History of Saint Louis City and County, from the earliest periods to the present day: including biographical sketches of representative men, Part 50

Author: Scharf, J. Thomas (John Thomas), 1843-1898
Publication date: 1883
Publisher: Philadelphia : L.H. Everts
Number of Pages: 1358

USA > Missouri > St Louis County > St Louis City > History of Saint Louis City and County, from the earliest periods to the present day: including biographical sketches of representative men > Part 50

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Abandoning mereantile life, Mr. Walsh turned his attention to the street railway system of St. Louis, and

LIBRARY Ot THE UNIVERSITY OF ILLINOIS.

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RAILROADS.

is among the most active of those who liave con- tributed to its extension and development. In 1870 he was elected president of the Citizens' Railway Com- pany, and of the Fair Grounds and Suburban Railroad Company ; the last named road having since been con- solidated with the Citizens', of which company he is still the chief executive officer. In 1880, Mr. Walsh was elected president of the People's Railway Company, the Park Railroad Company, and the Tower Grove and Lafayette Railroad Company, which positions he still retains. In 1882 he was chosen a director in the Third National Bank of St. Louis.

In 1874 he was elected president of the St. Louis Agricultural and Mechanical Association, and served as its chief executive officer for four consecutive years, infusing into the management an energy and method strikingly characteristic of all liis business operations. At the time he became president of the association, its eighty-three acres were occupied only one week during the entire year, which was during the annual fair, while the remainder of the year it remained closed to the public. He at once set to work to make the grounds attractive at all scasons and on every day of the year. He commenced this improvement by first erecting the Art Gallery, and next founded the Zoo- logical Gardens, which have since become so popular and such a favorite public resort. The gardens eon- tain some of the finest and rarest specimens of the animal kingdom in America. During his term of office as president of the association, all the beautiful buildings of the department; of natural history were erected, and the grounds converted from an unsightly waste to a beautiful landscape. These improvements were most beneficial to the association, sccuring to it a daily revenue instead of during only one week of the year. The grounds were embellislied with fine trees, handsomely inclosed and ornamented with shrubbery, flowers, drives, graded walks, etc., and were made one of the most beautiful spots of the kind in the country.

In 1875 the Illinois and St. Louis bridge passed into the hands of receivers, and Julius S. Walsh was appointed agent in St. Louis. The affairs of the Bridge Company at that time were much complicated and embarrassed ; but upon his resignation as agent in 1876 he received the most complimentary letters from J. Pierpont Morgan and Solon Humphreys, of New York, who were the receivers, and from Messrs. J. S. Morgan & Co., of London, the agents of the bondholders, expressing their entire satisfaction at the manner in which he had conducted the affairs of the corporation, and urging him to continue his relations with the Bridge Company.

In 1875 he was made president of the South Pass Jetty Company, and continued to hold that position for the term of three years, when he resigned on ac- count of the pressure of other business. Mr. Walslı was the first person to subscribe to the stock of the corporation, and it was largely owing to his individual efforts that its financial success was secured.

On the reorganization of the Tunnel Railroad Com- pany of St. Louis, at the first meeting of the directors, on Dec. 19, 1878, Mr. Walsh was elected president, and has ever since retained that position. In 1880, having served for a number of years as director in the St. Louis, Kansas City and Northern Railroad Com- pany, he was, upon its consolidation with the St. Louis, Wabash and Pacific Railway, made a director in the last-named corporation, which position he afterwards resigned to accept the presidency of the St. Louis Bridge Company. The executive ability of Mr. Walsh is well known, and has been exhibited in several other positions of great responsibility.

Notwithstanding his great popularity and wide- spread influence, Mr. Walsh has never aspired to municipal, State, or national office, but has always exhibited the keenest interest in every important movement concerning the growth and welfare of the city. All the corporations with which he is connected are upon a firm financial basis, and are among the most important and solid institutions of St. Louis.

In 1870 he was married to Miss Josephine Dickson, daughter of the late Charles K. Dickson, of St. Louis.

Mr. Walsh has aided in building up and maintain- ing some of the most important corporations of the city, and to his unswerving business integrity and indefatigable, though unostentatious, energy their success is largely due. As a citizen, he stands with- out reproach, and as a business man, second to none in the community. His benevolence of disposition is proverbial among all who know him. Strictly moral in every walk of life, and a truly high-minded, honor- able gentleman, but few men possess in so marked a degree the merited confidence and friendship of their fellow-citizens.

Julius de Mun, grandfather of Julius S. Walsh, was descended from one of the most ancient and influ- ential familics of the province of Bigorre, France, where the castle and the domain bearing the name of De Mun-to which the family possessed a title until 1690-were situated. The first of the family, or rather the first seigneur known by name, was Anstor de Mun (knight), who was born about the year 1180. Of this Anstor, Julius de Mun was a lineal descendant.

The immediate ancestor of Mr. de Mun was Sieur Jacques de Mun, knight of the Old Guard of the

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HISTORY OF SAINT LOUIS.

person of His Majesty, and of the Lady Marie Made- leine le Meilleur, his wife. The children of Jacques de Mun and wife were :

Juliette Marie Madeleine, who married M. de Pestre. She accompanied her mother in 1817 to the island of Cuba, where she remained until her ehildren required education beyond the ability of the neigh- boring sehools to furnish, when she removed to Phila- delphia to complete their training. Having aeeom- plished this object she returned to Cuba, and when her grandehildren required similar advantages, she again repaired to Philadelphia for that purpose, and finally died there after the year 1854.

Louis de Mun, who became an attaché to the em- bassy of Baron Hyde de Neauville, Freneh minister to the United States, and from that position went to Cuba, became a sugar-planter in that island, and died there unmarried.

Auguste Elizabeth Vincent de Mun, killed at Ste. Genevieve, Mo., by MeArthur, about the year 1816, unmarried.

. Jules Louis Réné Marie de Mun, known in St. Louis as Jules or Julius de Mun, and Amadée de Mun, who was lost at sea, unmarried. Julius de Mun was born in Port au Prince, in the island of San Do- mingo, on the 25th of April, 1782, his parents having visited that island to look after their large possessions. Here they remained, in consequence of the disturbed condition of France, until the massaere of the whites during the insurrection of the negroes, from which they eseaped after great peril and difficulty. They went to England, the condition of France (then eon- vulsed by the Reign of Terror) not permitting them to return there with safety. Shortly after this, Jaeques de Mun died, and the family remained in England for the purpose of edueating their children, until the year 1808, when they came to the United States, stopping in New Jersey, from whenee they moved to Ste. Genevieve, Mo. (then the largest town in the State), in 1810. Here they remained until the year 1817, when Mrs. de Mun, heart-broken by the death of her son Auguste, removed with her family (except her son Julius, who was married) to Baltimore, Md., and from thenee to the island of Cuba, where she died.

The life of Julius de Mun was filled with extraor- dinary ineidents. Born, as we have seen, in San Domingo of noble parentage, he was sent with his brother Auguste, when quite young, to Paris, France, to be educated, where he remained until his parents removed from San Domingo to England, when word was eonveyed to the brothers of their father's desire that they should join him. In charge of a devoted servant, who disguised them in the habiliments of

poverty, they then started for the coast, and arrived safely in England. As they were passing through Paris they witnessed the seenes of blood and death near the guillotine when Robespierre was being exe- euted. The little boy Julius began to ery, whereupon his brother shook him and told him to be quiet, and not to attraet attention.

In the year 1816, Mr. de Mun formed a partner- ship with Auguste P. Chouteau and Pierre Chouteau for the purpose of trading with Santa Fé and Chi- huahua; Auguste P. Chouteau and Mr. de Mun, with their employés, going on the expedition. When they arrived at Chihuahua they were robbed of their goods and the whole party imprisoned. They re- mained in duranee for nearly two years, when, owing to the pressure brought to bear by the government of the United States on the central government of Mexico and the good offices of the French minister at Washington, they were released and returned to St. Louis.

In the fall of 1819, Mr. de Mun and family left St. Louis for the island of Cuba, where he arrived early in 1820 and purchased a coffee estate, which he eul- tivated until the fall of 1830, when he returned to St. Louis, arriving in January, 1831. Shortly after his return he was appointed secretary and translator to the board of United States commissioners for ad- justing the titles of the French and Spanish grants to lands in Missouri, the duties of which position he discharged with marked ability. Mr. de Mun was afterwards appointed United States register of the land office at St. Louis, and subsequently was elected reeorder of deeds for the county of St. Louis, which offiee he held at the time of his death.

On the 31st of March, 1812, Mr. de Mun was mar- ried to Miss Isabelle Gratiot, daughter of Charles Gratiot, who was considered the most beautiful woman in St. Louis, and of charming manners. She died July 13, 1878.

The issue of this marriage were Isabelle, married to Edward Walsh; Julie, married to Antoine Leon Chenie ; Louise, married to Robert A. Barnes ; Emilie, married to Charles Bland Smith ; and Clara, who died unmarried just after becoming of age.

Upon the restoration of the Bourbon family to the throne of France royal letters were forwarded by the government of Louis XVIII. to Julius de Mun through the French ambassador, inviting himself and family to return to Franee, and aecompanying these letters was the deeoration of the order of the Fleur de Lys, the highest honor in the gift of the king.

Mr. de Mun died in St. Louis on the 15th of August, 1843.

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Julius de Mun had a fine English and French edu- cation, also speaking and writing Spanish, and was possessed of accomplishments not common to the gentlemen of this country at that period. He was of gentle but distinguished manners, modest and retiring in his disposition, of perfect integrity and pure morals, and of the most delicate sense of honor.

THE UNION DEPOT RAILROAD COMPANY, which was originally known as the " Gravois Railway," was chartered under an act of the Legislature of the State of Missouri on April 27, 1862. After its con- struction the road was sold under forcclosure of a sccond mortgage, aud purchased by Green Erskine and Thatcher S. Johnson, who afterwards sold it to the present corporation. The original incorporators were John Scullin, C. M. Seaman, Francis Carter, Thatcher S. Johnson, Green Erskine, and James H. Roach. The road was constructed in 1862 from the corner of Fourth and Pine Streets west to Gravois road, a distance of three and one-half miles. Since that time extensions have been made, the route at present being: Gravois Branch (yellow ears), from Fourth Street, corner of Pine, on Ninth ; Clark Avenue, Twelfth ; south on Park Avenue to Ninth; Gravois road to Jefferson Avenue, with extension to Tower Grove Park. Lafayette Branch (blue cars), same to Park Avenue; thence north to State, Carroll, Linn, and Lafayette to Lafayette Park. The present capital stock of the company is three hundred thousand dol- lars, with first mortgage bonds of one hundred and seventy-five thousand dollars. John Seullin was elected president of the road in 1876, at the time of the sale of the "Gravois Railway" to the present company, and has filled the position ever since. The general offices and stables are located on the corner of Gravois road and Jefferson Avenue. The officers of the company are John Scullin, president ; Clement M. Seaman, vice-president and treasurer ; James H. Roach, secretary ; John Scullin, Clement M. Seaman, Francis Carter, Francis Erskinc, and James H. Roach, directors.

THE BENTON-BELLEFONTAINE RAILROAD COM- PANY was incorporated under a special charter Feb. 8, 1864, with a capital stock of $500,000. The in- corporators were A. W. Henning, Felix Coste, Wil- liam W. Warren, Norman Cutler, Silas Bent, Jacob B. Terrell, Charles L. Holmes, and H. M. McKittrick. The construction of the road was begun in 1864, and completed in 1866. In 1876 the road was sold for the payment of first mortgage bonds, the present cor- poration becoming owners of the franchisc. Under the present management the capital stock was reduced to $300,000. The lines extend from Third Street

and Washington Avenue via Washington Avenue, Tenth and Eleventh Streets to the Water Tower, the length being seven miles of single track. The officers are George H. Chase, president, and Robert McCul- lough, secretary and treasurer.

THE LINDELL RAILWAY COMPANY was chartered on Feb. 26, 1864, with an authorized capital stock of $600,000. Among the applicants for the charter and the original stockholders were John H. Lightner, Wayman Crow, Dwight Durkec, Levin H. Baker, John M. Krum, D. R. Garrison, William Patrick, Joshua Cheever, Bernard Crickard, William D'Oench, Charles K. Dickson, William Mayer, and Morris Taussig. Dwight Durkce was elected president of the company in 1864, and continued to hold the posi- tion until March, 1870, when he was succceded by John H. Maxon, the present incumbent. The road was begun in October, 1864, and cars commenced running on Washington Avenue March 15, 1867, and on the Fourteenth Street line May 12, 1867. The route extends from Third and Washington to Ware and Lucas Avenues, along Lucas Avenue to Grand Avenue, north on Grand Avenue to Delmar Avenue, west on Delmar Avenue to Vandc- venter Avenue, thence north on Vandeventer Avenue to Finney Avenue, thence east on Finney to Grand Avenue, thence south on Grand Avenue to Morgan, thence east on Morgan, connecting with regular tracks (blue cars), to Summit Avenue, via Fourteenth Street and Chouteau Avenue. The offices and stables are located at No. 2305 Washington Avenue, and there are stables also at 2330 Chouteau Avenue, corner of Finney and Vandeventer Avenues. The officers of the company are John H. Maxon, president ; John H. Lightner, vice-president; and G. W. Baumhoff, secretary and treasurer. Directors, John H. Maxon, John H. Lightner, G. W. Baumhoff, John M. Gil- kcson, E. Catlin, and W. A. Hargadine.

THE BADEN AND ST. LOUIS RAILROAD COM- PANY was organized in 1865, and chartercd during the same year. The road was finished and equipped in 1866. The line of route is from Grand Avenue and Bellefontaine road to Baden, a distance of two and one-half miles. The capital stock is $100,000. The offices and stables are located on the cast side of Bellefontaine road, ncar Dowling Avenue. The offi- cers of the company are George S. Case, president ; John H. Reel, vice-president ; and John W. Archer, superintendent.

THE UNION RAILWAY COMPANY was organized in 1865, and chartered July 29, 1865, with a capital stock of $300,000. Among the incorporators were C. D. Colman, C. D. Blossom, W. E. Saltmarsh, II.

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HISTORY OF SAINT LOUIS.

M. Blossom, and C. W. Horn. During 1865 the road was constructed from the corner of Fourth and Loeust Streets west to Hyde Park. In 1875 the lines were extended from Hyde Park to the fair grounds, and at present their entire length is eight miles of single track. Hon. B. Gratz Brown was eleeted first president of the road, and was succeeded by John Brown, who held the position for a short term, being followed by Julius S. Walsh, who has ever sinee retained the presidency of the company. In 1866 the capital stoek was inereased from $300,- 000 to $600,000. In 1882 the officers were Julius S. Walsh, president ; J. P. Helfestein, vice-president ; M. J. Moran, secretary and treasurer; and Michael Moran, superintendent. Direetors, Julius S. Walsh, B. Gratz Brown, A. R. Easton, J. P. Helfestein, J. A. Walsh, Charles Greene, and George S. Case.

THE TOWER GROVE AND LAFAYETTE RAILWAY COMPANY was chartered March 20, 1866, with an authorized capital stoek of $300,000, the ineorpo- rators being H. N. Switzer, John J. Roe, James B. Eads, C. K. Diekson, and J. O. Cavender. The road was constructed and put in operation during 1866, over Seeond and Third Streets from the corner of Fourth and Morgan to Anna Street, the total length being six miles of traek. G. W. Dreyer was elected first president of the road in 1866, and his successors in regular order have been J. H. Lightner, J. H. Britton, J. R. Lionberger, D. E. Walsh, and Julius S. Walsh, the latter being still the chief executive offieer. W. B. Ryder is secretary and treasurer of the company, and the direetors are Julius S. Walsh, John R. Lionberger, J. T. Sands, Charles Green, J. H. Lightner, James T. How, and John Jackson.

THE CASS AVENUE AND FAIR GROUNDS RAIL- WAY COMPANY was organized in 1874, its ineorpo- ration being approved by the City Council Jan. 19, 1874, and the charter granted Feb. 9, 1874. The first directors were James Edwards, William T. Wernse, Louis H. Stroube, Joseph M. Fitzroy, Jeremiah Fruin, H. Klages, William Miller, Thomas Bowe, John Cunningham, Sol. Lawrence, and D. E. Lockwood. The construction of the road was begun during the latter part of 1874, and it was completed and equipped with the ears running on June 25, 1875. William K. Patrick was elected the first president, and held the position during the construc- tion of the road. He was succeeded in June, 1875, by W. R. Allen, who has since retained the position. The capital stock of the company originally was five hundred thousand dollars, but it has since been re- duced to three hundred thousand dollars. At the present time the company has no bonded indebted-

ness. The line extends from Fifth and Walnut Streets north on Seventh Street to Cass Avenue, thenee to Glasgow Avenue, north to St. Louis Ave- nue, west to Grand Avenue and the Fair Grounds, returning by the same to Eighth Street, south to Walnut Street, and thenee to Fifth Street. The entire length of the road is nine miles of single track. The stables and ear-sheds were erected in the spring of 1875. The officers of the company are W. R. Allen, president ; George W. Allen, vice-president ; and G. G. Gibson, secretary and treasurer. Directors, W. R. Allen, George W. Allen, Thomas Allen, William R. Donaldson, J. D. Barlow, James W. Wallace, and E. M. Smith. The general offiees are located in the Southern Hotel building, corner of Fifth and Walnut Streets, and the stables and ear-sheds on the corner of Cass and Glasgow Avenues.

THE MOUND CITY STREET RAILWAY COMPANY was organized in 1875, as the sueeessor of the Mound City Railway Company, chartered in December, 1865, with a capital stoek of one hundred thousand dollars. The original incorporators were John Seullin, Clement M. Seaman, William Nichols, A D. Jaynes, Franeis Carter, J. B. Johnson, and Thateher S. Johnson. The first and only president of the company, elceted in 1875, is John Seullin, who has ever since retained the position. Immediately after the organization of the company the charter and franchises of what was then known as the " Northwestern St. Louis Railway" were sold on foreclosure to J. B. Johnson, by whom they were transferred to the present corporation. The road was completed and the cars commenced running in January, 1866. The route extends from the corner of Fourth and Pine Streets west to Ninth Street, thence north to North Spring Street, thenee west on Spring Street and St. Louis Avenue to Jef- ferson Avenue ; returning by St. Louis Avenue, North Spring, Fourteenth, Locust Avenue, Twelfth, Locust, Ninth, and Pine Streets to Fourth Street. The total length is seven miles of single track. The cars of the Mound City Line pass by the new post- office and government building, Pope's Theatre, St. Luke's Hospital, St. Louis University, St. Louis Place Park, Lindell Park, Base-Ball Park, Fair Grounds, and Zoologieal Garden. The officers of the company are John Seullin, president ; Francis Carter, vice-president ; and Clement M. Seamen, secretary and treasurer. Dircetors, John Seullin, Franeis Carter, Clement M. Seaman, George A. Madill, and James H. Roach. The offiees are located at 623} Olive Street, and the stables on the southwest corner of St. Louis Avenue and Twenty-first Street.

THE SOUTH ST. LOUIS RAILWAY COMPANY Was

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TRADE, COMMERCE, AND MANUFACTURES.

incorporated in April, 1876, with a capital stoek of one hundred thousand dollars, the ineorporators being Charles P. Chouteau, P. A. Hadney, A. Habsinger, and others. Soon after its organization the company absorbed the Carondelet Railway Company, with its franchises, tracks, ete., and extended the tracks of that road to the corner of Sixth and Market Strects. I. C. Terry was elected the first president of the road in April, 1876, and was succeeded by Pierre Chou- teau, who in turn was followed by Theo. Plase, the present incumbent, who is also the treasurer of the corporation. The secretary is J. B. Greensfelder, and the directors are F. W. Moss, J. S. Robertson, M. A. Wolff, L. Gottschalk, and C. F. Hermann. The route extends north from the stables along Main Street, Carondelct road, and Jefferson Avenue, east on Pestalozzi Strect, north along Eighth and Dc- eatur Streets, east on Lafayette to Fulton, north to Hickory, east to Fifth, north to Market; re- turning same to Pestalozzi, south on Eighth to Ar- senal, thenee west to Jefferson Avenue, and south to the stables, which are located on the north side of Davis, near Main Street. The general office is at the corner of Sixth and Walnut Streets.

THE ST. LOUIS TRANSFER COMPANY was char- tered Dee. 12, 1859, as the Ohio and Mississippi Transfer Company, the original incorporators being P. W. Strader, Joseph N. Kinncy, Alex. H. Lewis, Thomas Lowe, Henry C. Cooling, and Alfred Gother. P. W. Strader was elected the first president in 1859, and was succeeded by Samuel Gaty, the present in- cumbent. The capital stoek is eight hundred and fifty-nine thousand two hundred dollars, and the eom- pany transaets a general transfer business, handling passengers, baggage, and freight to and from railroad depots, steamboats, ete. S. H. Klinger is secretary of the company ; T. B. Thompson, treasurer ; and R. P. Tansey, manager. The direetors are Samuel Gaty, R. P. Tansey, S. C. Clubb, W. H. Clement, J. J. Mitehell, D. S. Gray, and J. M. Thompson. The office is located at No. 213 North Third Street.

THE RAPID TRANSIT COMPANY was ehartercd June 3, 1880, with an authorized eapital stoek of fifty thousand dollars, the incorporators being M. A. Wolff, Charles McClaren, John H. Terry, John Lumsden, John T. Davis, George D. Reynolds, and Henry Gennett. The company eommeneed opera- tions with twenty of the " Herdie" coaches on Sept. 16, 1880, and continued the transfer of passengers over various streets in the eity up to May 1, 1882, when the coaches were taken off and the company changed in character to that of one doing a general livery business. The first president was M. A. Wolff,

who was elected in 1880, and was-sueceeded by John H. Terry in 1882. The other officers of the com- pany are Geo. D. Reynolds, secretary ; M. A. Wolff, treasurer ; M. A. Wolff, Geo. H. Shields, E. S. Barnes, E. G. Obear, Peter Lehman, John H. Terry, and John T. Davis, directors.

CHAPTER XXX.

TRADE, COMMERCE, AND MANUFACTURES.

EVERY great centre of trade must possess or con- trol a maximum of natural and aequired facilities for all the particular operations of PRODUCTION, CON- VERSION, and EXCHANGE.

Production ineludes agriculture, mining, forestry,- the ensemble of all those arts which supply men with food and the raw materials which he converts into food, fuel, shelter, clothing, light, conveniences, luxu- ries ; conversion includes the processes and the instru- ments of manufacture in all its branches ; exchange, or eommeree, is the duplex process and machinery by which the producers are brought together and enabled to barter their products, by which the raw materials are gathered in and the converted products distributed and exchanged ; it includes banking and transporta- tion, capital and credit.

Every operation of production, conversion, and exchange depends upon the existence of facilities aequired from nature or ereated and bestowed by man. Without these facilities there would be no trade, and to be a eentre of trade a city must not only possess them very largely, but possess also the means and the will to enlarge, develop, and increase them steadily and rapidly. Rivalry may be submitted to, supcri- ority tolerated in other things, but no eity determined upon success ean tolerate rivalry, mueh less superiority, in the spirit of improvement.

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History of Saint Louis City and County, from the earliest periods to the present day: including biographical sketches of representative men, Part 50

Author: Scharf, J. Thomas (John Thomas), 1843-1898 Publication date: 1883 Publisher: Philadelphia : L.H. Everts Number of Pages: 1358

Author: Scharf, J. Thomas (John Thomas), 1843-1898
Publication date: 1883
Publisher: Philadelphia : L.H. Everts
Number of Pages: 1358