The 'burnt district' of Boston was commonplace before the fire; but now there is no commercial district in any city in the world that can surpass it--or perhaps even rival it--in beauty, elegance, and tastefulness.
However, New Orleans has begun--just this moment, as one may say.

When completed, the new Cotton Exchange will be a stately and beautiful building; massive, substantial, full of architectural graces; no shams or false pretenses or uglinesses about it anywhere.

To the city, it will be worth many times its cost, for it will breed its species.

What has been lacking hitherto, was a model to build toward; something to educate eye and taste; a SUGGESTER, so to speak.
The city is well outfitted with progressive men--thinking, sagacious, long-headed men.

The contrast between the spirit of the city and the city's architecture is like the contrast between waking and sleep.
Apparently there is a 'boom' in everything but that one dead feature.
The water in the gutters used to be stagnant and slimy, and a potent disease-breeder; but the gutters are flushed now, two or three times a day, by powerful machinery; in many of the gutters the water never stands still, but has a steady current.