cases of small-pox, yet we believe that time and experience will demonstrate other modifications, by which greater freedom to commerce will result. We believe that the clause in the present law, prohibiting "all persons arriving in vessels subject to quarantine, from leaving quarantine until fifteen days after the vessel left her port of departure, and fifteen days after the last case of pestilential or infectious fever that shall have occurred on board, and ten days after her arrival, unless sooner discharged by the health-officer," to be unnecessary to the security of the public health. There can be no danger in allowing passengers in such a case, to proceed directly to this city, or elsewhere, so soon as their clothing which they take with them is thoroughly purified by washing. If they are af terwards taken sick with the fever, it cannot be communicated to any one else. This is an incontrovertible fact, beyond dispute. And this fact will apply to all malignant or pestilential fevers, except eruptive fevers, such as small-pox, and others that are admitted to be contagious by personal

contact.

There are other parts of the new law that we believe too restrictive upon commerce, and not necessary to guard the public health, but we feel disposed to give it a fair trial, and leave to time and experience to show the necessity of still greater modifications. In the language of McCulloch, we would say, that "quarantine is not a matter in which innovations should be rashly introduced; whenever there is doubt, it is proper to incline to the side of security." Yet we must not be frightened into the adoption of unnecessary restrictions upon the trade of our people. Our legislation must vary as our intelligence and experience would dictate.

The present law has increased the discretionary powers of the healthofficer; and we believe the legislature has acted wisely in this respect. So long as that office is filled by a professional man of large experience, of unquestioned integrity, and medical ability, this discretionary power will be exercised in a manner that will give the greatest freedom to commerce compatible with the security of the public health.

The following tables may be interesting to many of our readers. They are taken from the official records of the board of health, in this city. DEATHS IN NEW YORK CITY, BY SMALL-POX, YELLOW FEVER, AND CHOLERA, FROM 1805 To 1845, BOTH INCLUSIVE.

THE NUMBER OF PASSENGERS FROM FOREIGN PORTS, ARRIVING IN NEW YORK, SINCE 1827, (NO RECORD BEING PREVIOUSLY KEPT,) AND ALSO THE NUMBER OF PATIENTS TREATED, ETC., IN THE MARINE HOSPITAL, SINCE 1799.

In 1832, there were treated for malignant cholera, 27, for infectious and malignant fever, in 1804, 7; in 1801, 703; in 1800, 1; and in 1799, 69.

*The blanks in this table, since 1840, are not filled, and consequently that part is deficient.

Art. V.-TRADE AND COMMERCE OF ST. LOUIS.

ST. LOUIS-ITS EARLY HISTORY-POPULATION-LOCATION AND COMMERCIAL ADVANTAGESSHOPS AND BUILDINGS-VALUE OF ITS COMMERCE, MANUFACTURES, ETC.-WHEAT, FLOUR, TOBACCO, BEEF, PORK-ARRIVALS AND CLEARANCES OF STEAMBOATS AND TONNAGE-IMPORTS INTO ST. LOUIS-LUMBER TRADE-IMPORTANCE OF IMPROVING THE HARBOR, ETC.

ST. LOUIS,* the capital of the county of that name, and now the commercial capital of the state of Missouri, and formerly its seat of government, was settled, in 1664, by a company of merchants, to whom M. D'Abbadie, the director-general of Louisiana, had given an exclusive grant for the commerce of the Indian nations on the Missouri. The company built a large house and four stores here; and in 1770, there were forty private houses and as many families, and a small French garrison. In 1780, an expedition was fitted out at Michilimackinac, consisting of one hundred and forty British and fifteen hundred Indians, for the capture of St. Louis, and other places on the west side of the Mississippi, which was successfully repelled by the aid of an American force under Gen. George Rogers Clark, who proceeded from their encampment on the opposite side of the river. In May, 1821, the place contained six hundred and fifty-one dwellings, two hundred and thirty-two of which were brick or stone, and four hundred and nineteen of wood. The population, in 1810, was sixteen hundred; in 1820, four thousand five hundred and ninety-eight; in 1830, it had increased to six thousand six hundred and ninety-four; and in 1840, to sixteen thousand four hundred and ninety-six, of whom fifteen hundred and thirty-one were slaves. According to the census of 1840, the number of persons employed in commerce was eight hundred and forty-five; in manufactures and trades, two thousand and twelve; in navigating rivers, eight hundred and ninety-one, and in the learned professions, one hundred and eighty-eight.

The city is admirably situated for commerce, and already surpasses in its trade every other place on the river, north of New Orleans. The site is elevated many feet above the floods of the Mississippi, and is protected from them by a limestone bank, which extends nearly two miles; an advantage rarely enjoyed on the Mississippi, which is generally bounded by high perpendicular rocks, or loose alluvial soil. This spot has an abrupt acclivity from the river to the first bottom, and a gradual one to the second bottom. The first bank presents a view of the river, being elevated twenty feet above the highest water; the second bank is forty feet higher than the first, and affords a fine view of the city, river, and surrounding country, and contains the finest residences. The place was originally laid out on the first bank, and consisted of three narrow streets, running parallel with the river. Fortifications were erected on the second bank, as a defence against the savages. Soon after the American emigration commenced, four additional streets were laid out, back of the first, on the second bottom, which is a beautiful plain, and these streets are wide and airy. There are eight principal streets parallel to the river, crossed by over twenty running from the river, and crossing them at right angles. The

*St. Louis is in 38° 27′ 28′′ north latitude, and in 90° 15′ 39" west longitude from Greenwich, and 13° 14' 15" west longitude from Washington. It is twenty miles, by water, below the mouth of the Missouri; one hundred and ninety-six miles above the mouth of the Ohio, and eleven hundred and forty-nine above New Orleans.-HASKELL'S GAZETTEER.

whole length of the place extends in a right line five and a half miles, and by the curve of the river, six and a half miles. Its breadth may ultimately extend six miles back from the river, but is at present about one-half of that distance. The thickly settled parts are confined within much narrower limits, and extend a mile and a half along the river, with half that breadth. Front-street is open on the side toward the river; and on the other side is a range of warehouses, four stories high, built of limestone, which have a very commanding appearance, and are the seat of a heavy business.

In First-street, the wholesale and retail dry-goods stores are located, and in the streets immediately back of this are the artizans and tradesmen. The buildings are generally neat, and some even elegant. The more recent houses are built of brick, of an excellent quality, made in the immediate vicinity; some are of stone, quarried on the spot, and are generally whitewashed. Among the public buildings of the city, the city hall is a splendid edifice of brick, the basement of which is occupied as a market, at the foot of Market-street, on a square reserved for that purpose. The Mississippi and Illinois to the north, the Ohio and its tributaries to the southeast, and the Missouri to the west, afford St. Louis a ready access to a vast extent of country; while to the south the Mississippi furnishes an outlet to the ocean for its accumulated productions. It is the principal depot for the American Fur Company, who have a large establishment, with a large number of men in their employ. A vast amount of furs is here collected; and ten thousand dried buffalo tongues have been brought in a single year.

According to the official returns of the census of 1840, there were in St. Louis at that time, one commercial, and twenty-four commission houses in foreign trade, with a capital of seven hundred and seventeen thousand dollars; two hundred and fourteen retail dry-goods and other stores, with a capital of three millions eight hundred and seventy-five thousand and fifty dollars; seventeen lumber-yards, with a capital of two hundred and eighty-seven thousand five hundred and twenty-nine dollars; forty persons employed in internal transportation, together with thirty-seven butchers, packers, &c., employing a capital of one hundred and forty-one thousand five hundred dollars; furs, skins, &c., exported, were valued at three hundred and six thousand three hundred dollars; one hundred and sixty-seven persons manufactured machinery to the amount of one hundred and sixtynine thousand eight hundred and seven dollars; thirteen persons manufactured three hundred and five small arms; nine persons manufactured the precious metals to the amount of five thousand and fifty dollars; sixtyfive persons manufactured various metals to the amount of fifty-four thou sand dollars; sixty-nine persons produced granite and marble to the amount of thirty thousand dollars; two hundred and forty-nine persons produced bricks and lime to the amount of twenty-two thousand five hundred dollars; thirteen persons manufactured tobacco to the amount of three thousand five hundred and fifty dollars, with a capital of nine thou sand two hundred and fifty; twenty-eight persons manufactured hats and caps to the amount of seventy-seven thousand six hundred dollars, with a capital of twelve thousand; two tanneries employed fourteen persons, and produced eight thousand sides of upper leather, with a capital of fifty-four thousand five hundred dollars; twelve manufacturers of leather, as saddlers, &c., produced to the amount of one hundred and sixteen thousand

six hundred dollars, with a capital of fifty-four thousand eight hundred and fifty; fifteen persons produced one hundred and thirty-eight thousand pounds of soap, and two hundred and forty-three thousand pounds of tallow candles, with a capital of sixteen thousand seven hundred dollars; one distillery produced thirty thousand gallons of distilled spirits, and six breweries three hundred and seventy thousand seven hundred gallons of beer, the whole employing thirty-eight persons and a capital of forty-eight thousand eight hundred dollars; eight persons produced paints and drugs to the amount of fifteen thousand five hundred dollars, with a capital of seven thousand; one rope-walk, employing three persons, produced cordage to the amount of five thousand dollars, with a capital of ten thousand; seventy-eight persons manufactured carriages and wagons to the amount of fifty-four thousand five hundred dollars, with a capital of twenty-five thousand two hundred and fifty dollars; two flouring-mills produced thirteen thousand six hundred and fifty-six barrels of flour, and with six saw-mills and one oil-mill, produced to the amount of one hundred and eighty-five thousand six hundred and eight dollars, with a capital of one hundred and six thousand five hundred; twenty-two printing offices, six daily, seven weekly, and five semi-weekly newspapers, employed eighty-two persons, and a capital of forty-nine thousand six hundred and fifty dollars; two hundred and ten brick or stone, and one hundred and thirty wooden houses were built, employing three hundred and ninety-seven persons, and cost seven hundred and sixty-one thousand nine hundred and eighty dollars. The total amount of capital employed in manufactures was six hundred and seventy-four thousand two hundred and fifty dollars. There were in the city ten academies or grammar-schools, with five hundred and seventyseven students, and seven common or primary schools, with seven hundred and thirteen scholars.

In January, 1844, at a meeting of the citizens of St. Louis, at which the mayor of the city presided, a committee of eight persons was appointed to collect and prepare a report setting forth, as far as practicable, the trade and commerce of that city, and the resources of the surrounding country, and all such facts as would tend to demonstrate the necessity of removing the obstructions to the navigation of the western waters. At a subsequent meeting, the committee submitted a report which was unanimously approved and adopted. From this report we gather a few statistics of some of the leading exports of that city.

Wheat and Flour. Within seven years past, flour has been brought to St. Louis, for the supply of that market; now it furnishes a considera. ble portion of the supplies for the Atlantic market. In 1841, the chamber of commerce reported the exports of wheat at one million one hundred and seven thousand bushels. The exports of 1843, exceeded those of 1841 more than two hundred thousand bushels. This includes ground and unground-the flour being estimated at five bushels to the barrel.

Tobacco. In 1841, the whole crop of Missouri was estimated at nine thousand hogsheads, worth about nine hundred thousand dollars. The crop of 1845 is estimated, by Edmund Burke, Commissioner of Patents, at thirteen million seven hundred and forty-four thousand pounds. There were exported from the port of St. Louis, during 1843, nineteen thousand seven hundred and thirty hogsheads, and seven thousand seven hundred and seven boxes manufactured. This amount does not include that part of the crop raised in Missouri, south of St. Louis, on the Mississippi. The