The state herald., 1892-05-20
OUR ST: LUIS LETTER.

A Landmark being nemovod-Mesting Of
Tho Furniture Hoard Of rrade--Raoc
Meeting of the Jockey Club--Base ball
as Reorganised.
6r. LOUIS, May 18.-An historical land
mark Of the city is being removed, .
wrsoking company having commenced
this week tearing down the old Planters
House, one OF the oldest hotels In the
west, and house In which many mon OF
note have stopped whilo In 81. Louis.
The work Of demolition Is going on rap
Idly and thero arc crowds Of relic hunters
anxious TO carry away some fragment Of
the house which has boon immortaliEed
by Charles Dickens and other writers OF
International fame. Tho wreoking COM
pany has been able to sell q large quantity
OF marble slabs and tiling, much OF which
10 In perfect condition. Tho hotel
10 being torn down to make room for .
larger and more modern building, which
10 to be erected at cost including dec.
orations and furnishings, upwards Of two
million dollars. The new hotel will bo
absolutely nro proof, and ono Of the finest
in the United stAtes. Its namo has not
yet been definitely decided upon, the
New Planters" being suggested by somo
while othcrs favor the namo columbia
HOTEL" on tho ground that II 10 being
erected partially to accommodate tho tens
OF Thousands OF visitors to the World'sFair
who will spend ut least few days In st.
Louis during the year 1893.
The 81. Louis Furniture Board Of Trade
at large and enthusiastic meeting In
structod Its delegates to tho National
Convention, which meets Al Cincinnati In
juno this year, to secure the National
Furniture Convention for St. Louis In
1898. 1t was proposed that every NOM
ber Of tho Exchange attend tho Cincin-
natl Convention, and that tho delegation
work for St. Louis as the convention
meeting place In 1893. A committee was
appointed to prepare circular setting
forth the merits OF st. Louis In an attrsc'
tive manner which is to be placed in tho
hands OF every delegate and alternate to
the convention. New York, Boston, Gin
cinnati, Grand Rapids, Chicago, all prin-
cipnl furniture points, have had tho con-
vention, and St. Louis now proposes, with
Its excellent organization, to bring II to
| tho City OF Conventions. ii. N. Davis,
who has made speciality Of freight mat
ters, submitted report showing tho ex-
cellont work that had been accomplished
In connection with tho Traffic Commits
sIon. Then on motion OF Mr.. J. A. Rear
don, the following was adopted: Resolved,
That tho st. Louis Furniture Board OF
Trade heartily indorse the good work ac-
complished by the 81. Louis Traffic Com
mission, during the first year OF its
existence toward gaining for St. Louis
many advantages in rates and classiflsa-
tions, and recommend those OF our men,
bers who arc not members to make
application thereto, and enjoy the benc-
fits they largely disseminate.
The forty y-cight days race meeting OF
the 81. Louis Jockey Club Is now at Its
full height and Is proving the most sue
cessful race meeting ever held in 81. Louis.
All difficulty as to the paucity OF entries
is at ali end, and so numerous have the
entries become that the Jockey Club has
been compelled TO charge an entrance fee
for all starters In order to reduce the num-
Der going to the post. Prior TO this
change In the rules, thirty or forty horses
were frequently started in one race and
although the st. Louis track is one OF the
largest and best In tho country il was
found dangerous ns well as unsatisfactory
| to hAvo II so overcrowded. There are
ovcr thousand valuable horses In the
stables at the Fair Grounds and the sue
cess OF tho meeting seems TO improve as
time proceeds.
Base bali ~ reorganizcd Is proving very
popular here this year, and 81. Louis so
far holds the record OF 1892 for the largest
attendance at any game, tho record hnv-
Ing been made at a Sunday game between
St. Louis and Cincinnati, tho latter team
captained by Charles Comiskey, under
whose management the "st. Louis
Browns" won tho championship four
years In succession. II is n singular
feature In connection with local ball
playing this year that tho st. Louis club
Is made up Of strangers In the city, only
ono member OF tho team having played
here last year, while all the old local la
voritcs play In New York, Cincinnati, or
Boston uniforms. This is a reversal OF
tho old order OF things. but Judging from
the enthusiasm eyinced the general shak-
Ing up OF the teams was a good move so
far as the finances Of the base ball mag
mates arc concerned.