h, with the
other papers, had opposed the extension of even this bit of suffrage
to women, came out the next morning with a three-quarter-page picture
of a beautiful woman, labeled New Orleans, on a prancing steed named
Progress, dashing over a chasm entitled Sanitary Neglect and
Commercial Stagnation, to a bluff called A Greater City, while in one
corner was a female angel with wings outspread, designated as Victory.
The two-page account began as follows:

The great election for Sewerage and Drainage has come and gone,
and with it a notable chapter in the history of woman's work in
New Orleans in behalf of municipal improvement. It is unanimously
conceded, as incontestably proven by facts, that but for the
number of signatures of women sent to the mayor the election
never would have been called. It was also conceded late yesterday
afternoon that the noble work of the women had won the day in
behalf of these much-needed improvements for our beloved city....

The politician has been crushed, and let the credit go where it
belongs. The women of New Orleans did it, under the leadership of
those two active, energetic and self-sacrificing young women, the
Misses Kate M. and Jean Gordon, and all the glory is theirs.
Woman plays a most important part in the politics and affairs of
this city. Whenever a crisis approaches, the men on the right
side appeal to her and the appeal is never in vain. She jumps
into the breach, and invariably victory perches upon her banner.
All honor to the fair sex! The women, or rather the few women who
were in the Sewerage and Drainage League, probably did as much
work for the special tax as all the men in this city put
together, and they did it quietly and thoroughly....

It was the first time in the history of New Orleans that women
were allowed the proud privilege of the suffrage, and it was a
novel sight to see them at the polls, producing their
certificates of assessment and then retiring to the booths,
fixing their ballots and depositing them in the boxes.... Enough
of them showed their independence of the sterner sex to prove to
the community that they are a deal more competent to wield the
ballot than a vast majority of the male suffragans. From what
some of the commissioners of election say, the women demonstrated
that they had observed th