Page:The American Cyclopædia (1879) Volume XIV.djvu/569

 SAINT LOUIS 545 contains a safe deposit company and 31 insu- rance companies, of which five are life insu- rance companies. There are a chamber of commerce, a merchants' exchange, a board of trade, a cotton exchange, a mechanics' and man- ufacturers' exchange, and a mining exchange. St. Louis is divided into 12 wards, and is governed by a mayor and a city council com- posed of two members from each ward, elected biennially. There are also a comptroller, trea- surer, and auditor. The United States courts for the E. district of Missouri and terms of the state supreme court are held here. The special city courts are the court of criminal correction and four police courts. The headquarters of the United States army were established here in 1874. The police force is under the control of five commissioners, including the mayor ex officio, whose jurisdiction extends over 30 sq. m. of territory beyond the limits of the city. The force on April 1, 1875, numbered 462 oflS- cers and men. The fire department comprises 18 engine companies, 14 hose companies, and three hook and ladder companies; the num- ber of men is 150. The water supply of the city is taken from the Mississippi at Bissell's point, near the N. boundary. It is raised into four reservoirs, each 240 by 660 ft., with an average depth of about 20 ft, by two pump- ing engines, each with a capacity of 17,000,000 gallons a day. In these reservoirs it remains 24 hours, to free it from sediment. It then passes into a small reservoir near the two high- service engines, which raise it to the storage reservoir, covering about 17 acres on Comp- ton hill, 26 ft. above the highest street grade. The board of health consists of five members, including the mayor as president ex officio. It is asserted that St. Louis is one of the healthiest cities in the country. The number of deaths for eight years, according to the health officer's report, has been as follows: 1867, 6,167, or 28'2 per 1,000; 1868, 5,193, 20-6; 1869, 5,884, 20-6; 1870, 6,670, 21-8; 1871, 5,265, 16-8; 1872, 8,047, 18-2; 1873, 8,551, 21-36; 1874, 6,506, 14-45. Of the deaths in 1874, 30'43 per cent, were from zymotic, 18-29 from constitutional, 41-74 from local, and 6*56 from developmental diseases, and 2-99 per cent, from violence. The num- ber of deaths from consumption was 581, be- ing 8-93 per cent, of the whole. The assessed value of property in 1864 was $63,059,078; in 1874, $172,109,270. The balance in the treasury on April 14, 1874, was $289,404 20 ; receipts during the following year, $6,003,- 819 56, of which $2,236,121 86 were from taxes, 2,005,120 from the sale of bonds, $1,150,000 from temporary loans, and $612,- 577 70 from miscellaneous sources; expendi- tures, $6,231,286 72, of which $372,000 were for the payment of matured bonds, $1,035,- 631 38 of interest on debt, $1,450,000 of tem- porary loans, and $3,373,665 34 for other purposes; balance, April 12, 1875, $61,937 04. The bonded debt on April 13, 1875, was $15,- 993,000, on which the annual interest is $950,- 710; temporary debt, $1,027,000. The assets of the city on the same date amounted to $13,044,315 38, including, besides a sinking fund of $738,126 65, the water works, engine houses, public parks, &c. There are 2-61 m. of paved and macadamized wharf, 220-81 m. of macadamized streets, 10-2 m. of Nicol- son pavement, 40-68 m. of improved alleys, 162 m. of sewers, and 160 m. of water pipe. The public institutions not already mentioned are the workhouse, house of refuge, female hospital, city dispensary, and quarantine hos- pital. Under the management of various so- cieties, there are 9 hospitals and 27 asylums and homes, including a deaf and dumb asy- lum conducted by the sisters of St. Joseph, and St. Vincent's insane asylum. The public schools of St. Louis are under the control of a board of 24 members, two from each ward, which appoints a superintendent and two as- sistants. There are three courses of study, viz. : the normal school course, for females only, two years ; the high school course, four years; and the district school course, eight years. There are also separate schools for col- ored children, and evening schools, the O'Fal- lon polytechnic institute serving as an even- ing high school. German is taught in the district schools to such pupils as elect to study it. According to the school census taken in April, 1874, there were 138,133 persons from 5 to 21 years of age inclusive, of whom 95,539 were from 6 to 16 ; there were 33,511 at- tending public schools and 21,789 attending private schools ; total attending school, 55,800. In 1866 there were only 30 school houses, with 11,055 seats; number of pupils enrolled, 16,- 228; average attendance, 9,597; average num- ber of teachers, 236 ; total expenditures, $331,- 694 36. In 1874-'5 there were 57 day schools (1 normal, 6 high and branches, 44 district, 6 colored); number of pupils enrolled, 35,941; average attendance, 24,438; number of teach- ers, 654 ; number of evening schools, 21 ; pu- pils enrolled, 5,751 ; average attendance, 2,644; teachers, 115; number of school houses, 56; rooms, 625 ; seats, 30,070 ; value of school lots, $715,736 ; of school buildings and furni- ture, $1,715,230 ; expenditures, $792,019 37, of which $522,350 09 were for teachers' salaries, $44,345 57 for permanent improvements, and $225,323 71 for current expenses. The public school library contains about 38,000 volumes, and has a good reading room; it is open to the public for consultation. Several scientific and other societies have merged their collec- tions with it. There are about 70 parochial schools, under the management of the Roman Catholics and other denominations, and a num- ber of academies and private schools, including one for the deaf and dumb. There are also seven medical colleges and a college of phar- macy. The St. Louis university, under the direction of members of the society of Jesus, was founded in 1829, and incorporated in 1832.