Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1867-08-29
Letter from St. Louis.

The Street Car Var and The Great
Bridge-AemphiGns up the Rirer.
Correspondence PUBLIc LEDGER.l
ST. LOUIS. August 27, 1867.
According to a census taken several
months ago, this city can now boast up
wards of 100000 inhabitants, and is rap
idly increasing in population, extent
and commercial importance 1t has al
most been wholly exempt from cholera
this season, and other epidemios fatal to
the prosperity of large cities, which fact
is mainly attributable to the strict sani-
tary precautions taken by the Board Of
Health.
Trade here is characterized by a much
greater activity than at Memphis; and
the long lines and huge piles of boxes
on almost every street, evidencing the
receipt Of the fall stock, has given an
impetus to oil the different branches of
trade, and made the streets present a
much livelier appearance than few
weeks ago.
ST. Louis can rejoice with Memphis in
the possession of the Nicholson pave
ment, which covers most of the principal
streets, and is being vigorously laid on
the balance The only difference be-
tween the process of laying the pave
ing here and the Memphis plan is, that
here the sap and air is expelled by
hydraulic force from the blocks, which
are then saturated with fluid that rem
ders them entirely impervious to water,
and consequently much more durable
St. Louis streets have cleanly ap-
pearance at all times, and are entirely
rid of garbage, decaying vegetable mat
ter, and tina. pestiferous article of mud,
which abounds in such superhuity on
our principal thoroughfare-that liquid
abomination dubbed " Main street"
Fourth street is the fashionable thor
oughfare here, and is daily thronged
with legions of blushing maids and gush-
ing widows, all radiant with smiles, redo
lent with Email de Paris, and redundant
in that article of bacheloric horror and
unconquerable feminine tenacity-the
irrepressible and everlasting crinoline.
Excessive skirts and long trails are some
what out of vogue, however, and the
scant attire la Black Crook is rapidly
superceding them. The long dresses, it
is asserted, prevent the " dear ones
from making display of that " magic
in lady's foot" Who is not an ardent
admirer of this improvement in the fem
mime costume and does not hope the fair
fashionables will continue the short
dresses, and, if necessary, carry them to
the hight of-the fashions.
In perambulating Fourth street, the
eye is attracted by objects which would
we'll nigh disturb the saintShip Of an
anchorite, in the shape Of mammoth
chignons artistically manipulated-the
cynosure of many eyes and the subject
of as many complimentary remarks-
towering aloft in conical proportions
essaying perhaps to rival the Pyramids
of Egypt in altitude, and seemingly un-
conscious or sublimely Indifferent of
the soft superstructure on which some
repose. The hair is with some, who are
extremely Frenchy, colored Bismarck
brown, to accord with the style in vogue
in the transatlantic headcenter of
fashions and vagaries. " There is no
accounting for taste" etc.
The street cars here are literally pa
tronized and are yielding handsome re-
turns to the owners. They charge only
five cents ride from one end Of the city
to the other, distance of ten miles or
more Only think of our one mile and
ten cent ride in Memphis. Their char
ter allows only five cents, but several of
the companies, week or two ago, at
to extort six cents, and adopted
the motto of six center tyrannis," and
reluctant passengers we're forciblyejected
from the cars by the conductors. The
consequence has been, numerous prose
cutions have been instituted against the
companies, without any other
result, however, than their dismissal.
We know not on what grounds this ae.
ton was based, unless it is that whatever
the conductors take is nothing but fair
(fare).
A convention of Typographical engi-
neers have recently been examining the
river banks, and are now in session at
the Southern Hotel, discussing measures
looking to the building Of bridge across
The Mississippi at this point The plan
has been declared feasible, though not
without an immense expenditure of mo-
ney, and the work will soon be com
menced. 1t is designed to build a truss
bridge of two spans, of sufficient
elevation to obviste the possibility of
to navigation.
If Louis XIV Of France could be
restored TO life and permitted to revisit
his sublunary sphere, and particularly
.his-the greatest commercial metropo-
is of the West and the pride of the
Valley, which is more surely
his patronymic and linking
{ indissolubly With Immortality than