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 78
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1 In his address at the opening of the new Exchange, Dec. 21, 1875, Mr. Wayman Crow, second president of the Chamber of Commerce, said, "The Chamber rented the commodious room adjoining the St. Louis Insurance Company on Main Street, where they established a daily reading- and assembly- room with convenient arrangements. Subsequently they in- vited the Millers' Exchange, which had just organized, to unite with them and bring samples of grain, flour, etc., ' on 'Change,' -an important step of progress, for, if I am not mistaken, this was the pioneer Corn Exchange in this country, our Chamber taking the lead in thus bringing together the buyers and the sellers with their samples for the purpose of facilitating their daily intercourse and trade."
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appointed tellers. The votes having been counted, the following gentlemen were declared elected as trus- tees : James H. Lucas, George R. Taylor, Louis C. Garnier, Neree Vallé, Lawrason Riggs, Felix Coste, and Edward J. Gay.
The first annual report of the trustees to the stock- holders was as follows :
" The contract for the entire building was awarded to Messrs. Barnett & Weber, at the sum of sixty-four thousand five hun- dred dollars, and the contract carefully guarded as to the time for its completion and security for its faithful performance.
" The building was to have been completed and ready for delivery on the first day of last December, but it is regarded as a fortunate eireumstance that it had not progressed as rapidly as the contract required, for it is well known to the association that the conflagration on the 19th of November last entirely destroyed that imposing strueture known as the City Buildings, immediately in the rear of the Exchange; and there can be hut little doubt but that the Exchange building would have shared a similar fate, even if it had progressed so far as to be ready for the roofing.
"The trustees, as soon as they had fixed upon a plan and made selection of a design, secured the services of Mr. Oliver A. Hart, architect and superintendent, who was employed to revise the specifications for the entire structure and superin- tend the building from its foundation to ils entire completion.
" The building has been progressing under the personal super- vision of Messrs. Garnier, Coste, and Taylor, constituting the building committee, who, together with Mr. Hart, it is believed, have supervised the entire construction from its excavation to the present time.
" The building is on an entire rock foundation, care having been observed in going down to the solid roek in all places where it was not reached according to the excavation made for the cellars, and in this connection it is believed to be a most sub- stantial job of ruhhle masonry, as the utmost care was observed hy Messrs. MeFadden & Lynch, the contractors, whose names alone are a sufficient guarantee that the work has been faith- fully done. The outer walls on Main and Commercial Streets, constructed of brick and stone, are two and a half feet in thiek- ness from the top of the lintels to the bottom of the two massive trusses, and from thenee up to the cornice one and a half feet in thiekness.
" The gross amount of subscriptions, hoth in money and kind, amount to the sum of eighty-seven thousand two hundred dol- lars, and the subseriptions in kind or property have all heen advantageously used in the contracts for the building.
" The lease from the association to the Chamber of Commerce of the second story for the term of ten years, has been executed by both parties, and it is most confidently believed that the whole building will he finished complete between the Ist and 15th of the ensuing May ; the stores, however, will be ready hy the 10th of April."
The ground for the building was broken on the 1st of March, 1856. The crection of the structure was pushed rapidly forward, and business " on 'Change" was transacted for the first time in the new hall on June 8, 1857. The edifice was of the Venetian style of architecture. The front was of the " Allen stone," and the main and partition walls were of brick. The space occupied on Main Street was one
hundred and twenty-three feet, the building running back eighty six feet to Commercial Street. On the main floor were four stores, cach having a front of twenty-seven feet in the elcar by eighty-five feet deep and fourteen high. Three of these stores were leased as follows as soon as finished : One to the Franklin Savings and Insurance Company, one to Peter Ames for a wine and liquor store, and the other to the Mer- chants' and Manufacturers' Savings Institution.
The Exchange Hall was one hundred and one feet in length and eighty feet in depth. The extreme height to the apex of the dome was sixty-three feet, and the galleries twenty-six feet. The panels of the dome were beautifully decorated in fresco by the artist, L. D: Pomerede, with paintings representing the four quarters of the globe, and the hall was well lighted by ample windows and by a skylight in the dome. Connected with the main hall was a room for the use of the secretary of the association. The south end of the hall was fitted up as a reading- room, elevated about seventeen feet above the main floor, and reached by a circular iron staircase. The room was eighteen feet by eighty, supported by eight Corinthian columns, and inclosed by a second tier of columns and tasteful iron railings. This reading-room was exposed and visible from the main floor.
The third story of the building was devoted to offices, twenty-two in number, arranged so as to form a square around the basin of the rotunda, with a gallery four feet wide, protected by an iron railing running around the entire square.
The exterior of the building was of a handsome and imposing character, the stone used being a finely grained and shaded limestone from the quarry near Allentown, on the Pacific Railroad. The building was three stories high, and the north and south en- trances had projecting porticoes, supported by fluted and carved Corinthian columns with bold moulded capitals, and an entablature surmounted by a large carved work, in the centre of which was a medallion with the device or coat of arms of the Chamber of Commerce.
At the time of its erection the structure was one of the handsomest and most imposing of its kind in the country.1
About eleven o'clock on the day of its formal oc- cupation by the Exchange the visitors began to as- semble, and in less than an hour the hall was thronged almost to its capacity. Considerable business was transacted, but calls were made for a speech from
1 Among those especially prominent in aiding the erection of the building were James 11. Lucas and George R. Taylor.
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COMMERCIAL EXCHANGES.
Henry Ames, president of the Chamber of Commerce. That gentleman declined making any remarks, but taking the stand, offered the following sentiments :
" St. Louis has long been married to New York and Boston : the Western people have now adopted the Utah principle and taken Baltimore into the alliance."
Judge Z. Collins Lee, of Baltimore, then took the stand, in answer to a generally expressed desirc, and compared the past of St. Louis with her then present greatness. From this time the Chamber of Commerce held its meetings in the new building.
A movement was set on foot in June, 1860, for the removal of the Exchange to other quarters in a new building then about to be commenced by F. P. Blair, Thomas C. Reynolds, and Thomas Walsh, on Third Strect, south of the post-office, but nothing came of it.
Dissensions, engendered by political excitement, arose among the members of the Chamber of Commerce during the early period of the civil war, and culmi- nated at the annual election on the 8th of January, 1862. A contemporary version of the affair gives the following particulars : 1
" The annual election of officers for the Chamber of Commerce took place yesterday and resulted, unhappily, in an unfriendly division of the members, the withdrawal of part of them, and a movement to establish a new Chamber, which movement was half consummated in the excitement of the moment. It has heretofore been customary, during the two or three weeks im- mediately preceding an election, to fix upon proper persons as candidates, nominate them at a preliminary meeting, and elect them with but nominal opposition when the day for balloting came on. This season the offices of president, vice-president, and committee-men were unsought for. Several gentlemen who were solicited to become candidates declined, and the usual primary mode of nominating was, we believe, dispensed with altogether. Still a full ticket was offered by general consent to the Chamber voters, and bid fair to be elected without regular opposition. It bore the beading ' Commercial Ticket,' and con- tained the following namęs :
" For president, Henry J. Moore ; for vice-presidents, Carlos S. Greeley, Aaron W. Fagin; for flour inspectors, William Stobie, James L. Benson ; for committee of appeals, J. W. Booth, Thomas Richeson, Natban Cole, George D. Hall, Gil- bert Pryor, F. A. Reuss, Alexander II. Smith, Ilenry A. Ilo- meyer, E. O. Stanard, Isaac V. W. Dutcher, Robert G. Greer, Sylvester II. Laflin.
" The office of secretary, which pays a liberal salary, was the only one which invited or promised a contest. Mr. W. B. Baker, who has been the incumbent for several years, was placed upon the commercial ticket for re-election. It became evident some weeks ago that he would meet a determined oppo- sition, and friends and opponents of this gentleman set them- selves to work actively, pro and con, in the canvass. His friends said his defeat was sought on political grounds, and that he was to be forced from office because he was a Union man. llis opponents, on the contrary, claimed to base their objections on personal grounds, said they had solicited Union men to run for the secretaryship, and that they would support
any one in opposition, laying all political considerations aside. Many of the friends of Mr. Baker, bowever, viewed these pro- fessions with distrust, and determined to rully in force in his behalf, the other party having found a candidate in the person of R. Il. Davis.
"The old plan of making new members on election-day to secure additional votes was called into requisition in this in- stance. A list of eighty new names was offered for member- ship, and composed, says rumor, of friends of Baker. The opposite party had not been industrious in preparing a list of their own, and defeat or victory bung upon the exclusion or admission of these candidates. To save themselves they had, of course, to accomplish their exclusion. Under an old stand- ing rule of the Chamber, which requires but five adverse votes to ' black-ball' a candidate, this was easily done. The names were offered en masse, and rejected en masse. Upon this rejec- tion the supporters of Mr. Baker felt that the day was against them and gave up the contest. Capt. Moore withdrew as a candidate for president, and the friends of the commercial ticket generally declined to vote and retired from the hall. A portion met in the secretary's room, and with S. M. Edgell in the chair, resolved to take steps towards establishing a new Ex- change, the chairman being authorized to appoint a committee to report at a future meeting on the subject.
"Those who remained in the ball completed the election, and voted for an irregular ticket, which was chosen as follows :
" President, Albert Pearce; First Vice-President, William Matthews; Second Vice-President, Edgar Ames ; Secretary and Treasurer, R. II. Davis.
"Committee of Appeals, T. H. Larkin, N. Schaffer, T. Betts, John Tolle, II. Mckittrick, John F. Baker, J. Jackson, W. S. Moffett, Willis J. Powell, T. Ferguson, J. W. Booth, Samuel Johnson, Jr.
" Flour Inspectors, W. Stobie, Joseph Powell, J. L. Benson. " It wns rumored last evening that Messrs. Pearce, Ames, and one or two others of those elected had declined to accept, but we hear that they consider the best means of preserving the Chamber of Commerce and the excellent mercantile organiza- tion of St. Louis will be best assured by their acceptance. We think it is likely that they will retain the places to which they have been invited. The leading members of the ticket-elect, we may say, are Union men of the strongest east, but this fact we cite increly to prove that politics played a less conspicuous part in the Chamber election of yesterday than many of the members themselves would have believed. Mr. Pearce, the new president, is the present head of the old and important bouse of Ilening & Woodruff, and possesses the mercantile experience and elements of general character necessary to fill the office with credit to himself and the Chamber of Commerce."
At the meeting of the "bolting" members, Stephen M. Edgell was called to the chair as president, and Clinton B. Fisk was chosen secretary.
The president was instructed to appoint a com- mittee of five persons, whose duty it should be to report at a subsequent meeting a plan of organization of " The Union Merchants' Exchange of St. Louis," and to make inquiry for suitable rooms for the accom- modation of the organization, and report location and terms of lease. The mecting adjourned to meet at the call of the president and committec. .
On the 11th of January the secretary issued the following :
1 Missouri Republican, Jan. 9, 1862.
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HISTORY OF SAINT LOUIS.
"ELECTION NOTICE .- The Union Merchants' Exchange of St. Louis will elect permanent officers for the year 1862 on Satur- day, the 11th inst., at twelve o'clock noon. The secretary will be at the rooms of the Exchange, corner of Main and Elm Streets, at ten o'clock this (Saturday) morning to receive names and fees for membership. Parties engaged in mercantile or manufacturing pursuits, hanks, bankers, and insurance compa- nies are invited to an examination of the proceedings of the Union Merchants' Exchange as published in this paper this morning, and to membership in the Union Exchange.
" CLINTON B. FISK, Secretary."
"The Union Merchants' Exchange convened for the transac- tion of husiness this day under the United States flag at their temporary rooms, corner of Main and Elm Streets. The com- mittee on permanent organization, through Thomas Richeson, made report as follows :
"' Gentlemen,-Your committee would suggest to this meeting the following as the necessary steps to be taken for the per- manent organization of the Union Merchants' Exchange of St. Louis :
"' Ist. That all good loyal Union men of the city of St. Louis engaged in mercantile or manufacturing pursuits, who desire to become members of the Union Exchange, he and they are hereby requested to come forward and signify their intention by giving their names to the secretary of this meeting.
"'2d. That this hody will proceed to the permanent organi- zation of the Union Merchants' Exchange of St. Louis hy the election of permanent officers for the ensuing year at twelve o'clock noon on Saturday, the 11th inst., and that each member be required to pay the sum of ten dollars to the secretary pro tem. before casting his vote.
"'3d. That the president appoint a committee of five persons, whose duty it shall be to prepare suitable rules and regulations for the government of this Exchange.
"'4th. That your present committee be continued for the purpose of procuring rooms for the permanent occupancy of this Exchange.'
"The report of the committee was received and adopted by acclamation.
"James Archer tendered to the Exchange a 'flag of the Union,' to be displayed from the rooms on Saturday, the 11th inst.
"H. M. Woodward proposed to place an iron safe in the rooms free of rent.
" The meeting passed a vote of thanks to Messrs. J. H. Lucas, L. W. Patchen & Co., Teichman & Co., Wattenherg, Bush & Co., James Archer, and H. M. Woodward for their generous courte- sies to this hody.
" Parties. desiring membership in the Union Merchants' Ex- change were then invited to make application to the secretary.
" One hundred and fifty firms enrolled their names, when the Exchange adjourned to meet at eleven o'clock on Saturday, the 11th inst .; election of permanent officers to take place at twelve o'clock.
" Judges of Election, Clinton B. Fisk, Alexander H. Smith, and Henry S. Reed.
" The secretary will be present at the Union Exchange Rooms at ten o'clock Saturday morning to receive additional names and fees for membership. List of members will be published in the city papers of Monday morning, Jan. 13, 1862. " S. M. EDGELL, President.
"CLINTON B. FISK, Secretary."
In its issue of January 11th the Republican said,-
"So far as we can understand, the differences which have taken place between the merchants and business men who have
heretofore met at the Merchants' Exchange remain unadjusted, the committees in their meetings for that purpose having man- ifested very little disposition to meet each other on reasonable terms. This is to be regretted on several accounts. It not only tends to break up an association which has heen the pride of the city, and to which all have looked for aid and counsel in times of difficulty, hut it is likely to he productive of bad feeling, and to interrupt the transaction of husiness of every kind. It may well he doubted whether the feud can stop here, for there are traces of a disposition already visible to carry it into social life, and make it the cause of unpleasant differences between men who have heen friends for years. Can it he possible that there is not good sense and kind feeling enough among the men who have been, perhaps hy accident, made prominent actors in this affair to put a stop to action likely to lead to these results ?
" From the papers published below it will be seen that all the officers elected by the Chamber of Commerce on Wednesday have resigned their places; that the president (Mr. January) and one of the vice-presidents, Mr. W. Matthews, have also resigned, leaving the other vice-president (Mr. Pottle), under a former election, the only officer of the association. This has been done, as we understand it, to give an opportunity to the mem- hers of the Chamber of Commerce to hegin the work of organi- zation anew, to retrace their steps, and to cnable them to select officers who will be acceptable to the great majority of the members. If errors have been committed, if political tests have heen made hy any one, a matter about which we have not the evidence upon which to form a correct judgment, if it he decmed essential to continue the existence of the association, and this is admitted, the resignation of all the officers ought to be regarded as highly honorable, and as the best mode of re- storing harmony to the Chamher. Whatever else may he done, the action of these gentlemen cannot fail to meet the approval of the thinking and conservative portion of the members of the Chamber of Commerce.
"ST. LOUIS, Jan. 10, 1862.
"To D. A. JANUARY, President Chamber of Commerce :
" Sir,-The undersigned, elected by the Chamher of Com- merce on the 8th inst. to the offices of president, vice-president, and secretary, respectfully decline to fill said offices.
" ALBERT PEARCE.
"WILLIAM MATTHEWS.
" EDGAR AMES.
"R. H. DAVIS."
"ST. Louis, Jan. 10, 1862.
"TO THE SECRETARY CHAMBER OF COMMERCE, St. Louis :
" Sir,-The undersigned, president and first vice-president of the Chamber, respectfully tender the resignation of these offices.
"D. A. JANUARY, President.
"WILLIAM MATTHEWS, First Vice-Prest."
"ST. LOUIS, Jan. 10, 1862. " To D. A. JANUARY, President Chamber of Commerce :
" Sir,-The undersigned, elected by the Chamber of Com- merce on the 8th inst. as the committee of appeals to serve for the ensuing year, respectfully decline to serve.
" THOMAS H. LARKIN.
THEO. BETTS.
" J. F. BAKER.
JOHN F. TOLLE.
" W. S. MOFFETT. THOMAS FERGUSON.
" JAMES W. BOOTH. H. McKITTRICK.
" SAMUEL JOHNSON, Jr. WILLIS J. POWELL. N. SCHAEFFER."
" J. JACKSON.
The breach in the organization seems to have had its origin in the political differences and animosities of
1349
COMMERCIAL EXCHANGES.
its members, and the election of the secretary was the excuse rather than the cause of the division.1
Strenuous efforts were made to heal the breach, but without avail. Among these was the appointment by the Chamber of Commerce of Messrs. Francis Whit- taker, J. J. Roe, Edgar Ames, William Matthews, and N. Wall as a committee to confer with the sc- ceding members. A similar committee was appointed by the Union Exchange and a conference held, but no compromise was effected.
The two committees subsequently held another meeting, at which the following paper was presented by the committee of the regular organization to the Union committee :
" ST. LOUIS, Jan. 10, 1862.
"S. M. EDGELL, EsQ., President :
" SIR,-We, the committee chosen with full powers to wait on your body, beg leave to inform you that the officers elected at the annual meeting of the Chamber of Commerce on the 8th inst. have all declined serving, that the president, Mr. Jan- uary, and vice-president, Mr. Matthews, have also resigned, leaving Mr. Pottle the only executive officer of the Chamber of Commerce proper.
"We therefore tender to you the Chamber of Commerce, you assuming all its liabilities.
" Hoping this course may reconcile and harmonize all past grievances, and bring the commercial interests of our city to- gether in peace and quiet, and asking your consideration of this communication, we are,
Respectfully, " FRANCIS WHITTAKER, Chairman. " JOHN J. ROE. " EDGAR AMES. " WILLIAM MATTHEWS. "N. WALL."
On the 11th of January a meeting of the Union Exchange was held, at which John J. Roe, on behalf of the Chamber of Commerce, addressed the members of the Union Exchange touching the importance of union and harmony among the merchants of St. Louis, and desired to know whether the proposition from the Chamber of Commerce to surrender their rooms and other property to the Union Exchange, with the provision that the members of the Chamber
1 The complication was aggravated by the dissemination of the following circular :
" CHAMBER OF COMMERCE,
"ST. LOUIS, Jan. 7, 1862.
"SIR,-Inclosed you will find the nomination of officers for the St. Louis Chamber of Commerce for the present year, 1862. Unfortunately, a certain set of the members of said Chamber have sought to introduce politics into that organization, and we find an opposition, through which a violent secessionist, claim- ing to be a relative of Mr. Jefferson Davis, is presented for the important position of secretary simply upon the ground that the old incumbent has proved himself a loyal citizen. Such an issue cannot but work great evil to the interests of the Chamber, and we inclose the within ticket, asking your consideration to its merits, and trusting you will give it your cordial support." 86
of Commerce should be admitted as a body en masse to the new Union Exchange, would be favorably re- ceived. A negative response was given to the inter- rogatory. S. M. Edgell, president, stated that the new organization would refuse admission to no one who was willing to stand upon the platform which . had been adopted by the Union Exchange; that the institution was to be known as truly loyal to the United States government, but that from its rooms political discussions and disputes should be banished.
Maj. Edwards, chairman of the committee on per- manent organization, indorsed the views expressed by the president, counseled steadfastness to the principles already adopted, and presented as candidates for the offices of the Union Merchants' Exchange for the year 1862 the following persons :
President, Henry J. Moore; Vice-Presidents, Carlos S. Gree- Jey, Aaron W. Fagin; Committee of Appeals, J. W. Booth, Thomas Richeson, Nathan Cole, George D. Hall, Gilbert Pryor, F. A. Reuss, Alex. H. Smith, Henry A. Homeyer, E. O. Stan- ard, Isaac V. W. Dutcher, Robert C. Greer, Sylvester H. Laf- lin; Secretary and Treasurer, William B. Baker; Flour In- spector, Joseph Powell.
All the candidates were elected.
The membership list of the Union Merchants' Ex- change of St. Louis at the date of its permanent or- ganization was as follows :
Archer, James.
Anglerodt & Barth.
Cogswell & Co.
Ames, Henry & Co. Cranwill, Castle & Peters.
Alexander, F. R.
Collins, Morris.
Auferheide, F. W.
Collins, Kellogg & Kirby.
Bridge, Beach & Co.
Buckland, T. A., attorney.
Baldwin & Dodd.
Banker, G. W., president of
the O'Fallon Lead and Oil Company.
Bonner, Samuel.
Boyden & Co.
Behrens, F. S. & Co.
Block & Evers.
Dunham & Gregg.
Dutcher & Co.
Davis & Co.
Doan, King & Co.
Beck & Corbett.
Edgell, S. M. & Co.
Beckman, E. & Bro.
Edgar, T. B.
Beinis & Brown.
Ewing, W. L. & Co.
Eckermann & Co.
Butler, Asa R.
Bell, C. H. & Co.
Brebaugh, Simeon.
Eads, James B.
Brown & Co.
Edgell, S. M.
Fagin, A. W.
Filley, Chauncey I.
Christopher & Richards.
Chadbourne & Forster.
Chapman & Thorp.
Ferguson, C. C., secretary.
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