The St. Louis Republic. [volume] (St. Louis, Mo.) 1888-1919, 1902-11-30
of history are DESTROYED to make room for

most important.
The buildings now are used for saloons
and cheap lodging-hous.s. warehouses and
junk shops.
Yet there are thousands of old citizens
who Will feel panGs OF regret at the passing
of these landmarks.
In what these men call 1.-The old steam
boat days" not only the principal places OF
business. but many of the best residences OF
the town We're located on the Levee.
The business was all-important
then. as the river was the artery of COM
merce.
Before the Civil War St. Louis steamers
We'd with those of Alton in river traffic.
Fer several years citizens of this place
were annoyed by having their Eastern mail
addressed to ST. Louis, Near Alton
ROCK HOUSE WAS
BUILT IN 1890.
Undoubtedly the oldest building in the dis
trict to be razed is 18th Rock House at
No. - North Levee.
1t was erected in 1870 of stone and was
used as a residence for a few years.
Little is known OF its history. but many
businesses were carried on there until ii
was converted into a typical leves saloon.
Another old house. destroyed several
years ago. was known as the House That
Jack Built"
This WAS south OF the Rock House.
According TO tradition. 1t was built in
the Eighteenth Century by an eccentric In
dian trader known as Jack" among the
Indians and frontiersmen.
OF all the businesses conducted in this
district fifty years ago or more, but one is
still in existence in its original place.
This is the Eagle Boat Store. II: No. 5i
North Levee, located next door to the tur~
trading establishment of J. < T.. Walsh.
founders of the family of which Julius
Walsh of the Union Trust Company is now
the head.
Recently the old Walsh building was torn
down. leaving the musty walls of the old
boat store exposed to daylight it had not
seen for three-quarters of II century.
Captain William Leyhe is now the presi-
dent of the company, which was estaplished
in 1894 by lockwood & Wiley, ship chand-
lers.
In the old steamboat days this was a
thriving business for a good many citi>
zens.
There is now but one firm.
Even this company will be forced to seek
new quarters.
Anchors, bells. fi~gureheads. pilot wheels.
machinery, rope, oils, srease-in snort.
everything imaginable needed in the run
ming of river boats-was handled by the oio
chambers.
In their stores the river men gathered
as at the pilots societies now.
COMPARED to the number OF STEAMBOATS,
running out of here to-day. the list Their was
immense.
The Atlantic and Mississippi Steamboat
Company ran twenty-one boats daily OUT
of the city before the raiiroaos took '"e
traffic from them.
Their offices also were headquarters ioi
some famous rivermen.
COMMONS WE'RE NORTH
OF EADS BRIDGE SITE.
North of the site on which the western
approach Of the Fad bridge now stands
were the village commons. upon which hun
dreds of Indians were often camped at one
time.
They came to trade their furs for flour
manufactured by the Walsh Brothers, or
the general merchandise OF Henry Shaw.
the man who gave to st. Louis the finest
botanical garden in the world.
Most of the trapping was done by the red
men in the winter time.
They descended the Mississippi and Mis-
souri, rivers in the spring, in canoes made
of birch bark or buffalo hide.
They came to st. Louis in tribes. and Of
ten two or three thousand were in or around
the city at one m
At the old town hall on Third and Chest
nut streets was q deep-toned bell that gave
~ eA0A AAS oAAa >AA
Upon the approach Of the first Indians In
the spring the town marshal rave the
alarm with the town bell.
Then all was hustle and hustle.
Tn citizens organized what was known
as the Indian patrol.
Bands Of twenty or thirty armed citizens
were drilled and instructed in the art of
keeping the Indians peaceable.
The women hastily organized washing
bees, cleansing every garment in their pos
session.
This was done because the Indians could
not be trusted to keep their hands off of
anything that might hang on the family
washline.
Those unfortunate housewives who were
ignorant Of this trait of Indian character
found their table linen missing the next
morning after 1t was hung out to dry.
After the ndian wars in the West the
noble red men, did not make so free with
st. Louis household effects.
Across the street from the Walsh building
was located one of the most historic hotels
in the West.
1t was called the "Checkerboard Tavern"
This tavern was built of walnut and pine,
and painted in brown and white checkers.
With the increase of business caused by
raw westward during the California gold
excitement, 1t was found advisable to tear
the tavern down.
One of the first brick buildings in the city
was erected on its site.
The new hotel wa called the General
Taylor House in honor of Zacnariah Tay-
lor. who was exceedingly popular then.
HUNTERS AND TRAPPERS
STOPPED AT TAYLOR HOUSE.
While the old Planters. on Broadway. and
the Everett House. now Hotel ST. Louis. at
Fourth and Locust streets. were finer, the
Taylor House was patronized by many Gel
ebrated hunters and pioneers.
Tn property is now owned by Mrs. p.
Burke, and Is one of those to be torn dow
by the Terminal Company.
Several years ago an aged man entered
the place of business of Mrs. Burke's son,
on the first floor. In the course of con-
versation he related how. fifty years ago
he arrived on n steamer in search of en-
ployr ent and stopped at that very hotel.
He is now a wealthy business man of Des
Moines. Ia.
Directly in front of the Taylor House was
the landing of the Anchor Line of steam
boats.
The driver of a bus once undertook to car
ry the Des Moines man to the best hotel In
the city. and after driving to Fourth street
and back again, the vehicle was stopped in
front Of the Taylor House.
This was at night. The next morning the
new guest looked out OF his window and
was astonished to see the landing of the
Anchor Line a few yards away.
He had paid 50 for a drive that might
have been obviated by a short walk.
The pretty town of that day and the
smoke-begrimmed Levee of the present.
form a strong contrast.
With the completion of the Eads Bridge,
1874. a great shadow fell over the dis
trict.
River traffic declined and the large whole
sale and retail stores that formerly faced
the stream were removed to brighter and