The St. Louis Republic., 1901-03-31

WRITTEN FOR THE SUNDAY REPUBLIC.
The first crisis in the affairs of St. Louis
arose before a permanent house was built,
and almost before young August Chou
teau, the 14-year-old commander of the band
Of thirty pioneers who had come across
from Fort Chartres had completed the
task of telling the trees that had been
blazed by Pierre Laclede Ligueste as mark
ing the site Of the village that was to be.
Indians caused the crisis, OF course. In
dams caused nearly everything In those
days. But, unlike the other crises that the
red man was prominent in. this was an
industrial and economic one, rather than
one with gunshot and scalp-taking features.
The most casual reader of the history Of
St. Louis and Of the Louisiana Purchase
knows-or at least there is small excuse for
his not knowing-that Pierre Laclede Ii
gueste and his trading party reached
Ste. Genevieve, the first settlement west Of
the Mississippi River, in October. 1763. They
were bound northward to establish trad
ing post from which they could carry on,
under the grant Of Louis XIV, the Indian
traffic that they had planned.
But Ste. Genevieve was a Door sort of
place for post such as Iigueste contem-
plated. There was not in all Ste Genevieve
a building of sufficient size to accommo-
date one-fourth of the stock of merchandise
that Ligueste had brought with him.
The pioneer of Western commercialism
was seriously worried. His goods
must be cared for. Upon their safety de-
pended the whole success of the project.
He thought of building an immense struct-
ure for their shelter. But he should not re-
main long in Ste. Genevieve; therefore, why
build huge warehouse?
When his plight was seemingly at its
most serious phase. an officer from the
French Fort Chartres arrived in Ste. Gene
nj ha a.
ant. NJ. de Neyon de Villieres. inviting
1igueste to store his goods there. and
make that place his home until he decided
upon a location.
Ligueste arrived at Fort Chartres on No
Vember 3. There he disembarked all his
goods. housing them in the fort, and found
quarters for all his people.
Selection of the Site and
Chouteau's Building Expedition.
But Fort Chartres was on the wrong side
OF the river: and besides, the territory had
been ceded to the British. and soon a Brit
fsh force must arrive to take possession
OF IT.
SO. with young Chouteau. Ligueste began
q tour Of exploration-one is tempted to say
he started out to find St. Louis" He
closely examined the western shore of the
Mississippi from Fort Chartres to the
mouth OF the Missouri, noting the eleva-
tioas, the distances, the natural surround
ings. Developments showed that he might
have made only one-half of the trip, for
Immediately upon reaching the mouth of the
Missouri he turned back to what is now
the site of st. Louis. He landed at a point
close to what is now the foot of Walnut
street. and with young Chouteau climbed
the bit Of hill. With a sharp knife he
marked the trees as they Stood Here was
to be the big storehouse; there was to be
his house; over yorder to the south was to
be the house of Nine. Chouteau; at various
other places were to be the homes of the
settlers-rough cabins built of logs and
daubed with mud.
You will come here as soon as naviga-
ton opens" he said to Chouteau, ." and
viii cause this place to be cleared, in order
to form our settlement after the plan that
I shall give you.''
Then he and his boy lieutenant re-em-
barked and drifted down to Fort Chartres,
where he told NJ. de Neyon: