The Bessemer indicator., 1893-05-20
A CITY HALL SOLD.
Tho Old Municipal Bulldins In st.
Louis sold-Activity In Electric
Railroad ConstructiCn

Railroad Construction.
ST. LOUIS, May l2.-The sale OF the
old City Hall on Saturday was quite an
event in the city's history and the old
est inllabitant was well represented,
stories being exchanged as to events
which happened in the Old building
when it was regarded as II magaih ent
ructurc aud credit to tnc city.
| ! here were many present who could
rccollcct the time when the ground on
| which the h II tool could b. bought
| by the acre ut Il reI enable tigure, ~ d
IL is the more inter, sting IN conse-
qucnce to note that the price obtained
on Satul day was II AGO per foot. 4 his
is looked upon as about 200 less thal
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 & L Off
ces to ST. Louis is another instance of
the growth of st. Louis as railroad
center Several leading roai Is 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 class 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 OF for n few days
and visit the manufacturing establish
mcnts and other attractions. The
other section consists of traus-conti-
mental tourists, an immense number of
whom select st. Louis routes. as they
explain, to avoid the Worlds Fair
crowd, prefcrrng 10 make q special
trip 10 the grand Exposition later on.
The wires are now being strung on
three lengthy elcatric rcnis 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 down town terminals,
and all that will be left at the enl of
this month in the way of horse trlc-
tion for street railroads in st. l4ouis
will be little one horse, or, more cor
rectly, two.mule cross town road. Even
this road has obtained powers TO change
its system 10 electricity. The horse
and mule have died hard, but they APP
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 roint
OF having club mouse for tnc4r use,
for one thing, and it is the only city
that sends them ont in special trains
to conquer new territory for the busi-
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 a train
and went down to Mexico. where they
stayed long enough to gobb!e 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 moro appar-
cat than the business. made the com
mcrcial object in the background the
more successful. It is not amazing
that no other city can compete with
st. Louis in its business territory when
She sends oat her drummcrs bv train
loads in this way.