Los Angeles daily herald., 1890-03-01
ST. LOUIS LETTER.

ST. LOUIS uEIIEhs
Trip Across the OivIde-st. Louis.
New Blood and Great Projects.
PrOgress-Duiuth-
DEAR HERALD-A trip across the con-
tinent at this time of the year is es-
pecially uninteresting from every point
of view. 1t may indeed be doubted
whether that portion of the continent
embraced between the Colorado river
and Kansas City possesses much inter
est at any time. After leaving
San Bernsrdino, the last glimpse is
had of all that is distinctive OF Southern
California, and the poetical is succeeded
by the sterile. There is nothing in the
scenery of Arizona, or at least that por-
tion of it that aligns the Santa Fe rail.
way, to relieve the monotony of the trip.
Ones experiences are best described by
passage in the Old Testament which
runs: lone hill is like another, and one
valley repeats another" AS one ap.
proaches Flagstaff, stunted growth
of timber somewhat diversifes the
landscape, and this growth increases in
size, in the immediate neighborhood of
that town. It will be remembered that
un Der from Flagstaff was brought into
Los Angeles several years ago, but it's
quality failed to give satisfaction. A
fine article of brown sandstone is also
quarried in the vicinity of Flagstaff.
New Mexico has little to interest the
casual traveller, and the same may be
said Of Kansas The first real point Of
interest is Kansas City, which, although
not enjoy ing q 'boom," is bubbling over
with the traditional energy of her citi-
zsns. propose to devote this letter to
st. Louis and to some reflections upon
the business situation as respects the
great cities of the Northwest.
vERITABLE "BooM."
For some years past no city in the
United States has given more evidence
of strong impulse of growth and pro-
gress than St. Louis. In 1918 St. Louis
had population of about 1900 souls.
There is no reliable data as to her pres
ent population, but the claim is made
that the next census will show consider
ably over half million. To one who
goes thoroughly over the city, this claim
seems not the least exaggerated. Build
ing operations, both for residence and
business purposes, have been conducted
on gigantic scale. The western
and southern portions of the
city have made enormous advances
in settlement in the past four or five
years. In the business portions of the
city high and massive structures, quite
up to the standard of Chicago, have
been erected and are being erected. St.
Louis has never received credit for the
extreme elegance and even splendor of
many of her residence quarters. For it's
size 1t would be hard to surpass Vands-
venter Place throughout the United
States, and the evidence of home
comfort abound on every hand in taste
full and even luxurious edifces. In fact,
probably in no city in the Union is home
life more carefully cultivated than in this
city. The earliest chronicles of St. Louis
show that from the date of the first
French settlement-or at least from the |
period of the arrival of the first American
settlers - the place was pervaded |
by an air of gayety and hospi-
tality, which it has retained and |
even improved upon. When Villa
Il. Seward spoke in st. Louis in 1860, |
during the Lincoln cam mpaign, he SAID |
that Missouri was destined to be the |
Empire State" and 81. Louis the EN-
pire City" of the United States. The |
judgment of William Fl. Seward is ordi-
narily quite reliable. He was recognized |
as man of exceptional sagacity. A
number of causes contributed 70 re-
tard the development of the city. The
first five years of the decade between
1860 and 1870 was period of obstruction
resulting from the war, and this was
availed of by the enterprising business
men OF Chicago TO give that city great
boost. The extremely conservative and
cautious character of the business men
OF st. Louis also undoubtedly contri.
buted to keep the place in lead
ing strings. Notwithstanding these
drawbacks st. Louis surprised the world
by leading Chicago 14,000 in the census of
1870. Chicago, In her turn, astonishsd
people by the extent to, which she led
ST. Louis in 1880, and the precise cause
Df that disparity would bs hard to deter
mine, unless it be referred in part to the
tremendous impetus given to the Lake
City by the great fire OF 1871. This is a
paradox, but it may be the true solution
of the problem. Almost illimitable
streams of new capital poured into Cni-
;ago as result of the fire, and new
impulse OF enterprise and courage was
he result.
Comparisons are said to be odious, 80
shall simply content myself with the
tateMent that st. Lonis today is more
prosperous and active than in any period
II her long history. The clearing house
exchanges for the past year show an
Increase of eighty-six millions of
iollars, or twenty per cent. over those of i
he preceding year. 1t may be con-
identity asserted that no other city in the
United States can begin to make such an
xhibit. In addition to being great ]
manufacturing and commercial center, I
It. Louis has also become great mining &
enter. With an unwonted enterprise,
er people have reached out into COL '
rado, Montana and the adjoining States q