Central High School - Red and Black Yearbook (St Louis, MO)

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.- , . am' 4 . e il L... 'T. '11'::f 'sfva :a:.1 a:1f':1f f K qi? M 'W' tew.'H'1-IE m ft territory to take the fur trade from St. Louis, but failed. Fur-trading pro- vided a romantic back- ground for the city. Men were taken away from their homes and sent into the wilderness, from which many never returned. But with all these problems St. Louis was an offspring of the fur trade and her growth for three-quarters of a century depended al- most entirely upon it. Heudzfuurlers of the American Fur Company al St. I.ol11's. 1855 St. Louis also had political trouble. New Orleans was objecting to the transfer of rule from France to Spain and was about to set up an independent government. lVlost of the people in St. Louis were relatives and friends of those in New Orleans, and for some time it was undecided whether these bonds of love would be strong enough to drag St. Louis into the revolutionary movement. The first attempt of Spain to enforce rule at New Orleans was made and at the same time forts were built at the mouth of the Missouri River above St. Louis. Spain's purpose was to absorb St. Louis. All these problems were successfully handled by Laclede in the large stone building that served as his home. lt was in his house that St. Louis was nursed. It was there that the government was established, not too elaborate, but suited to the needs of a com- munity that did not know whether it was under a colonial flag or was to be part of a new nation. When, in 1770, conditions became settled, there was nothing that Laclede and his associates had done that required undoing. St. Louis had faced and had overcome successive crises. The days of old St. Louis were. however, for the most part, happy ones. The French were light-hearted, hospitable people, unused to the luxuries of life and were contented with the conditions that they found. If any serious trouble did arise, it was settled by arbitration or bv one of the leading men. Civil government was inaugurated. Upon what authority? Land titles of the city trace back to that beginning. Was it self government? Was it consent of the governed, plain and simple, the basis of the law and order estab- lished in this community? If so, a chapter in American history is to be written. The principle of Americanism was born in St. Louisl There is one sad incident during the French rule in St. Louis that should not be overlooked. Of course, you have heard of Pontiac. It was in 1769 that this great Indian warrior came to St. Louis on a visit. He stayed several Tturntif

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Q- 3 H . it itll ., j .,A. , founder. It is frequently called The Mound City because of the large number of Indian mounds found here. But the name by which the world now knows it, was given by Laclede, himself, in honor of Louis IX, the patron saint of the then ruling Louis XV. When Laclede returned to the east side of the river, many of the French people asked that they be permitted to live in his new settlement. Laclede was eager to have them, for he realized that it would take people to put a new settlement on its feet. 0 A ik' 9 I' ima-Ffa: 3:51.--:Q ' ui--555 femme - .,--'U'---J --J -- -- -- ll 11 J --I . - DE mol n,ll,,Gl.l, ll lfl it tml for uma UUELMJDVWQI an :gr tu toss :ml CD53 l 11111111 'El lil lil Ill-.ll lQ9g TTTT-Eiiig -'-iii?-i, E - ,-f-!'7l2?E-T sig., Ti-' THE ssrvhrgiiuibrsr Lows - ' 1764 s FROM FUR-TRADING VILLAGE TO CITY fffourtesif of Miss Dena Langej E I MTBF Yours Population Years Population Years Population Years Population 1764 120 1820 4,928 1840 16,469 1870 310,963 1780 687 1828 5,000 1844 34,140 1890 575,238 1785 897 1830 5,852 1850 74,439 1910 687,029 1788 1,197 1833 6,397 1852 94,000 1920 772,897 1799 925 1835 8,316 1856 125,200 1930 821,960 1811 1,400 1837 12,040 1860 160,773 The permanence of St. Louis was established between 1764 and 1800. The settlement had not grown extensively as to the number of inhabitants, but it had progressed. It had rooted deeply and boldly. Every year saw the radius of the St. Louis sphere of influence lengthen. Up the Missouri crept a line of Out-pOSIS, tributary to St. Louis, each far more important to our city than hundreds of added inhabitants. The traders established and cultivated friendly relations with the Indians. The fur trade proved all it was expected to be, yielding as high as 200025 profit. As yet no hard money had been introduced. Land, food, clothing, in fact almost everything was bought with furs. However, fur trading had its problems. The city had too many fur-traders and not enough farmers. St. Louis became known, from New Orleans to Montreal, for its shortage of bread. Other settlements sent out fur-trading expeditions into the Missouri Nineteen

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re' V WW' it Q QF xr cf- X -AV1 M- - - - J mwm falsmm We sms. , ee-me weeks and then one day decided to visit an Indian tribe at Cahokia. He was Warned against going across the river where the English people were so hostile to him, but he disregarded this advice, declaring that he could take care of himself. After feasting during the day. he went into the woods at night and was struck on the head with a tomahawk and killed. As soon as this was heard, the governor ordered his body to be brought to St. Louis for burial. In the lobby of the old Southern Hotel on Broadway and Walnut Street, a tablet has since been erected in his honor. For some time the French had expected the coming of the Spaniards. When, in 1770, Don Pedro Piernas, the Hrst Spanish Commandant, came to St, Louis, he made no demonstration of authority. He received the city practically as it was, with very few changes to conform with Spanish law. He retained the appointees of the former government. He recognized the land grants made before his coming. In short he left St. Louis as he found it, ratified all that the community had done during its six years of existence, and proceeded along the lines familiar and acceptable to the seven hundred inhabitants. The Spanish governors enforced very limited government. Few Spanish laws were enforced except those bearing directly on the happiness and welfare of the people. In business affairs, in court contracts, and in practical essentials, the people of St. Louis went on governing themselves, much as they had done under the leadership of Laclede. The legal customs of the French continued to prevail. Arbitration was common in business differences. Of all the Spanish governors, de Leyba was the one who was remembered with repugnanze. His conduct during an Indian attack on the city in 1780 set the entire community against him. During the Spanish rule many buildings were erected, including the Government House, on the present site of First and Walnut. Although French customs and manners were retained, rezords were kept in Spanish. At the end of the Spanish rule there were 925 people living in St. Louis. Then St. Louis becomes a part of the United States! Under what con- ditions? On October 1, 1800, the Louisiana territory was ceded back to Franie, but it was not until 1802 that the Spanish king ordered the land to be delivered to France. Napoleon, the French ruler, was so taken up with wars in his own country that he had very little time to deal with this new land. Besides he was in great need of money. So, when the United States sent a man to France to see if they might purchase New Orleans, they were surprised to Hnd that Napoleon would sell, not only New Orleans, but the entire Louisiana territory for 515,000,000 The treaty transferring the Louisiana territory to the United States was signed in Paris, April 30, 1803. When it was learned that the Americans were coming, some of the people were disappointed ffor they had been happy under Spanish rulej while others were glad. The American troops Twenty-one