NEW ORLEANS, a city and port of entry of Louisiana; on both sides of the Mississippi river, 110 miles above the delta, and on the Illinois Central, Yazoo and Mississippi Valley, Gulf Coast Lines, Louisiana Railway and Navigation Co., Texas and Pacific, Louisville and Nash ville, Louisiana Southern, New Orleans and Lower Coast, Southern Pacific Rail road and Steamship Co., Southern Rail way System, New Orleans and Great Northern, and New Orleans Public Belt railways, 700 miles S. of St. Louis. It is the most important city in popula tion and trade in the Gulf States. Area 196 square miles; pop. (1890) 242,039; (1900) 287,104; (1910) 339,075; (1920) 387,219.
Municipal Improvements.—There is a waterworks system, established at a cost of $9,200,000. The reservoirs have a de livery capacity of 66,000,000 gallons; the water is distributed through 594 miles of mains; and the consumption averages 32,000,000 gallons daily. There are in all 905 miles of streets of which 330 miles are paved, and 218 miles of electric street railways. The city is lighted by electricity at an annual cost of about $230,000. The cost of the po lice department is about $526,000 per annum, and that of the fire department about $660,000. The annual white death rate for 1919 was 15.76 per 1,000.
Notable Buildings. — The principal public buildings are the United States Government Building; the United States Branch Mint; the Criminal Court and jail; the Cotton Exchange; the Court Houses; the Sugar Exchange; Board of Trade; Hebrew Athermum; Howard Memorial Library; New Orleans Public Library; Masonic and Odd Fellows Hall; Y. M. C. A. Hall; Hotel Dieu; Tours In firmary; Elks' Home; Washington Ar tillery Hall; Poydras Female Orphan Asylum; Charity Hospital; German Protestant Asylum; Jewish Widows' and Orphans' Home: St. Anna's Widows' Home; St. Vincent Orphan Asylum; the Shakespeare Almshouses; Association of Commerce Building; Cabildo; Confeder ate Memorial Hall; Isaac Delgado Mu seum; Isaac Delgado Trade School; Loyola University; Newcomb College; Tulane University; Postoffice.
Manufactories.— New Orleans has about 1,000 manufactories, with an an nual output of $150,000,000. The lead ing articles include cotton goods, sugar, lumber, foundry products, sashes and blinds, chemicals, acids, etc. The com
bined storage capacity of the grain ele vators is 7,670,000 bushels.
Commerce.—The total imports of the port of New Orleans in the calendar year 1919 amounted to $177,286,036; the ex ports amounted to $563,112,010, or a to tal of $740,398,046. Fifty-six steamship lines give the city direct connection with all the leading ports of the world.
Banks.—There were, in 1920, twelve banks, with about 30 branches. The exchanges in the Clearing House for the year ending Sept. 30, 1919, were $2,890,.. 884,000.
Education.—At the close of the school year 1919-1920 there were 88 public school buildings, 1,310 teachers, and pub lic school property valued at $4,300,000. The total enrolment in public schools for 1919 was 51,521, and in private and parochial schools 17,000 (est.). The average daily attendance was 35,218 for public schools. The institutions of higher education include the College of the Immaculate Conception, Tulane Uni versity, and its branch for women, Sophie Newcomb College, Loyola College, Straight University, Leland University, and the Southern and New Orleans Uni versities for Negroes.
Finances.—One June 30, 1919, the to tal bonded debt of the city was $39,564, 936. The assessed valuations in 1917 were: Real estate, $268,454,199; per sonal property, $174,703,526; total $443,157,725; tax rate, $22.50 per $1,000.
History.—The French first occupied New Orleans under Jean de Bienville in 1718. It was made the capital of Louisi ana in 1722. Forty years later it passed under the control of Spain when Louisi ana was ceded to that country. The French again obtained possession of the province in 1800 and sold it to the United States in 1803. New Orleans was chartered as a city in 1804. On Jan. 8, 1815, it was the scene of a world renowned battle in which General Jack son defeated the British. In 1862 Admiral Farragut forced it to surrender, and it was occupied by Union troops under Gen eral Butler, who was appointed military governor. The prosperity of the city was interrupted by the war, but it has grown very rapidly since 1866. A great industrial and cotton exposition was held here in 1884.