The Kenosha telegraph. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1860-1888, 1874-10-01
CORRESPO
ST. LOUIS, Sept. I'd. 1874.

ST. LOUIS, Sept. I'd, 1874.
DEAR TELEGRAPH:-Leaving Tiues-
dells Station on the afternoon of the 31st
inst, we started on our trip Southwark,
and reached Chicago at about eight that
evening. Here We stopped over that we
might have chance to see the new burnt
district by daylight. So many descrip
tons of this have already been given
that NO other is needed.
Although with the energy characters
tic of this city, much has been done to-
ward clearing away the rubbish and re-
building, it still presents an appearance
of ruin and deaolation,- Quite number
OF buildings have been erected and others
are in progress. In looking over the
grounds and noticing the buildings al
ready up one would conclude the most
important business of that section to be
ale and beer selling. for there seems to be
more saloons erected than buildings for
any, had almost said all other kinds of
business.
Leaving Chicago at P. M, september
1st, We proceeded on our journey over the
Chicago, Alton & St. Louis road to ST..
Louis, reaching here at 8 A. M. to-day.
AS the greater part of this trip was taken
in the night, we saw but little Of the
country through which we paesed, but in
the wide fields of corn, the comfortable
farmhouses, and the busy villages through
which we passed this morning we recog-
nized the unmistakable evidences Of thrift
and prosperity.
st. Louis presents many of the same
char acteristics which we find in Chicago
The streets present the same busy appear.
ance, thronged with vehicles of every de.
scription, jostllng one another in their
efforts to move along, each one intent on
business or pleasure. The streets are toe
narrow for the business of such cty,and
consequently present a very crowded ap.
pearance.
One thing which impresses one favora-
bly, here is the solid, substantial charac.
ter OF the buildings, nearly all being built
of brick or stone, there being few wood.
en- buildings even in the poorer portions
of the city to invite the devouring flames
Having time to visit but few points OF
interest, we concluded to visit first The
bridge which spans the great Father oil
waters and some of the numerous parks
of which St. Louis is so justly proud.
The Mississippi bridge is said to be the
finest bridge structure in the United
States, and one cf the finest in the world
The bridge including the entrances lis
A, 432 feet long. The bridge proper con-
sists of three span, two of which are five
hundred feet each in length, and the mid
die one five hundred and twenty five feet
in length. II is built so high that the
largest steamers pass under it easily. The
work on it was begun in year 1865, but
owing to some difficulty with the first
contractors, but little work was done un-
til the year 1869, when the real work of
building was begun und continued until
the spring Ct 1874, when the bridge was
ready for the use cfteams and foot passen
gers. Freight trains pass over now but
owing to the large amount of toll asked
no arrangements have yet been made for
the transfer Of passenger trains
This bridge has cost for the bridge
proper eight millions of dollars; includ-
ing railway tunnel twelve million dollars.
Leaving the bridge we next took pas
| sage N coach for haw's Botanical Gar
dens, which lie i've miles South of the
city. Two miles of this distance Law
through as primitive farming country as
one often sees-and over terribly rough
roads, but the end once reached the jolt
ings. rollings and tumblipgs are forgotten
in the beauty of the gardens.
These gardens were until recently the
private property of Mr.. VIM. Shaw, who
has spent life time in collecting and
arranging the rare and the beautiful OF
floral treasures.
He recently donated them to the city
on condition that they should be kept in
order and improved and always be
open to the public. They consist of one
hundred and twenty acres, and are divido
ed into three parts: The flower garden.