Daily national Democrat., 1859-10-06
OUR ST. LOUIS CORRESPONDENCE.
The State Fair----DOuglas' Prospects,
Fire in st. LOuis----The late Frosts
----Theatricals---Dea of an old Pi-
Oneer.---FOreign news, &c, &c.
ST. LOUIS, Mo, Sept. II, 81.


---Theatricals---De of an old Pi-
Oneer.---FOreign news, &c, &c.
ST. LOUIS, No. Sept. IL, 80.
Indulging the hope that letter from this
city would be interesting to many OF your
readers, shall endeavor to give you a short
sketch of the latest news in my possession at
the closing OF the overland mail.
The great feature of interest here is the
approaching Fair of the ST. Louis Agrleul-
tura aud Mechanical Association. Every
body and his wife is expected to be present,
and the preparations making warrant me in
saving that it will be grand affair. The
lovely grounds, always SO attractive, this
year will have additional rays to their former
beauty, and no Fair grounds on this contin-
ent can attempt to dispute the claims of ours
for the appropriateness OF location, the ele-
gance. taste and variety of decorations, and
the happy combination of romantic and
classic beauty. If they were lovely before,
this season they will present additional
charms, and increase the strength of uniyer-
sal admiration.
A beautiful structure has been erected for
the display of textile fabrics which before
were exhibited in Floral Hall. 1t will be
enc of the most attractive places during the
exhibition, fer it will be the department
where the fair sex will chiefly compete for
superior claims in the elegant branches OF
domestic accomplishments.
SO popular have been our Fairs hitherto,
and So widely has the fame of the Great
Fair been spread abroad, that almost every
state in the Union will send delegations for
the purpose of witnessing its grandeur, and
CLEAN from their visit instruction which
they can render available in getting up their
own exhibitions. The Fair opens on the 26th
inst, and will endeavor to give you some
sketches of its proceedings, which may inter-
est your readers who formerly lived in this
city.
Senator Douglas is now making q tour
through the Northern States, and is received
wherever he goes with great enthusiasm. lie
visited Cincinnati, and ON the 9th inst, made
u speech to the people, which was received
with great applause. | send you the speech
entire, as published in the Republican this
morning, presuming you would be pleased to
publish it, or give extracts from it. Mr..
Douglas popularity is daily increasing, and
from what | can learn, from the different
points, both North and South, he is the only
man the Democracy can bring out who will
make successful race for President in 1860.
There are four papers in one congressional
district in Tennessee at present presenting
the claims of Mr. Douglas for the candidacy,
and many more will hoist his name at the
head of their columns before the Charleston
Convention assemblies He is the only man
WHO will command strong support in the
North-and he should receive the nomina-
tion by acclamation. Mark my prediction ::
if Stephen A. Douglas is not the candidate
of the Democratic party, we will have a
Black Republican President for the four
years ending on the 4th Of March. 1865.
A destructive fire broke out in Store No
l0l, Ten Buildings, Fourth street, yesterday
about twenty minutes before two o'clock
The lower story was occupied by Mr.. Jane:
| Spore, dealer in oils, colors and artists mate
rials and Wallace & Co., dealers in patent
lamps and burning fluid. Three upper floors
wele occupied by Boggs d Leathe, gilders
and manufacturers of looking glasses and
picture frames. Mr.. L. c. Wallace, of Wal
lace l. Co., having occasion to go into the
cellar to open box of merchandise took an
oil lamp made Of brittania, land probably
filled with fluid gas) belonging to MIR. Spore
which he lighted aud proceeded to the back
part Of the establishment where the stairs
lead to the cellar. lie had reached the land.
ing, which, 10y the way, was near the hatch
way which communicated with the upper
floors, and where there were several barrels
and cans of spirits, and as the lamp was no
burning very well, took a pin and begar
picking the wick. He had no sooner d)n
SO, and turned the lamp up to saturate tn
wick, than the vessel exploded in his hand
burning that member very badly and settin
fire to his clothes Mr.. Wallace, frightene,
and bewildered, Immediately ran out an
jumped into tub half filled with water. b
which proceeding he quenched the fire abou
his person. About this time a fearful explo
sion was heard, resembling the noise of
cannon, and in an instant the flames darte
through the hatchways and spread to a
parts of the building The store l0l is
total loss. nothing being left but the bar
walls 1t was owned by Charles L. Hun
and was worth from five to six thousand do
lars. Mr.. Spores loss is estimated at betwee
$1,000 aud $s,OOO The damage to Bogg
Il Leathe's establishment was $4,000. Sci
igman Bros. Co., clothiers, suffer to th
amount of 81 900 by water. Gay & Co
dealers in gas fixtures and China ware, SUI
tain the largest loss from the destruction {
their establishment A large number of yer
handsome gas fixtures and chandeliers wer
stored away in the third and fourth storie
of their building adjoining on the north. TIL
roof caught by the sparks falling on it. an
the two upper stories were burned out Thei
loss will not fill short of $4,000 The tota
loss by this fire is estimated at over 500, ,OOC
Gay Co., were insured for about So, ,OOt
| could not learn the amount Of insurance o
any Of the other sufferers.
The late frosts have killed the corn in sew
eral localities in Illinois and Iowa, but in thi