The Bessemer indicator., 1893-07-15
NOT WORRIED ABOUT FINANCE.
o'' Louis Reports Bu.ines. rrfy Good
Increased Railroad Fac,l,ties

sr. t-oGIs, Mo, July :. 1se3-Tba
snahcial problem is exciting So much
interest throughout INC country that
nime st the f.s, question asked Of any
~: Ia TO how IT withstood the
''or oies 81 the spring and enrly sum
.aef, St Louis has every r.ason to
congratulate itself on the result of the
erst six months business of the year
The real estate transfers represen nted
a larger total than for any half year
with the exception of that ending
June 1892, which was by far the best
on record. The 1893 total is far in ex-
cess of that total of lSg. which was re-
gard.d as remarkably good year.
The bank clearings for the six months
just ended were the largest on record
and with the exception of the June
total each month showed u very large
increase over the corresponding month
last year, when money was compara-
lively easy. Confidence is quite gen
eral in commercial circles and the
credit of esta blishments generally has
not been materially impaired.
The arrangement between the rival
bridge CO mpanics, whereby it may be
made possible to use the Merchants
bridge and its elevated rouse for all
passenger trains entering tic city
| from the East, reservirg the tunnel
route for freight business, appears 10
! have been nearly consumm tel, and
although the details have not yet been
made public the presidents of both
systems admit that arrangements have
been made This will lead to ihe
traffic being expedited very materially
and will certainly be a benefit both to
the travelling and the freight distrfb-
uting public. The increase of traffic
this year, largely in consequence of
the travel from the East and South to
tie World Fair, has been matter
of general comment, and by making
full use of both bridges and terminal
systems it will lie possible 10 handle
the traffic more expeditiously and at
less expense. The bridge across the
river at Alton is being pushed forward
rapidly and this will give another val
liable terminal system and entrance
from lie North.
The success OF the fast mail train
running north has been marked, and
it has opened up quite large territory
which, although within two or three
hours distance by rail from St, Louis
could not be conveniently reached
from it except by the morning and
night ira ms. The travel on the roads
running direct between st, Louis and
Chicago is also remarkab BILE and it is
getting quite usual to run these trains
In dou uDle sections.
he quest on of extending the city
limits has again been raised. 1t is
nearly eighteen years since the city
limits were materially increased and
since then there has grown up large
number of suburban towns ana sec
tiols with an aggregate population
considerably in excess of 100, ,ODO. Sew
eral of the districts are supplied with
electric lights from power plants with
in the city and in otHcr ways the sec
tions are becoming more and more
urban every day, resulting in quite Il
demand for anneyation. Almost the
only dra W back to st, Louis county as
u resident section is the difficulty in
obtaining goo supply of water, re-
lance having to he placed in large
measure on cisterns for supply. The
progress on the new city water works
has been so rapid that they Will soon
be in position 10 supply water to over
n million people and already applica-
tions are coming from sections of the
county for supply. There are obvi-
ous objections to supplying generally
districts whose residents do not contri-
butte to the municipal revenue and this
desire for n water supply is in conse-
quence increasing the prospects of an
nexation.
Tho ,nmeIr nf 1tf, bcfrTns in tho cradle ibn