lighthouse and the lake at Milneburg. The shore of Milneburg would later be fronted by newly filled land, scooped up from the lake bottom, leaving the town as far as a half-mile away.

New Orleans was the seat of Louisiana government, whose offices were located in the old Charity Hospital building which was located at Common and Baronne Streets.  The the New Orleans Gas Light Company was a mere three years old.  Royal Street, from Esplanade Street to Canal Street, was paved by the city with round stones in 1832.

It is interesting, I think, to also take a look at the more mundane activities taking place during that year which effected the everyday lives of private citizens.  The following municipal ordinances were passed by the Conseil de Ville (City Council) on March 3, 1832:

That $60.00 is and remains granted to Widow Patterson for the care she gives two persons ill small pox, furthermore that $15.00 shall be granted for eight months to a wet nurse for a four months old infant whose mother's milk has dried up from a mental ailment.

That the Mayor is and remains authorized to have $45.00 per month paid to the persons supervising the carts employed to take away earth from the Batture according to an Ordinance.

That every dray driving in the City of New Orleans shall carry an iron chain attached to one of its shafts and each time it shall stop to take a load, or for any purpose, the driver shall hook said chain to one of the dray's wheels, so as to prevent accidents should the horse or horses attempt to run away, furthermore that any dray driver who shall neglect or refuse to conform to the preceding dispositions shall pay a fine of not more than $15.00 for each violation.

That when the new city's and faubourgs' "banquettes" shall need repair, the lots of ground owners opposite said "banquettes' shall have said repairs done by order from the Mayor, under penalty of a fine up to $20.00 to the judge's discretion to whom the Police Commissioner shall have complained. Said fine shall become recoverable from week to week, should violators not conform to the present resolution, furthermore that the Mayor shall have all gutters crossing banquettes in the City and incorporated Faubourgs edged with curbstones, covered with a flat stone as soon as possible. The owners shall pay the cost, furthermore that the Mayor is and remains authorized to have paved with bricks as soon as possible the "banquettes" bordering the intersections at Canal Street's upper extremity.

These were approved by Denis Prieur, the eighth mayor of New Orleans.