Day 12 Early PM Update: Old Historic New Orleans Is In Fine Condition

Please note that this “on the ground” update is two days old and it only talks about conditions in the dry parts of the city (Quarter-Downtown-Warehouse Dist.-Garden Dist.-Uptown-some MidCity). Especially note the displays of organization and humanity during the Convention Center ordeal. Things are looking up, folks. Without any more bungling, we should be on our way back!

In a message dated 9/7/2005 8:15:38 P.M. EDT, a friend’s co-worker writes:

“Dear Folks:

“I went into downtown New Orleans for the second time today, this time I spent a lot of time driving where I could. I’m going back tomorrow. The difference from Friday [September 5] to today is stunning: the authorities have control. I felt very safe. Buses streaming into and out of the downtown area through the only route: I-10 to I-310 over the Luling Bridge to U. S. 90 to Westbank Expressway, then over the Crescent City Connection (the double span downtown bridge.) Saw very little evidence of looting.

“Floodwaters obviously receding. The Convention Center crowd: Most all of the people have been removed. Some still being picked up by buses when I left, but the difference between Friday and today was remarkable. I visited with some, and what hit me was all the people coming up to me begging me to put their names in the paper in order that their relatives would know they were alive. They had organized into various social groups, with adults taking turns sleeping while others watched the children and guarded the group from the few thugs that were causing trouble.

“THE AUTHORITIES ARE IN CONTROL. They had secured most of downtown Friday, but had total control on Saturday. No signs of looting or damaging homes in Warehouse District uptown to audubon Park. I drove around a lot. Workers are everywhere. Convoys, buses, cops, helicopters, ambulances, airplanes streaming into New Orleans. Considering here is only one way into the city, I think the response has been really good.

“My place on Julia at Camp Street: At 604 Julia Street, if the electricity and water were on, I could host a party tonight. There was no damage whatsoever to any of the Julia Row Townhouses.

“St. Charles Avenue: NOT ONE LIVE OAK ON ST. CHARLES AVE. IS DOWN!!!!!!! I finally had my big cry driving down St. Charles when I realized how very little damage. There were only about 4-5 water oaks on St. Charles down all the way to Tulane. Both Tulane and Loyola look like you could hold classes tomorrow. Saw no damage to the historic St. Charles Avenue mansions.

“Lack Of Damage Uptown: There was very little noticeable damage to homes in the Lower Garden District or Uptown on the streets (I went all over, going from house to house of friends, saving Heidi Quenan’s house). Now, something hit Heidi’s roof in the corner of her upstairs bedroom to cause a leak: a section of sheetrock about 4 x 6 feet had fallen, but that’s it. There was a candle still sitting on a table near the edge of her back porch. I say this by way of saying that while I was stunned – and overjoyed – by the lack of visible damage, I couldn’t see everything, of course, but I was driving a 4-wheel drive jeep and meandered as much as I could. Lots of limbs down, but my companion, Jimmy Blanchard, the artist, designer and historical archivist and I were ecstatic that most of it is superficial. Most of our trees are still there.

“Red Cross Very Visible: The Red Cross was visible, assessing damage to homes. The director on, I think, State Street, told me he was very pleased with the lack of damage.

“Warehouse District: There was little damage in the Warehouse District. I’ve seen more litter on the ground at Mardi Gras. As far as Julia Row is concerned, the New York Times and the Times-Picayune could have snapped those pictures they ran from the corner of Camp and Julia today.

“Audubon Park: I checked out a friend’s house on Exposition on the edge of Audubon Park and it was fine. There were limbs, but very few trees down in Audubon Park. Almost all animals survived at the zoo. Talked to the exhausted but happy zoo curator.

“Uptown In General: There were very isolated cases of trees down on houses, but here’s the interesting part: the trees that were down fell in between houses or across the back yards, where the vortex of the wind kicked them. I saw no major damage to homes on St. Charles.

French Quarter: Signs still hanging from shops. Very little evidence of looting anywhere that I’ve been: which is the Quarter (went down Bourbon to te 500 block, then turned back and came back out Royal; also drove around the Chartres/Decateur area near Canal Place; none of it got went), Canal to Bourbon.

“Floodwater: Water obviously receded quite a bit since Friday’s visit. The water from the lake and canal stopped on Canal in between Burgundy and Bourbon. The rest of the Quarter stayed dry. Water came to 4-5 blocks lakeside of St.Charles. The water from the lake and canal stopped on Canal in between Burgundy and Bourbon. The rest of the Quarter stayed dry. Water came to 4-5 blocks lakeside of St.Charles. Went to Audubon ZooAudubon Zoo from Tchoupaltoulas to 4-5 blocks lakeside of St. Charles. The water from the lake and canal stopped on canal in between Burgundy and Bourbon. The rest of the Quarter stayed dry.

“Warehouse and almost all of Uptown stayed dry. Water came to 4-5 blocks lakeside of St.Charles. The water from the lake and canal stopped on Canal in between Burgundy and Bourbon. They sandbagged frantically in the Quarter about 20 feet lakeside of Bourbon Street when the water started rising Wednesday. Water came to 4-5 blocks lakeside of St.Charles.

“Little Evidence Of Uptown Looting: Saw a couple of looted shops on Magazine near the nursing home, but that’s it. The door to Whole Foods Store was open and those night lights [were on]. Now, to be sure, in a total of about 12 hours in the city, 2 of them spent in my own buildling.

“Areas I Have Visited So Far: Quarter to Conti, to Bourbon, down Royal, Chartres from 400 block to 200 block; all over Warehouse District, a bit of the Convention Center, Poydras (major damage to those very old live oaks in median while most of the fronds were still on the new palms at Harrah’s two blocks away) Not much damage to live oaks in Lafayette Park. Been down St. Charles from Canal to Tulane. State, Webster, Eleonore, Coliseum from Napoleonville upriver for 6-7 blocks. Meandered through uptown, as downed trees, limbs, powerlines, etc. blocked many streets. All the way down Tchoupitoulas; Lower Garden District, Magazine, Camp. Went to Palmer as far lakeside of St. Charles as I could go.

“What’s remarkable is the lack of major damage to this area. I know this contrasts with the misery and suffering elsewhere in the city, but the old historic New Orleans is in fine condition.”

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Oh, look, no more Michael Brown. So, where does that leave us? “Give me a better idiot, ” requests Aaron Broussard, president of Jefferson Parish. Be careful what you wish for, Mr. Broussard.