The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1876-07-06
ST. IOllis.

"A maSnlHcenC city Is St. LOUIS. IL ~ coy
opolitan-great-hearte and liberal-hand-
ed. Nothing that could be thought Of was
omitted to abes doneabyathes people ofathat
city in preparing for the assembling OF, the
Democratic National Convention. Every
preparation, was made, too, at their own cost.
St. Louis has the finest bridge in the
country. Its very appearance forces upon
the traveller the conviction of its safety
and he feels as secure whilst crossing it in
railroad car as il he were travelling on
level ground. It's strength is visible. II
a Car were to fly the track it couldn't get OF
the bridge. So at least it seemed to rs.
The streets are badly paved. We wish to
see no wooden pavements in Richmond.
Those in st. Louis are discreditable to the
CITY, Full OF holes, rough, and without
crossings, the streets present marked con-
trast to almost everything else in that glo-
riolls city beyond the Mississippi which
twenty years hence will be far, far ahead OF
all its western rivals, and almost IL not
quite equal to New York. .'...:
st. Louis has spacious parks. She thus
has capacious lungs. She has many beauti-
full residences, and some OF the largest and
finest business-houses we ever saw. The
hall in which the Convention sat will seat
five thousand people-as many as four OF
our largest churches wo;ld seat. 1t was
impossible for any man not o oTENToR to
make himself heard all over it. ..,,:>..
Mems ideas OF female beauty are probably
dependent upon their localities. At any
rate, the Virginians could not be made to
acknowledge that the ladies Of St. Louis are
half as pretty as those Of Virginia. The
bows, we were bound to admit, are just like
ours. One night, at the corner OF Fourth
and Chestnut streets, just below the La
Clcde Hotel, they formed large huddle,
and, attracting strangers and others to them
by their shouts of one kind and another,
always opened ranks at the opportune mo.
mcnt, and let the poor victim walk right
into one OF those ponds Of mud and water
which are so common in the streets OF that
city. If the stranger was aboCt to miss il
they managed to shoulder him into it,
amidst roaring shouts OF laughter.
They had grand ratification meeting in
st. Louis on Thursday night. The rain it
rain-ed everywhere, but the crowds filled
the streets nevertheless. Cannon were
fired, fireworks set of, speeches made,
rockets sent up from the dome of the court.
house, and a general scene OF Joy and glad
ness was witnessed. The local influence in
favor of TILDEN had been strong, and his
nomination gave great satisfaction to the
people OF the city.
1t was q common saying amongst the Vir'
ginians-made in 4 jocular way, yet point
| ing to iact-that the st. Louisans were
glorious fellows, but didn't know when
Sunday came. Certainly we were never be-
fore in city where so little respect was paid
to Sunday laws, II, indeed, they have any
such laws in st. Louis. There was no pre-
tence of closing up dranl-shops, cigar-stores,
drug-stores, restaurants, or, as far as we
could Judge, any place OF business which its
owner desired to keep open. Perhaps the
Conventions presence made difference.
We never saw elsewhere so many flags
There were millions of them. Public and
private houses, dwellings, and stores were
adorned with them in illimitable profusion
Everybody must have come away with q
good opinion OF St. Louis. 1t is an enter
prising, growing, liberal city. We may say
more OF 1t ut another time. B..