f 
7° CUNT IES. OF 
MIipbawUuURT, 
Mississippi Railroads; and the northwestern terminus of the St. 
Louis & Southeastern, and the St. Louis, Alton & Terre Haute, 
(Belleville & Southern Illinois Division) and the Illinois & St. 
Louis Railroads. 
When the magnificent sudular steel bridge across the Mississippi 
at this point is completed in 1873, all these railroads will be enabled 
to make a running connection, so as to center in a single Union 
Depot, thus transferring passengers under one roof. The first stone 
in this bridge was laid February 28th, 1868, since which time the 
work has steadily progressed, under the management of its origi- 
nator and able Chief Engineer, Capt. James B. Eaps. The bridge . 
consists of three arches, the middle one being 552%4 feet span, and 
the eastern and western each 53714 feet span, making 1,627 feet 
over the river. ' The western approach measures 1,100 feet, and the 
eastern 3,500 feet, showing the total length of the bridge and 
approaches to be 6,227 feet or one mile and nearly a sixth. The 
total cost is estimated at between seven and eight millions of dollars. 
The present site of St. Louis was chosen by PIERRE LIGUEST 
LacLeDE, February 15th, 1764, and the city was named by him in 
honor of Louts XV of France. On the 11th of August, 1768, a 
company of Spanish troops took possession of St. Louis in the 
name of the King of Spain. The city remained under Spanish 
government from that time, until its transfer to the United States, 
March 26th, 1804. For many years it was only a trading post for 
fur traders. Carondelet, formerly called Vide Poche, was first set- 
tled in 1767. The first brick house in St. Louis was erected in 
1813, The first steamboat arrived there in 1817, and the first 
brick pavement was laid in 1821. The first newspaper was com- 
menced in July, 1808, by JosrpH CHARLEss, and received the 
name of J/issouri Gazette, the germ of the present Missourt 
Republican. The first churches were erected by the Baptists and 
Roman Catholics in 1818, and by the Methodists and the Epis- 
copalians in 1820. The first English school was opened in 
St. Louis in 1808, and the first school board formed in 1817. 
John Jacob Astor established a branch fur house in this city in 
1819. St. Louis was incorporated as a town November gth, 1809, 
and as a city December gth, 1822, at which latter date it contained 
a population of about 5,000. LaFrayeETTE visited the city in April, 
1825. In 1826 the United States Arsenal was authorized by Con- 
gress, but was not completed for several years afterwards. The 
Mercantile Library Association was formed in 1846, and the Cham- 
ber of Commerce in1837. In April 1849 a great conflagration 
occurred, destroying over $3,000,000 worth of property. The 
first street cars were started July 4th, 1859, and the streets were 
first lighted by gas in 1847. 
For information on the Public Schools of St. Louis, the reader 
is referred to page 8r . 
Saline County—Is situated in the northwestern-central portion of 
the State, and is bounded on the northwest, northeast and east by 
the Missouri River, for a distance of about 90 miles. Its interior 
is principally drained by Salt Fork and Black Fork, tributaries of 
the Lamine River. 
MARSHALL, the county seat, population in 1870, including town- 
ship, 3,701, has a fine location, was laid out in 1838, and named 
in honor of Chief Justice MARSHALL. It is 15 miles south of 
Miami, a landing on the Missouri River, 314 miles above St. 
Louis. Marshall is also 15 miles northeast from Brownsville, 
which is a station on the Lexington Branch of the Missouri Pacific 
Railroad, 21 miles from Sedalia. 
The surface of the country is undulating and about two thirds 
prairie. The deficiency of timber is compensated by extensive 
beds of cannel and bituminous coal. Limestone, sandstone and 
lead ore and numerous saline springs exist in the county. The 
soil is very fertile, especially on the bottoms and upland prairie. 
Hemp, tobacco and corn are chief products. The county was first 
settled in 1816 by persons from Virginia, Kentucky and Tennessee. 
Schuyler County—Is situated in the northern part of the State, 
on the southern border of Iowa, and is drained by the Chariton 
River and affluents, and by those of Fabius and Salt Rivers. 
Several of these streams furnish good water power. 
LANCASTER, the county seat, population in 1870, 427, is situa- 
ted in the northern part of the county, on the Missouri, lowa & 
Nebraska Railway, 65 miles west from Alexandria, and 2 miles 
from Glenwood, and 230 miles from St. Louis. It affords good 
educational facilities. 
The surface of the country is generally undulating, and about 
one-third of it is broken—two-thirds being prairie and the 
remainder timber land. The soil is fertile and well adapted to 
agriculture. A rich bed of coal is believed to underlie the 
county. The county was first settled in 1836 by Davip Frovyp, 
Judge SaMuEL Eason and others. 
Scotland County—Is situated near the extreme northeastern 
part of the State, on the southern border of Iowa, and is drained 
by forks and tributaries of the Wyaconda and Fabius Rivers. 
Mempuis, the county seat, population in 1870, 1,007, is located 
near the center of the county on the North Fabius River, was first 
settled in 1838, and is a station on the Missouri, Iowa & Nebraska 
Railway, 40 miles northwest from Alexandria. 
The surface of the country is generally undulating and princi- 
pally prairie. The soil is very fertile and well adapted to agricul- 
ture. The chief products are wheat, corn and stock. 
Scott County—Is located near the extreme southeastern part of 
the State, on the western border of ‘Illinois, from which it is separ- 
ated by the Mississippi River. Its interior is watered by Little 
River and a number of lakes. 
CoMMERCE, the county seat, population in 1870, including town- 
ship, 1,267, was incorporated January 15, 1857, and is located on 
the west bank of the Mississippi River, 166 miles below St. Louis, 
43 miles above Cairo, and 15 miles northeast of Morley, which is a 
station on the St. Louis & Iron Mountain Railway, 163 miles from 
St. Louis. 
The surface of the country is broken and uneven in the northern 
and western part of the county, and level and swampy in the south- 
ern portion. The soil of the uplands is somewhat sterile, but that 
of the bottoms, prairies and valleys, is exceedingly fertile and, 
where susceptible of cultivation, yields bountifully of cereals, 
grasses, and vegetables. Some of the ridges contain deposits of 
limestone. 
The county was organized in 1822 from New Madrid, and named 
in honor,of General WINFIELD Scott. Benton was formerly the 
county seat of this county. 
