History of Saint Louis City and County, from the earliest periods to the present day: including biographical sketches of representative men, Part 80

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 80

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"We may here repeat, from a former statement laid before you, that the location proposed is perhaps the most central that can be found, relative to the custom-house, post-office, court-house, banking and insurance institutions, leading hotels, the preponderance of the business houses of our city, and the centre of our river commerce."

(Signed)

GEORGE KNAPP, representing James H. Lucas, George Knapp & Co., Ann L. Hunt, Thomas Allen, Adolphus Meier, George R. Taylor, Henry Blaksley, Joscph Weil, James J. O'Fallon, William C. Taylor, William Keiler, John H. Gay, William T. Gay, J. G. Weld, B. W. Alexander, Erastus Wells, Joseph Brown, Franklin O. Day, R. J. Lackland, J. H. Mc- Lean, John Finn, Elois P. Kayser, R. W. Mitchell, Frederick Hill, Edward J. Gay, J. R. Pullis & Brother, Z. E. Wetzell & Co., who had agreed to form a company with ample capital for the purpose of erecting an Exchange building, conformably to the above proposition.

Third and Locust Plan .- P. B. Gerhart, for himself and associates, reiterated his former proposition, with the additional statement that they proposed to have the building ready for occupation in eighteen months after the acceptance of the proposition and after Third Street had been widencd as proposed for the bridge approaches.

Sixth and Washington Avenue Proposition .- Messrs. John A. and W. H. Scudder and Mrs. Ames submitted the same proposition as before for the erection of a building on this location, with the stip- ulation that it should be completed by November, 1872. This contemplated the erection of a building one hundred and eighty-two feet on Washington Av- enue by one hundred feet on Sixth Street, leaving twenty-five feet on the north side for an open court. The rent proposed was, for the first five years, $5500 per annum; the next ten years, $20,000 per an- num ; the next five years, $25,000 per annum.

The board did not discuss the merits or demerits of the propositions, but merely considered the mode of submitting the question to the members of the Exchange. The directors decided that a vote of the members be taken on the 6th, 7th, and 8th of July,

polls open from 10 A.M. to 2 P.M. each day. . They further decided that any plan to be considered adopted must have a majority of all the votes cast, and that in the event of there not being a majority for either of the propositions, the one receiving the lowest num- ber be considered rejected, and a new ballot ordered upon the other two. If a majority of the votes were cast for any one proposition, the board would under- stand that they were instructed to enter into a con- tract according to the proposition approved.

The proposition of the Messrs. Scudder and Mrs. Ames was, however, withdrawn, as appears from the following letter :

"OFFICE OF HENRY AMES & Co. " ST. LOUIS, June 27, 1871.

"To G. B. ALLEN, President of the Union Merchants' Ex- change, St. Louis :

"DEAR SIR, --- We desire to withdraw the proposition now be- fore you, of the undersigned, for building a new Exchange building on Sixth and Washington Avenue, believing that in so doing you will the more readily arrive at a selection which will be agreeable to a larger number of your members than if a greater number of proposals were before you. As the selection of this site seems to be opposed by many of your members, we are unwilling to be the instruments of any discord or disagree- ment among you. In conclusion, we will say that we will cor- dially support any location which may be the selection of a majority of your members.

" Yours, respectfully, " JOHN A. SCUDDER. " CATHERINE AMES. "WILLIAM H. SCUDDER."

The withdrawal of the Scudder proposition left but two sites to be considered and voted upon by the members of the Exchange, viz. : Third and Locust Streets, and Third Street between Chestnut and Pine. " We maintain," said the Republican at the time, " that the latter is the more suitable, being nearer the centre of trade and more accessible to the great body of our merchants. As has heretofore been stated, there are seven hundred and seventy-three business houses represented on 'Change located south of Olive Street, while there are only four hundred and ninety- two located north of that street. This shows at a glance that a large majority of our mercantile com- munity would be better accommodated by the loca- tion of the Exchange between Chestnut and Pine Streets than between Locust and Vine. We believe that the question has already been decided with em- phasis by the common voice of those most interested, and it only remains to record that decision at the election to be held on the 6th, 7th, and 8th of next month."

The proposition of Mr. Knapp and his associates was finally accepted by the board, and a special com- mittee, composed of Gerard B. Allen, George Bain,

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John Wall, W. M. Samuel, Miles Sells, and D. P. Rowland, was appointed to prepare articles of associa- tion for a company to be known as the St. Louis Chamber of Commerce Association. At that time the officers of the Exchange were Gerard B. Allen, president ; R. P. Tansey, first vice-president ; George Bain, second vice-president; and George P. Plant, John F. Mauntel, William H. Scudder, Philip C. Taylor, D. P. Rowland, William J. Lewis, Web M. Samuel, John A. Scudder, John Wahl, and Miles Sells, directors. This committee reported a series of articles of association to a meeting held on the 22d of November, 1871, and after they had been read, the following preamble and resolutions were adopted :

"WHEREAS, A petition signed by nearly seven hundred mem- bers of this Exchange, being a majority thercof, has been pre- sented to this directory requesting them to locate the new Ex- change building on the block bounded by Third and Fourth and Chestnut and Pine Streets, and to take steps to form a stock company to purchase or lease the property designated and build a suitable building thereon; therefore be it

" Resolved, That the directory of the Union Merchants' Ex- change cordially indorse the location so designated and the articles of association reported to them by the special com- mittee appointed for this purpose.

" Resolved, That committees of three each be appointed by the president to canvass the members of the Exchange and others interested and secure subscriptions to the capital stock of the proposed association."

The articles of association which were adopted at the same meeting read as follows :

" CERTIFICATE OF ASSOCIATION OF THE ST. LOUIS CHAMBER OF COMMERCE ASSOCIATION.

" The undersigned hereby certify that, by virtue of the pro- visions of chapter sixty-nine of the general statutes of the State of Missouri, entitled 'Manufacturing and Business Com- panies,' and authorizing the formation of corporations 'to erect hotels, halls, market-houses, warehouses, exchange and other buildings, and for any other purpose intended for mutual profit or benefit, not otherwise especially provided for and not inconsistent with the Constitution and laws of this State,' they have associated, and by these presents do associate together, to form a corporation in manner and form, and for the objects and purposes hereinafter set forth, as follows :

"ART. I. The corporate name of this company shall be ' THE ST. LOUIS CHAMBER OF COMMERCE ASSOCIATION.'

"ART. II. The objects for which this company is formed are the erection of an Exchange and other buildings on Block 86, bounded by Chestnut, Pine, Third, and Fourth Streets, in the city of St. Louis, State of Missouri ; the lease or purchase, in fee-simple or otherwise, of the land on which said Exchange buildings are designed to be crected, and the use or renting out of said buildings for a Merchants' or other Exchange, for offices, banks, stores, or any other lawful use or purpose what- ever approved by this company.

" ART. III. The amount of the capital stock of this company shall be one million dollars, and consist of ten thousand shares of one hundred dollars each. But the company shall be re- garded as established and organized by the subscriptions of stock made by the signers of this certificate, and the board of

directors hereinafter named shall make rules or by-laws in ref- erence to any further subscriptions to said capital stock.

" ART. IV. The affairs of this company shall be managed by a board of thirteen directors,-Rufus J. Lackland, B. W. Alex- ander, Henry T. Blow, Gerard B. Allen, Geo. Knapp, John A. Scudder, W. M. Samuel, George Bain, George P. Plant, Henry L. Patterson, E. O. Stanard, W. J. Lewis, and D. P. Rowland shall form said board for the first year.

" ART. V. The business operations of this company shall be carried on in the city of St. Louis, and its office shall be at such place in said city as may from time to time be selected by said board of directors.

"ART. VI. The period of the corporate existence of this company shall be fifty years.

"ART. VII. The board of directors shall, as soon as prac- ticable, call a general meeting of the stockholders of this com- pany to make by-laws for the same, as provided by law, for the management of its property, the regulation of its affairs, the transfer of its stock, and especially for the declaration of the powers and duties of said board of directors."

On the 12th of December the directors met and elected Rufus J. Lackland president, Gerard B. Allen and George Knapp vice-presidents, and George H. Morgan secretary pro tem. At the same meeting they adopted and issued the following address :

"The undersigned, directors of the St. Louis Chamber of Commerce Association, desire, in asking for your subscriptions to the capital stock of that association, to present some of the reasons which have impelled them to assume the responsibility of providing St. Louis with a suitable Exchange building.

" It must be apparent to all of our citizens that it is full time that St. Louis should evince the same faith in its future prog- ress that is exhibited by the great majority of the people of the whole country. No greater evidence of this faith and of a determination to command success can be given than the erec- tion of a Merchants' Exchange, a grand central mart, in which will be combined the commerce of a dozen States, and around which must of necessity gather the controllers of the capital which will aid, encourage, and extend that commerce. Nor is it unimportant that such a building should combine architec- tural strength and elegance. The present requirements of our commerce cannot be served in a small edifice, and it is not open to doubt that the requirements of ten years hence will demand greatly extended accommodations; that with the increase of our population, the extension of our trade, the cultivation of & higher taste in art, the crection of a structure of imposing di- mensions will alone satisfy the conditions of the progress of the city and assure that progress.

"The plan proposed, and which has received the approval of the members of the Merchants' Exchange, is to devote the en- tire block bounded by Fourth, Chestnut, Third, and Pine Streets to the erection of buildings for commercial, banking, insurance, legal, and exchange purposes, the structure to be suitable in architectural design to the metropolis of the West, commensurate in extent and adaptation to the present and prospective commercial interests of the city, and which shall present facilities for the immediate co-operation of the varied interests represented in the Produce Exchange, the Board of Trade, the Mechanics' and Manufacturers' Exchange, the To- bacco Association, the Pork-Packers' Association, the Real Es- tate Exchange, the Board of Underwriters, etc. The entire cost of such a structure, including the fee-simple of the ground, will exceed two million dollars, but it is not probable that the entire cost will be borne by the association. The building of

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HISTORY OF SAINT LOUIS.

the whole block in the same style of architecture is imperative, hut it is now proposed that the association shall purchase only the eastern two-thirds of the block, leaving Mr. Lucas and Mrs. Hunt to build up the western third, a division that will reduce the amount to he raised hy this association some seven or eight hundred thousand dollars, while the interests of the public will lose nothing. The work is not to he commenced upon the structure until the entire amount necessary to con- struct it has been provided for hy stock subscriptions or other- wise, nor will the architect he selected until that time, when perfect plans, with specifications, shall be submitted, and the cost clearly known before any expenditure upon construction account is made.

"We are thus explicit in stating details that we may more directly enlist your aid. It seems to us clear that in this task of developing the commercial interests of St. Louis and placing its future progress beyond question, we are justly entitled to call upon the moneyed institutions of the city for liberal stock suh- scriptions. We advance no labored argument to prove that the enterprise must of necessity be a paying one. In a building of the character designated a large amount of room will be de- voted to hanking rooms, insurance offices, etc., and as they will be by the location brought in direct proximity with the interests that form the basis of their transactions, there will be no lack of desirable tenants. There is scarcely more need to present reasons that should determine you to make subscriptions to the capital stock. The banks and insurance companies of the city represent a capital of nearly fifty millions of dollars, capital that belongs to St. Louis, is a representative of the accumu- lated wealth of the city, and has been largely drawn here by the operations of merchants. Beyond this the banks alone hold an average of over thirty millions of dollars, deposited hy merchants and business men, each of whom is interested in, and will he served by the erection of, the proposed structure. The merchants themselves of necessity are unable to withdraw large amounts of their capital from their active business for stock subscriptions, even to an enterprise of this character; nor wonld it be to the interest of the hanks to have them do so. The latter, however, as the custodians of the deposits of the merchants, are required to hold a certain portion of their re- sources in trust, and we submit to them that the fiduciary trust thus imposed can he most wisely used in such an investment as we propose, as hy this means they employ most directly a por- tion of the gathered capital of the merchants to aid and ex- tend the commercial operations and profits of the depositor.

" We are gratified to announce that the subscriptions already made and tendered foot up four hundred thousand dollars, of which two hundred and fifty thousand dollars is from individ- uals, and the remainder from the Bank of the State, the Boat- men's Saving Institution, and Third National Bank, each of which institutions will subscribe fifty thousand dollars, and propose to occupy portions of the building. We may add that the subscriptions will he called for only as the work progresses, thus extending the payments over a period of eighteen months or two years.

"In conclusion, we suggest that, although at the moment there may he a douht as to whether some of onr banks, under their charters, can make such subscriptions, that this objection may he ohviated hy the passage hy the Legislature of a gen- eral law enabling corporations as such to take stock in other corporations.

(Signed)

" Rufus J. Lackland, B. W. Alexander, Henry T. Blow, Ge- rard B. Allen, George Knapp, John A. Scudder, W. M. Samuel, George Bain, George P. Plant, Henry L. Patter- son, E. O. Stanard, William J. Lewis, D. P. Rowland."

On the 19th of December the association was char- tered by the Legislature, the incorporators being Erastus Wells, John N. Bofinger, R. J. Lackland, and others. Immediately after its organization the board effected the purchase of the ground for five hundred and sixty-one thousand seven hundred dol- lars and eighty-six cents, and applied itself to the work of obtaining subscriptions, which on the 6th of July, 1873, amounted to six hundred and fifty thou- sand dollars.1

In May, 1873, the work of tearing down the old buildings was commenced, and in July the first ex- cavation was made for the foundations. On August 25th following the first stone of the foundation was laid, and on the 6th of June, 1874, the corner-stone was laid with Masonic ceremonies under the direction of Rufus E. Anderson, Grand Master of the Grand Lodge of Missouri.2 On Friday, June 5th, the re- ception-stone was set in place at the northeast corner of the building, a large copper box having been fitted in place in its centre. The immense coruer-stone proper was placed at a point a short distance away, to serve as a speaker's stand. On Saturday afternoon, June 6th, the members of the different Masonic lodges, in- cluding the Grand Lodge of Missouri, and Knight Templar commanderies of the city assembled in uni- form at Seventh and Market Streets, where they were joined by Company A, National Guards, Capt. John B. Gray. The members of the Chamber of Commerce Association and Merchants' Exchange and a large number of other prominent citizens also joined the procession. At five o'clock the march was begun. First came a body of mounted policemen, then the mili- tary headed by the New Orleans Band, then the Knights Templar commanderies, then the Chamber of Commerce Association and Merchants' Exchange, and lastly the Grand Lodge, headed by the Arsenal Band. On Fourth Street, in front of the Planters' House, the procession halted and opened out, and the Grand Lodge passed through, receiving the salutes of the command-

1 Among the most earnest promoters of the enterprise was James H. Lucas, who consented to conform the building to he erected on the Fourth Street front of the Exchange Square to the Exchange huilding. After the five hundred thousand dol- lars of stock had been subscribed, Mr. Lucas subscribed twenty thousand dollars, and made a deed for the property, yielding to the company the additional advantage of allowing the Exchange property to extend back so as to leave him a depth for his Fourth Street property of only ninety-five instead of ninety- six and a half feet. Ill health, however, prevented Mr. Lucas from taking an active part in the work, and from giving writ- ten pledges to build up the Fourth Street front in conformity to the Exchange plan .- Republican, Nov. 18, 1873.

2 At this time the subscriptions to the stock amounted to eight hundred and fifty thousand dollars.

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eries and military. Passing around by Chestnut Street, the body proceeded to the scene of ceremony. Arrived there, the officers of the Grand Lodge took their station on the platform, and the brethren formed in a hollow square about the corner-stone. The officers of the Grand Lodge at this time were R. E. Anderson, G. M .; John W. Luke, D. G. M .; J. E. Cadle, S. G. W .; Allen McDowell (acting), J. G. W .; William N. Loker, G. Treas .; Geo. Frank Gouley, G. Sec. ; Rev. R. A. Holland, G. Chap. ; D. N. Burgoyne, Bearer Great Light; J. R. Friend, S. G. Deacon ; Morris Jacks, J. G. Deacon ; W. R. Stub- blefield, G. Marshal; Nicholas Wall, Grand Marshal ; G. B. Dameron, G. Sword-Bearer; John G. Gilfillan, Grand Steward; Isaiah Forbes, Grand Steward; J. X. Allen, Grand Tiler. After music by the Arsenal Band, R. J. Lackland, president of the Chamber of Commerce Association, introduced to the immense concourse who blocked the streets on every side Web M. Samuel, president of the Merchants' Exchange, who delivered an interesting and forcible address. Rufus E. Anderson, Grand Master of the Grand Lodge, tlien addressed the assemblage, and when he had finished, the ceremony of laying the corner-stone was commenced. A box was placed in the stone, containing a Bible, the records, constitution and by- laws of the Chamber of Commerce Association and of the Merchants' Exchange, copies of newspapers, coins, and other relics, and the stone, weighing nine tons, was thien lifted into place, after which the usual Masonic ceremonies were performed.

The officers of the Chamber of Commerce Associa- tion at this time were Rufus J. Lackland, president ; George Knapp, first vice-president ; B. W. Alexan- der, second vice-president ; George H. Morgan, secre- tary and treasurer ; Directors, Rufus J. Lackland, B. W. Alexander, George Knapp, W. M. Samuel, George Bain, George P. Plant, D. P. Rowland, J. H. Britton, John R. Lionberger, John H. Beach, Adolphus Meier, Charles L. Hunt, J. B. C. Lucas. Building Committee, George Knapp, chairman ; R. J. Lack- land, J. R. Lionberger, Adolphus Meier, Charles L. Hunt.

In 1875 the name of the Exchange, which had continued to be the Union Merchants' Exchange, was changed to the Merchants' Exchange of St. Louis, and in the preamble to their rules and by-laws the mem- bers declared the object of the association to be " to advance the commercial character and promote the manufacturing interests of the city of St. Louis," to " inculcate just and equitable principles of trade, es- tablish and maintain uniformity in the commercial usages of the city, acquire, preserve, and disseminate

valuable business information," and to " avoid and adjust, as far as practicable, the controversies and misunderstandings which may arise between individ- uals engaged in trade." The erection of the new Exchange building was pressed forward with great energy, and the splendid structure was completed and formally opened on the 21st of December, 1875, with ceremonies of an elaborate and imposing character. At ten o'clock the members of the Exchange assem- bled at the old Exchange building to say " good-by" to their former home. At eleven o'clock Company A, National Guards, commanded by Capt. C. E. Pearce, filed into the hall, headed by Postlethwaite's Band, and after music by the Arsenal Band, D. P. Rowland, president of the Exchange, called the as- semblage to order, and announced that Mr. Wayman Crow, the oldest living member and the second presi- dent of the Exchange, had been selected to deliver the farewell address. Mr. Crow then addressed the meeting, giving an historical sketch of the organiza- tion and relating many interesting reminiscences.1

1 In the course of his address Mr. Crow said,-

"Our organization, gentlemen, has witnessed in this city a growth and development almost unparalleled in modern times. Since the day of our incorporation a population of ten thou- sand has increased to nearly half a million. In a little more than half a century St. Louis has passed from a border trading- post, scarcely yet Americanized, to a metropolis which is already contending for a foremost rank among American cities. I can scarcely help feeling surprised when I look around me to find myself almost, if not quite, the oldest ' business man' of St. Louis, although in some communities I might claim to be a young man yet. But having been in business here more than forty years, I cannot recall to mind an individual now in com- mercial life who was engaged in mercantile pursuits at the time of my coming. You will pardon me, then, I am sure-seeing that I belong to the past more than to the present-if my thoughts revert to those early days and rest for a moment with the men who were my trusted co-laborers, and with those who immediately preceded us in our work. At least you will per- mit me to bear witness to the high character, the commercial honor, the personal faithfulness of those who were the early founders of our prosperity, and who gave the tone and stan- dard-not yet lost, and never, as we confidently hope, to be lost -to the daily business life of St. Louis. Those old-time work- ers may have been a little too conservative, sometimes timid,- 'old fogies' you would call them nowadays,-but they were scrupulously honest in their dealings, strict constructionists in their regard for contracts, men of untarnished integrity in meeting their engagements, and it is to their practice and ex- ample that the present high commercial credit of St. Louis, both at home and abroad, is greatly due. However strong and prom- ising the present may be, I cannot, as your oldest member, say a better word than this,-that we should hold fast to the early traditions of the Chamber of Commerce, and maintain that high regard for honorable dealing which has characterized the past, so that to be a recognized member of the St. Louis Mer- chants' Exchange may always and everywhere be a passport to respect and confidence. Consider through what trials and difficulties we have thus far advanced. No city has suffered

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At the close of Mr. Crow's address the band struck up " Auld Lang Syne," and the air was sung by the entire Exchange. A procession was then formed under direction of William Hamilton, grand marshal, which marched up Main Street to Washington Avenue, up Washington Avenue to Fourth Street, down Fourth Street to Chestnut Street, and along Chestnut Street to the new Exchange building. A squad of mounted police formed the head of the procession. Next came Postlethwaite's Band, followed by Company A, Na- tional Guard Rifle Association, Capt. Charles E. Pearce in command. The president and directors of the St. Louis Chamber of Commerce Association came next, and after them the architects, builders, and con- tractors of the new building, ex-presidents of the Ex- change, vice-presidents and directors, various com- mittees and members. Along the line of march the streets were lined with people, and at the new build- ing there was scarcely room enough for the column to pass along comfortably. Although there was a goodly number of ladies and gentlemen present as spectators, the vastness of the hall and the galleries made the many appear but few. When the proces- sion filed into the hall, the officers, ex-officers, and dis- tinguished guests mounted to the platform, while the other members of the procession filled all the standing- room on the floor of the hall. The Arsenal Band took position at the left of the platform and opened the cer- emonies with music. Among those on the platform were the following :

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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 80

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