Photograph of Chestnut Street in St. Louis looking west from Fourth Street. The court house is on the left and the Planter's Hotel is on the right., This image of the Planter's Hotel matches another looking north on Fourth Street in 1872. By 1874, the hotel was renovated and expanded.
Political cartoon illustrated by T.H. Nash. "A Government of the people, for the people, and by the people" - that can not protect the people, shall perish from the earth.
"GO ON" -- U. S. Grant
The constitution of the United States must and shall be preserved - and protected.
20x16 in photograph of the Cracker Castle at the corner of St. Ange and Chouteau in 1870. The house was built in 1868 for Jonathan O. Pierce, who gained his wealth through the selling of hardtack during the Civil War. Within a few years, the home was sold to Fidelio C. Sharp, a lawyer and partner in the firm of Sharp & Broadhead.
Front Page of Frank Leslie's Illustrirte Zeitung from the 13th of July, 1872, depicting a concert hall and its auditorium where a singing festival was held. The caption below the auditorium specifically mentions the reception concert. The illustrations were done by Joseph Ferdinand Keppler. The text is from "Herrn Mahlhuber's Reiseabenteuer" by Friedrich Gestäcker (Gestaecker).
14.75x13 in photograph of 4th Street in St. Louis looking north toward Chestnut Street. The streetscape includes the front facade of the Planter's Hotel, the offices of the Vandalia Line, and a museum.
Illustration of St. Louis levee along North Market Street. Steamboats docked in foreground. Warehouses visible behind steamboats. Manufacturing and office buildings visible in background.
A political cartoon featured on the front page of Frank Leslie's Illustrated newspaper, published on January 8,1876. The cartoon depicts the formal discharge of special prosecutor General John Brooks Henderson from the case involving the indictment of General Orville E. Babcock. General Babcock served as private secretary under President Ulysses S. Grant from 1869-1877 and during that time was accused of and indicted for his alleged involvement in the political scandal known as the Great Whiskey Ring. Babcock was acquitted of the charges brought against him after a defense provided by President Grant.
16x20 in photograph of the first public high school in St. Louis at the corner of Fifteenth Street and Olive Street in 1870. The building was built in 1855 in the Lucas Place neighborhood.
Light on the River - August 18, 1880. The Steamer Chas. P. Chouteau, lying at the foot of Market street, attracted considerable attention along the levee last evening by its two electric lights, which shone forth with intense brightness. The Chouteau is the first steamer at this point on the Mississippi River to substitute an electric llight for the old fashioned pine-torch illuminators, and the enterprise is one that will amply repay the owners of the boat for the expensive outlay. There were two lights on the boat, near the bow one on each side pendant upon the end of a boom about 30 feet long. The lights were surrounded by a crystal globe similar but smaller than the one used on 6th street. The experiment was made under the direction of Mr. H. Heisler who was present with a corps of assistants, managing the engine and regulating the lamps. The engine used is of 6 horsepower of the Smith & Rankin make, an upright piece of machinery and a little beauty. It requires three horsepower for each light, which is of 10,000 candle power. When the engine was first put in motion the lights were disposed to flicker, owing to the unsteady running of the engine, caused by the slipping of the band as it stretched. This difference was obviated by tightening the band, after which the light burned steadily and without difficulty. It was a fine exhibition, taken all in all, and the officers of the boat as well as the spectators generally expressed their satisfaction with the experiment.
A lithograph of the interior of the Mercantile Library Hall in St. Louis, Missouri. A crowd is gathered to watch the Fourth Inter-state Collegiate Oratorical Contest. The figures on the stage stand beneath a very large pipe organ. Based on a sketch by F. J. Howell.
Photograph of the steamer MONTANA. "Carried 1000 tons Pittsburgh to St. Louis on maiden trip. Could have easily carried 500 tons more. Greats carrier on shallow water."
"Built at California, Pennsylvania in 1879 of finest Pennsylvania oak. Some of the fine boards were 60 feet long. She was extreme shallow draft - 7" forward - 11" amid ship and 14" on the stern when light. On her maiden trip - Pittsburgh to St. Louis - she brought around 1000 tons and carried it with the greatest ease. She could have easily carried 500 tons more. The Montana, Dacotah and Wyoming were sister boats. The Wyoming was slightly larger in tonnage. Each of these great boats went to Fort Benton, Montana in the Mountain trade, but the came to late to reap the golden harvest in that trade. They were to big for the upper Missouri and the wind up in the country made them very difficult to handle. When they came down they never went back again. The wreck of the Montana lies at the St. Charles bridge. These hulls were as fine as any ever built, and those skilled ship carpenters did it all without any blueprints as sternwheel boats go they ranked as the finest."