The Pulaski citizen. [volume] (Pulaski, Tenn.) 1866-current, 1878-08-15
ST. LOUIS NOTES AND GOSSIP.
St. Louis in Early Times Nothing
but Trade Manufactures In
crease Of Grain Trade-A Great
change-St.1o in the Dog Days.
Correspondence of the crtizon.l
81. LouIs, Aug. 3d, ISIS.

Correspondence of the Citizen.I
ST.. LOUIS, Aug. 3D., 1878.
Pardon me if my present letter
devotes a few paragraphs to the
present status and peculiar charac-
Ieristics of this Western metropolis.
st. Louis has been so fearfully lied
about by some, and slandered over
by others, that outside of its i'm
mediate business range, false no.
tions are entertained both of its
people and its trade. A little more
than a hundred years ago it was
settled as a trading post by the
French under Laclede. He had the
sagacity to comprehend the fitness
of the locality for such a purpose.
Only a few miles below the Mis-
souri, and the Illinois, these two
rivers With the "Father of Waters"
into which they flowed, opened a
lucrative trade for furs and peltries
not only with the Indians, but the
whole army of bold hunters and
trappers that slaughtered wild ami
mails less for their flesh than for
their hides.
NOTHING BUT TRADE.
The little French village thought
of nothing but trade, and there was
a regular carnival when a company
aof wild savages camped on the com
mon and invited the villagers to
come out and trade glass beads and
fire water for beaver skins, winding
up the ceremonies with a big pow
WOW and dog feast. The little col
ony lived on for half century with
small increase Of business or popu-
lation. The French peasantry, con
sisting of nine-tenths of the popu-
laton, were people of few wants
and simpler habits, that never
dreamed of wealth or luxury. But
with the acquisition of the Terri
tory by the United States and the
gradual influx of the Anglo -Ameri-
can element, a wonderful transition
occurred, 1t was found that the
place was fit for something better
than a mere Indian trading post,
and fifty years ago st. Louis began
to assume the attributes and pro-
portions of a live Western town.
From that time on its progress has
been both steady and rapid, increas-
ing its population eighty fold, and
its aggregate wealth and business
from one to two hundred fold. The
of the city is now some
thing more than half a million,
while its business relations extend |
to every quarter of the globe.
MANUFACTURES.
A little more than forty years |
ago, when the town contained less
than ten thousand inhabitants, the |
wise notion got into somebody's |
head that st. Louis could make |
things as well as sell them, and so
the manufacture Of staple articles
was commenced. This interest has
from year to year, until il
has become the third anufacturing
city in America, its mechanical in
1ustriea showing an annual product
Of more than $200,000,O00 AS
channels of trade the city has more
than 10000 miles of navigable water
and this is supplemented by eIgh-
teen trunk lines of railway, radiat
ing towards all points Of the com
pass, and connecting it with every |
State ia the Union.
INCREASE OF GRAIN TRADE.
The opening Of the mouth Of the
by the Jetties has great
" stimulated and increased the
grain and -four trade Of st Louis
within the last year. Tbs city has
.wenty-six Touring mills with a
capacity for 10000 barrels per day,
and the -four made there from wheat
grown in this belt Of country has
obtained a worldwide reputation,
and is only rivaled in excellence by
.he product Of the famed Hunga-
rian wheat. Judging from the -four
product Of last year, and the in
crease up TO this time. the st. Louis
mills will turn out moro than two
million barrels ia 1878. Up TO the
9th of July the city merchants had
received 5G3, ,305 barrels of country
lour, an increase Of 80 per cent. on
he receipts for the same time last
year. For the past six months the
receipts CT wheat have been 1882,
j93 bushels, showing an increase OF
about 80 per cent. on those for the
same period in 1877.
These facts arc mentioned, not
70 boast Of the greatness Of 81
Louis, for both Chicago and Nil |
gaukee excel her in the grain trade,
bat rather TO call attention 10 the
almost illimItable productive capac-
.ty Of the Great West Many peo
Die east Of the Alleghanies have no
more conception Of the developed
and undeveloped wealth Of the Mis-
sissippi Valley than they have Of
.he treasures that lie at the bottom
# the ocean. For the last hundred
years, ever since the West began 70
be a civilized country, it has been
paving tribute TO the brains and
bullion of the East-aa humble
slave, willing to hew wood and draw
water for its masters, and always
thankful for any little crumbs that
night fall from the table.
GREAT CHANGE
Has finally come over the affairs Of
his country, and this immense prio
iucing region, extending from the
Gulf 10 the Great Lakes and from
The Alleghanies 10 the Rockies, has
Hnally secured political supremacy
and will use its power, not 70 op-
press others, but to secure such lm-
as are imperatiyely de-