St. Louis the Commercial Centre of North America [pp. 308-320]

SAINT LOUIS.
ART. VI.-ST. LOUIS-THE COMMERCIAL CENTRE OF N. AMERICA.
ST. Louis is ordained by the decrees of physical nature to become the great inland metropolis of this continent. It cannot
escape the magnificence of its destiny. Greatness is the necessity of its position. New York may be the head, but St. Louis will
be the heart of America. The stream of traffic which must flow
through this mart will enrich it with alluvial deposits of gold.
Its central location and facilities of communication unmistakably
indicate the leading part which this city will take in the exchange
and distribution of the products of the Mississippi Valley. St.
Louis is situated upon the west bank of the Mississippi, at arn
altitude of 400 feet above the level of the sea. It is far above
the highest floods that ever swell the Father of Waters. Its latitude is 38 deg. 37 min. 28 sec. north, and its longitude 90 deg.
15 min. 16 sec. west. It is 20 miles below the mouth of the Missouri, and 200 above the confluence of the Ohio.
MILES.
Distance by river from St. Louis to Keokuk, is................... 200
c;... s;Burlington.................... 260
".".".Rock Island................... 350
"."... Dubuque..................... 470
"..".St. Pauls..................... 800
".".".Cairo......................... 200
..c;.. Memphis..................... 440
".".".Vicksburg.................... 830
......New Orleans.................. 1,240
".".".Louisville..................... 580
".".".Cincinnati................... 720
"..".Pittsburgh.................... 1,200
".".".Leavenworth.................. 500
C'.... Omaha....................... 800
".".".Sioux City.................... 1,000
".'-." Fort Benton.................. 1,300
Distance by rail from St. Louis to Indianapolis.................. 200
".".".Chicago...................... 280
".".".Cincinnati.................... 340
......aCleveland..................... 470
".".".Pittsburgh.................... 650
".".".Buffalo...................... 650
"..".New York.................... 1,000
".".".Lawrence..................... 320
".".".Denver....................... 880
..... fsSalt Lake..................... 1,300
".."..Virginia City.................. 1,900
".."." San Francisco................. 2,300
St. Louis very nearly bisects the direct distance of 1,400 miles
between Superior City and the Balize. It is the geographical
centre of a valley which embraces 1,200,000 square miles. In
its course of 3,200 miles, the Mississippi borders upon Missouri
470 miles. Of the 3,000 miles of the Missouri, 500 lie within
the limits of our owii State. St. Louis is mistress of more than
16,500 miles of river navigation.