998

CHOLERA AXD GREAT FIRE AT ST. LOUIS.

1849.

The great fire broke out on the steamboat White Cloncl, near the foot of Cherry street, at tho hour of ten o'clock at night, on the 17th of May, 1849. The wind was from a north-eastern direction, and blew with great force all the night. In a short time twenty-three steamboats were on fire, and consumed; some with valuable cargoes on board.

The fire first caught the stores at the foot of Locust street; then, by another burning boat at the foot of Elm street, and simultaneously two fires were sweeping over several squares, driven by the wind with resistless fury. Massive buildings of brick or stone, three and four stories in height, offered no resistance. The tires from the buildings and the boats cut off all communication with the river, and by two o'clock in the morning, on the 18th, the city reservoir was exhausted.

Up to this time, the firemen did all that men and machinery could do, to stop the devouring element. Buildings wrere blown up, and several lives were lost; but about eight o'clock, A. M., after ten hours of devastation, its fury was spent. About four hundred buildings were burnt; many of them large wdiolesale stores. The steamboats, their cargoes, and produce on the landing, were valued at five hundred and eighteen thousand five hundred dollars; buildings, six hundred and two thousand seven hundred and forty-eight dollars; merchandise, six hundred and fifty-four thousand nine hundred and fifty dollars. Add to furniture, provisions, clothing, etc., aud the loss was estimated at two millions seven hundred and fifty thousand dollars. About two-thirds the value were covered by insurance.

The cholera during the summer, was more fatal than the fire to the business of the city.

For the first few months after the conflagration, " the burnt district " presented a doleful picture; but two years had not elapsed before the largest portion was covered with buildings of a superior character. Streets were widened, and naked lots rated at higher value than they had been previously, with their houses or stores upon them; and at this time it is generally believed that the conflagration benefited the city.

Bailroad enterprises have of late years become so numerous that 1851.] it were useless to attempt to give an account, or even make mention of all that have been built   yet there is one, which w s started in this year, which is of such uncommon magnitude, that it would seem worthy of being distinctively mentioned. This is the Illinois Central Railroad, which was incorporated by tho