Idaho County free press. [volume] (Grangeville, Idaho Territory) 1886-current, 1892-06-24
OUR ST. LOUIS LETTER.
Aid for Kansas Cyclone suffcrers-A
Candy Peddler's Ambition and Pluck
How Circuscs are Being Forced Farther
from business Limits.

How Circuscs are Being Forced Farthe
from business Limits.
ST. LOUIS, June?-The strong bono
OF fellowship which exists between st
Louis and the State of Kansas wa
pleasantly emphasized few days ago
when telegram was received from
mercantile house at Wellington, stating
that genuine distress existed in conse
queace of the cyclone and that aid was
needed promptly. Two Representatives
OF the large wholesale dry goods
and clothing interests of ST. Louis
went on the street as once, and three
hours after the receipt of the telegram
a response was wired that 81. 1855 had
been collected and that draft for the
amount would be honored on the prin-
"iple that he who gives quickly gives
trebiy. The help was timely in the ex-
treme.
There is an Italian in St. Louis, who
has original IDEAS. He is Stephen
Delacella, handsome, stout, darkish
man, who owns hotel and dabbles In
politics. lie was the moving spirit of
the celebration here, few weeks ago.
OF the Ancient Order of United Work.
men, which was one of the greatest
society reunions that has taken place
in the West. He got up river spec
taclc for that cele bration, and actually
induced the Gould people to divide
with the local societies the money paid
at the gates by the people who went
ON the big bridge to see the brilliant
show. lie is now at the head of a
national movement by Italians which
Will give the visitors who come here
this fall for the festivities additional
entertainment. The Italians will have
river pageant, representing the land
ing of Colum bus on American soil with
decorated ships, Spanish costumes.
banners flying from mast heads, firing
of guns, and Indians, of course. On
one of the nights there will be fire.
works on the river, and there will be,
besides, an afternoon of speech-maliing
and music with the statue of Columb bus
out in Tower Grove park and an even
ing at the banquet table. 1t will be
the first occasion on which the thou
sands of wealthy and influential Italians
OF the city have ever concentrated
their resources on a national affair of
more than local interest.
Every time one of the mammoth
circuses comes here, their managers get
"a striking object lesson upon the
rapid growth of st. Louis. Twelve
years ago, when old Phineas brought
his first three ring show out West, he
pitched his world OF canvas on great
vacant lot near the corner of Eigh-
teenth and Pine streets. When he
came around five years later, he had to
take his circus mile further west, to
n vacant lot on the corner of jefferson
avenue, or Twenty street and
Dixon, all the lots nearer the Mer-
chants Exchange having been built up.
When he got here again, just before
he died, he could get no nearer the
business center than Thirty second and
compton avenue. Last week, the cir
cus had to exhibit a mile west of that,
again, at the corner of Vandeventer
VENUE and Laclede, office blocks,
stores and dwellings having taken
possession of all the other circus SITES
The lot covered by the tents this year
S under contract of sale and will be &C.
'upied by flats when the circus arrives
ieXt time. 1t will then have to go out
rear Forest Park, six miles from the
liver, before large enough lot can be
ound. But electric cars have done SO |
much for the city in the last few years
hat Forest Park is now as near the |
etail streets as jefferson avenue, four
o delight the crowds under Barnum's
ents there, by his bareback riding.
Among the anxious people who have
been watching the floods for the past
month, none have been more worried
han the observers of the signal office,
Who had to announce every day what
he river was going to do. Early each |
morning. the river men would begin to |
all up the signal observatory by tele- |
'hone, inquiring what the prospects |
we're for the day. Plans were made |
Ipon these predictions that involved |
thousands of dollars, and if the OBJ |
ervers made mistake they were re- |
lied without ceasing. One day, when |
he river was going up slowly, a cotton |
merchant who had several thousand |
'ales of cotton piled upalong the levee,
anne to the signal office and asked |
whether the river would rise higher or
all.
"Its going up much higher" said
Observer ID. j. Herndon, who was then
n charge of the Office.
ut will cost me thousand dollars
o move my cotton up out of reach of
he water" said the factor. "Shall l
o it?"
81 can give you no ADVICE" said the
bserver. 1--WE think the river is going
o rise. but you must decide yourself
What is best for you to do"
The man went away uncertain, and
id not move his cotton. The water
anne up, and he lost over five thousand
ollars. The next day he came up to
he signal Office very humbly.
'Do you want advice?" asked OBJ
erver Herndon.
mo, l DON'T" said the factor, rue
ully. "If you wink at me this time
III move my cotton"