The sewage of the city is collected separately from the drain age and is finally discharged into the Mississippi, where the dilu tion is so great that it is not noticeable further down stream. Like the drainage, the sewage has to be pumped, much of it through two or more lifts, and this is accomplished by electric pumping stations operating automatically.
In the early days of the colony the turbid water from the Mississippi was carried from the river and settled in large earthen jars. Wells were used to supply water for household purposes but not for human consumption. In 181o, a first attempt was made to establish waterworks. In 1833 the Commercial Bank was organ ized for the purpose of establishing waterworks in New Orleans and iron pipes replaced the early wooden ones. In 1869 the city bought the system from the company, issuing bonds for that pur pose; but lack of funds and bad management obliged the city in 1877 to give a monopoly to the New Orleans Water-Works com pany. The river water was too muddy to be useful for most purposes and cisterns were preferred, although a time of drought often caused scant supply. To solve the problems involved and to study the methods of treatment for purification of the river water, an experimental plant was established in 1900, and a process adopted for softening by the use of lime and small amounts of sulphate of iron, producing a coagulation whereby the fine clay particles are brought together into large masses that will settle out in a few hours, or which are large enoueh to be completely removed by the filters. By this process, first put into operation in 1909, New Orleans has had continuously an abundant supply of clear, pure water of the highest quality. Recent addi tions to the water purification plant have increased its capacity to a normal production of 1'2,000,000 gallons per day and to a maximum of 160,000,00o gallons if necessary.
New Orleans is situated on the Old Spanish Trail which extends from San Diego, Calif., to St. Augustine, Fla. It is at the southern
end of the Jefferson highway which runs to Winnipeg, and the Colonial highway which leads to New York. The Jackson and Mississippi Valley highways lead to points in the Middle West and the Mississippi valley. Early in the year 1928 the New Orleans-Pontchartrain bridge was opened to traffic. This con crete structure is nearly 25,000 ft. in length and was built by a private corporation at a cost of $5,5oo,000.
New Orleans is well supplied with parks. Audubon park, with 234 ac., is situated in the upper portion of the city and contains a statue of Audubon. City park on City Park avenue has recently been increased to 1,426 ac. by the purchase of a tract extending all the way to Lake Pontchartrain. West End park has largely been built up by hydraulic dredging. There are numerous smaller parks well distributed throughout the city.
New Orleans is developing a tract of about 1,400 ac. on the south-east shore of Lake Pontchartrain, where the land is being built up by hydraulic dredging from the bed of the lake. The tract will contain 25 m. of boulevards and driveways, with parks and bathing beaches having a combined length of two miles. Gas and Electricity.—Electric cars were first used in New Orleans in 1893. At that time there were several independent competing lines which were later consolidated into a modern, efficient system. The New Orleans public service supplies elec tricity for power and lighting, and supplies natural gas to power plants and for domestic use.