Audubon County Republican. [volume] (Audubon, Audubon Co., Iowa) 1885-1894, 1893-05-18
A CITY HALL SOLD.
The Old Municipal Building In st.
Louis sold-Activity In Eel 10
RaiIroad Construction.

Railroad Construction.
ST.. Louis, May 12.-The sale of the
old City Hall on Saturday was quite an
event in the city's history and the old
est inhabitant was well represented,
stories being exchanged as to events
which happened in the old building
when it was regarded as magnificent
ructure and u credit to the city.
4 here were many present who could
recollect the time when the ground on
which the hall stood could be bought
by the acre at q reasonable figure, and
1T is the more interesting in conse-
quence to note that the price obtained
on Saturday was 81, 800 per foot. This
is looked upon as about 5000 less than
its actual value. 1t is situated on
Eleventh Street between Market and
Chestnut and is regarded as being
right in the line of business improve
ment.
The removal of the NJ X. & T. off,
ces to st. Louis is another instance of
the growth of st. Louis as railroad
center. Several leading roads have
during the last year obtained access to
it and others are now working in the
same direction. Since the opening of
the Worlds Fair there has been an
enormous increase in through and stop
over traffic. Two classes of people are
included in the crowds Nearly all
who go to Chicago from the south or
southeast take advantage of the favor
able st. Louis rates and come via this
city, where they stop off for few days
and visit the manufacturing establish
ments and other attractions. The
other section consists of trans-conti-
mental tourists, an immense number of
whom select st. Louis routes, as they
explain, to avoid the Worlds Fair
crowd, preferring to make special
trip to the grand Exposition later on.
The wires are now being strung on
three lengthy electric roads connecting
the business section with the Fair
Grounds and the country northwest of
it. These are the last of the old horse
car roads with town terminals,
and all that will be left at the en1 of
this month in the way OF horse trac-
ton for street railroads in st. Louis
will be a little one-horse, or, more cor
rectly, two-mule cross town road. Even
this road has obtained powers to change
its system to electricity. The horse
and mule have died hard, but they ap-
pear to be about dead now, so far as
the st. Louis street car service is con-
cerned.
st. Louis is the paradise of the COM
mercial traveller. 1t is the only city in
the country that has got to the point
of having clubhouse for their use,
for one thing, and it is the only city
that sends them out in special trains
to conquer new territory for the bust
ness houses they represent. The Span
ish Club is an organization here de-
voted to the study of Spanish. Its
members are mostly young business
men. Last year the club hired train
and went down to Mexico, where they
stayed long enough to gobble up all
the trade that was to be got in the Re-
public. More recently they chartered
both trains and steamers and went
over to Cuba 200 strong to teach the
merchants how advantageous it would
be for them to buy their goods in st.
Louis. The social features of both
these trips being so much more appar-
ent than the business, made the com
inercial object in the background the
more successful. 1t is not amazing
that no other city can compete with
st. Louis in it's business territory when
she sends OIt her drummers by train
loads in this way.