The working library of noted railroad executive John W. Barriger III (1899-1976) was acquired in 1982, the generous donation of his family. Widely recognized as one of the twentieth century's best-known and most distinguished railroad executives, Mr. Barriger was also an avid scholar, book collector, and photographer. His collection of books, papers, photographs, and memorabilia - collected over an active career of 50 years - forms the nucleus of the Library's railroad collections, one of the largest rail transportation collections in the world.
"Low teller counters replace the old-fashioned high teller cages in the new quarters of the Boatmen's National Bank in St. Louis. Lighting is a combination of incandescent fixtures and fluorescent cove lighting. The ceiling is light tan with white plaster decorations."
"48-unit St. Regis, 4950 Lindell Bl." "Claude E. Vrooman, realtor, who build the St. Regis Apartments, 4950 Lindell boulevard, in 1911 and managed the 48-unit building until he sold it in 1926, again acquired an interest in the property last week as a result of a series of transfers. Title to the parcel was first conveyed from the General American Life Insurance Company to Henry Hehling, a straw party, with documentary stamps on the warrenty deed indicating a consideration of $491,000. A technical transfer to the Burnett Real estate and Investment Company ensued, following which title was conveyed to the present record owner, the Saturday Company."
This work was made for the Burlington Lines beginning in January of 1946. It was revised in 1951 and issued again in 1954. It provided instructions to engineers and firemen in the care and operation of locomotives. Mastery of these instructions helped firemen maintain their positions and gain promotion to the rank of engineer. Engineers and firemen were required to carry this book with them while on the job.
This map, plotted out by Norbury Wayman, shows the various locations of steamboat lines and related companies on the St. Louis levee, detailing three periods of time; before 1865; 1865 - 1900; and 1900 - 1953. Lines and companies are donated by name, location and years of operation. Nearby streets are mapped as well, for easy frame of reference. Scale in feet: 100 ft. = 1 inch.
1 3/4 inch diameter round pin back button with a red, white, and blue background with the words "My Dad's a Republican But I Vote for Taystee Bread." An illustration of an elephant is located on the right side as a symbol of the Republican Party.
1 3/4 inch diameter round pin back button with a white and blue background with the words "My Dad's a Democrat But I Vote for Taystee Bread." An illustration of a donkey is located on the right side as a symbol of the Democratic Party.
Mrs. Marva Rucker, divorcee of 1534 N. 16th St., is shopping with food coupons under the Food Stamp Program. Her monthly income is $231--$156 of it from her Aid to Dependent Children and $75 from husband in support of their five small children. Monthly she is required to buy $30 worth of food coupons, and is given an additional $54 in free coupons, netting her total of $84 worth.
Cardinals catcher Walker Cooper congratulates Ted Wilks, who pitched the final 3 2/3 innings in the championship victory in Game Six [in 1944]. [caption comes from St. Louis Post Dispatch]
St. Louis on a Busy Day- in 1870. You may not believe it, but this was the way Fourth and Chestnut looked to the country gentlemen who drove into town in their buggies and contemplated a trip to Louisville over the "Vandalia Route,"... street car going in the opposite direction.
St. Louis Then and Now: The photo at left was taken at Fourth and Chestnut streets in 1870, six years before the city divorced the County on grounds of incompatibility and non-support. In that horse-drawn era, St. Louisans did not foresee the tremendous growth and development of city (right photo) and choked off future expansion by voting to go it alone.
A Bustling St. Louis in 1870 became fourth largest city in the nation, according to the census of that year. The race with Chicago was hot and St. Louis still clung to ideas of becoming the dominant city of the Midwest and possibly the nation's capital. But 10 years later Chicago forged ahead and St. Louis subsequently was passed by five other cities.
Broadway looking south from Washington. The illumination bug bit St. Louis in 1882 when 140 plumbers scurried to set up gas pipes for lamplit arches along 44 blocks of the business section. At a cost of $20,000, 21,000 globes of different colors were set twinkling above the streets.
"Tens of thousands of spectators gazed with admiration on the display evening after evening," wrote a contemporary observer. "Thousands of European tourists, who were attracted by the novelty and magnitude of the undertaking, pronounced it the most gorgeous street spectacle they had ever witnessed and so infinitely superior to the best Old World productions as to make anything in the nature of comparison out of the question."
The illuminations continued for a decade in what St. Louisians proudly called the "Carnival City of America", and were climaxed by gas and electric illuminations put on in the autumn of 1892. This pictures shows the arches on Broadway in the early 1890s.
Broadway looking south from Washington, 1898. Cable car + illumination.
The illumination bug bit the festivities association hard and it ordered set up on 44 blocks in the downtown section 21,000 gas lights with different colored globes. The display was so spectacular that it was made an annual event for 10 years. Photo shows the gas light arches on Broadway in early 1890s.