Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1874-07-06
THE ST. LOUIS OF TO-DAY.

Looking down upon the ST. Louis OF to-day,
from the high roof of the superb temple which
the Missuuriaps have built to the mercurlal
god of insurance, one can hardly believe that
the vast metropolis spread out before him rep
rescu,s the growth Of only three quarters OF
century. The towu seems as old as London.
The suoke from the Iliiuois coal has tinged
the walls venerable brown, and the grouping
of buildings is as picturesque and varied as
that of continental city. From the water
side, on ridge after ridge, rise acres OF solldly
built houses vast manufactures, magazines OF
commerce, long avenues bordered with splen-
did residences; labyrinth Of railways bewild.
ers the eye; aud the claog of machinery aud
the Shirl of myriad wagon-wheels rise to the
ear. The evee is thronged with busy and un-
cuuth laborers; dozens OF white steamers are
shrekiug their Dotes OF arrival and departure;
the ferries are chokek with traffic; gigantic
and grotesuue scramble for the almost limlless
West beyoLd is spread out before the vision.
The town has leaped into pew life since the
war; has doubled its popou alton, its manuiac-
lures and its aubtiop, until it stands SO fully
abreast of its wonderful Geighbor, Chicago,
that the traditional acerbity of the reciprocal
criticism for which both cities have so long
tceu famous is latterly much enhanced.
The CITY, which now stretches twelve miles
along the ridges, branching from the water.
shed between the Missouri, the Meramec and
the Mississippi river, ,aauked by rolling prairie
richly studded with groves and vineyards;
which has many railroad lines pointed to its
central depots, and mile and ahaf Of steam
boats at its levees thousand miles from tie
SEA: whose population has increased from
5000, iu 1885, to 100000, in 1873; which has
banking capital of nineteen millions; which
receives hundreds Of thousands OF tons OF iron
ore monthly, has bridged the Father Of Waters
and talks OF controlling the cotton trade OF Ar
kausas and Tcxas,-is but little like the &.
Louis of the days when COL Soddard had his
headquarters 10 a rude cottage, aud the Unlted
States, in his person, had just adopted the ln-
tant city. In those days the houses were near
" all built of hewn logs, set upon end, and
covered with coarsey shingled roofs. The town
extended along the line of what are now known
as Main and Second streets; little south OF
The square called the Place d Armes; Fort ST.
Charles was held by tiny garrison, and IN the
vld stone tower which the Spanards had built,
debtors and criminals were confined together
French customs aud French gaiety prevailed;
there We're two diminutive taverus, whose rat
tiers nightly rang to the tales OF halrbreadth
escapes told by the boatmen Of the MIssis.
sippi. The Chouteaus, the Lisas, and
the Labbadies were the principal mci-
chants French and EogIish Schools flourish
ed; pcltry, lead and Whskey were used tor
currency, and Hegroes were to be purchased
ivr them; the seml-ludian garb OF the trapper
was seen at every street corner; aud thousands
OF turs stripped from the buffalo and the beav-
cr, We're exported to New Orleans. The min
eral wealth lying within hundred miles Of St.
Louis had hardly been dreamed of, the colouists
We're too busy in killing indians and keeping
order in the town, to think of iron, lead, coal
aud zinc.- 4ScriJner's for rJuiy.