Show ri 7 I OUR ST. ST LOUIS LETTER LETER Aid for lor K o a clon C Ccone A A A Candy Cand CIT l eddler Ambition and nd Pluck Pluck- How Jow Circuses are Being Fore J Farther larther from Irom Limit Limits ST. ST Louis Loins LOU June The June The strong bond of fellowship which exists between S St. St Louis Loui and the State of Kansas M was wa as pleasantly emphasized a few days ago when a 1 telegram was wa received from a mercantile house at nt Wellington stating that genuine distress existed in con consequence conse- conse so- so I quence quenco of the cyclone and anti that aid was needed pi promptly Two representatives of the large largo wholesale dry goods gods and clothing interests of bt bt Louis Lonis Luis went on the tho street street as once and three hours hour after the receipt of the telegram a response was wired vired that that SI 1185 bad had been collected and that flint a draft for fot the amount would be honored on the principle principle prin prin- ciple that he ho who gives quickly gives trebly The e help w was as timely in the thc extreme ex ex- There Thero is an Italian Illan in St St. St Louis who has original ideas ideas He is Stephen 1 a handsome stout flout darkish man who owns a hotel an and dabbles m in I politics lie He le was the moving spirit of or orthe 1 the tho celebration here a few ago of th the Ancient Order of United Workmen Work Workmen Wore Wore- men which was one of the greatest society reunions that has taken taleen place in fn the West West He lie got up a river sp spectacle spec spec- c- c I t for that celebration and actually induced the Gould people to t divide with the tue local societies the money paid at the gates by oy the people who went wenton on the big bridge of to see the brilliant brilant show He lie le is now at the head of a national movement by Italians which will wi give the te visitors v who vho ho come hero here this fall fail fal for the f festivities additional entertainment entertainment The Tl Italians w will wi ill have havea a r ri er pageant representing the landing landing land land- ing lag of Columbus on American soil oil soi with decorated ships Spanish costumes banners flying from mast heads firing fring of guns and Indians ns of course coure On one gns of the nights there will wil be fire file fre works ivories on the river and there will wi be besides an afternoon of or speech making and music with the statue of or Columbus out in Tower Grove park parle and an evening von even lug ing at the banquet table It I will vill wi be bethe bethe bethe the first frt occasion on which the thousands thou thou- sa an sands of wealthy thy and In influential fu en ta I I Italians of the city have bave ever concentrated their on a a national affair of more than local interest interest Every Ever time one of the mammoth circuses comes hero her their managers manager get geta get the a a striking object lesson upon rapid growth of bt St t Louis Twelve years ago when old Phineas brought his first three ring show out out West he I pitched his Ills world of canvas on a great prent vaca vacant t lot near the corner of at Eighteenth Eighteenth and Pine streets When ho he came around five years later he had llad to take his circus a mie mile further west to toa a vacant lot on the corner of Jefferson Jeferson avenue or Twenty sixth street and Dixon all al the lots lot nearer the tue Merchants Merchants' Mer Mer- chants chants' Exchange having been built buit up When he got here again just before he died he lie could get no nearer the tile and business center than Thirty second Compton avenue Last week veele the circus circus cir cir- cir cir- cus eua had to exhibit a mile mie west of that again at the corner of avenue and Laclede office blocks stores and dwellings having taken possession of al all the other circus sites sies The rho l lot t covered by bv the tents tent this year is under tinder contract of sale and will wi be occupied occupied occupied oc oc- oc- oc by flats fats when wIlen the circus arrives next time It I will wi then have to go out near Forest Park six miles mies f from the tle river before a large enough lot can be found But But electric cars have have done so much for the city in in the last few years years that Forest orest Park is now as near the retail streets as Jefferson Jeferson avenue four miles mies east was Wa when Bob used to delight the crowds under Barnum's ins in's tents there by bins bis bareback riding the anxious people who have ha e been watching the floods foods for the p past month none have been more worried than the observers of the signal office oce who lIed had to announce every day what the river was going to da do do Early each morning the river men would begin to call cal up tip the signal observatory by telephone telephone tele- tele phone inquiring what the prospects were for the day Plans Plang were made upon these predictions that involved thousands of doUns dollars and if i the tle ob observers ob- ob ob servers servers made a mistake they were reviled re ye- viled vied without ceasing censing One day when the river was going up slowly a cotton coton merchant who lied had several thousand bales of cotton piled pied up along the levee came to the signal office and asked whether the river would lise higher or fall fU fUIs Its Is going up much S higher said Observer D. D J. J Herndon who was then in charge of the office It I will wi cost me a 0 thousand dollars to move my cotton up out of reach rench of the water said the factor Shall I Ido Ido Ido do it i I can give you yon no advice advice said the observer We think the river is going to lise rise but you YOI must decide yourself what is best for you to t do The rhe man went away vay uncertain and did not move his cotton The he water came up and he lost over thousand dollars dolar The Tho next day he came up to the signal office very humbly Do you want vant advice asked Observer Observer Ob Ob- Ob- Ob server Herndon Herdon No I don don't C said the factor rue rue- fully If I you wink at me this time Ill I'll Il move my cotton |