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“Back In The Day”

New Orleans news from Royal Carriages Tours

Posted by on October 01, 2019

We are in the early 1970’s during an Eastern Equine Encephalitis outbreak. Equine Encephalitis is a potentially deadly virus which can be spread to horses and mules by infected mosquitoes. As a precaution, the New Orleans City Council imposed a local quarantine on individuals and businesses that owned or used horses or mules. Our animals were to be kept in-place at our stable in the Faubourg Marigny neighborhood adjacent to the French Quarter.

 

The timing of this quarantine was during the springtime, a very good time of year for our business. We obeyed this work stoppage and waited. Weeks went by with no change. But waiting could not pay our bills or support our dedicated employees. Many who literally lived check to check! Our World Famous French Quarter Carriage Tours are a staple to New Orleans and our drivers make a good living doing so.

 

So, after much thought, I consulted our company attorney. He determined that this injunction was not legal and that we were in our rights to go back to work. I took his advice and we returned to work. But on the first day back to work, someone must have called City Hall because I received a phone call from our oldest and most trusted driver, Joseph Coleman, that all the carriage drivers had been impounded and were heading back to the barn with the police in tow! I rushed to the stable and was promptly arrested by the head detective. He could simply have given me a ticket for court, but he wanted to be a big shot and brought us all to jail!

 

Well, here we were! All in jail locked up with the drunks and dregs of New Orleans! Quite a sight to see. Several elderly black gentlemen all dressed in the historic carriage driver part. Top hat, white starched long-s;eeve shirt, black bow tie and pants. I used my one phone call to notify our attorney that his advice was flawed! Needless to say, that was the last time I used his services!

 

P.S. I did eventually go to court and the Judge started laughing when he read the charges against us. He immediately dismissed the case when I explained that we were incarcerated because of sick mosquitoes!

 

 

LOL, Y’all!

 

Jim Lauga

Retired CEO

Current Chief of Security

 

 

Had a great tour around the quarter, passing various historical ghostly places, with lots of good stories by our driver, Rich. He was great, very informative and congenial, with a great sense of humor. We even changed the time of our ride earlier that day, and Royal Carriages was more than happy to accommodate our request. A little chilly that night, bur plenty of blankets to keep warm. Highly recommend Royal Carriages for any tour that they do.

TripAdvisor Member: Janice G

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