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ST. LOOTS cfc ILLIWOIS STKKL BKXX>OK. Total Length of Bridge 2,087 ft. 1 at Arcli 497 ft., 2d Arcli 515 ft., 3d Arch 497 ft. Height of Arches above low water mark 90 ft. Total Cost of Bridge will he 6,000,000 to 8,000,000 Dollars. MAMFAGTDRES 01 ST. LOUIS. Future Opportunity—Present Enjoyment Of St. Louis prospectively—her miner al wealth, manufacturing facilities, and central locality, much has been written, and a possible bright and prosperous fu ture is generally conceded her. But, of accomplished facts, her every day actual work, less is written and less known than of any other city of equal importance. Mountains of iron, coal and limestone in exhaustible, accessible by river naviga tion from every point of tlio compass, and the length of her rivers counted by thou sands of miles: midway on the great na tional central highway from the Atlantic to the Pacific, which here crosses the ’ “ Father of Waters ” — itself reaching from the Northern to the Southern bor ders of the Union; all these, without reference to minor railroads and facilities innumerable captivate the pencil when employed in sketching St. Louis, and by them is eclipsed her every dayhvork. But beautiful and inviting ns are ner advan tages to the live appreciating man of business, there is a beauty and invitation in the work accomplished by her pioneer merchants and manufacturers that we propose to show in the light in "which we have been privileged to seeit. On an eligible site near the bank of the great river, in the northern part of the city, are located the works of the EXCELSIOR MANUFACTURING COMPANY. Entering this establishment from Main street, wo first notice in its center area huge piles of pig metal, chiefly Missouri iron, but in stacks, of less than one-fourth the size of others, is Scotch pig and Ten nessee metal, used for the purpose of giv ing to Missouri’s greater strength a smoother surface. The quantity con sumed or utilized, is from thirty to thirty- five tons daily. And it is believed that there is here melted a greater quantity of metal than at any other stove foundry in the country. In one large pile wo noticed a relic of the past in the shape of shells of every description. No longer of use to the gov ernment, they have been sold and are here for verification of the symbolic trans lation of weapons of war into implements of industry and peace. In another local ity is a pyramid of coal, of which fifteen hundred tons of anthracite and about twenty thousand bushels bituminous are consumed here annually. This immense amount of raw material which finds daily ingress and egress from this area is con veyed hither in crude form and removed in its utilized or transformed state to the wharves and depots for transportation, by the Company’s own drays; and to tne right of the entrance ana on the south side of the area, we noticed comfortable stabling for their entire cavalcade of mules and horses. Of the manufacture of stoves and stove utensils an exhaustive treatise might bo written by describing in detail the daily work of over three hundred persons here employed, beginning with the draughts men’s department, and following their sketches into the pattern room and from the hands of the pattern maker through all the departments of the foundry into the mounting, finishing and finally*sales rooms, but it is our present purpose rath er to mention the capacity and product of this hive of industry, than to detail the manner of its work which, enpassant, is so systemized ns to work with all the regularity and freedom from friction of the finest mechanism. All is under the general superintendence of Mr. E. C. Little, assisted in several departments bv Messrs. L. B. Trafton, Henry ■\Veigand and \V. Little. " The center area is enclosed by buildings covering about three acres of ground, to which have been added by recent pur chases. with a view to a necessary exten sion, about one and a half acres, making together four and one-half acres of ground embraced within the limits of Florida Btreet on the north to Smith street 6outh, and from Main street on the west to Lewis street cast. Entering first the moulding room, and passing through five apartments, cover ing thirly-scven thousand square feet of moulding floor, wo get the first compre hensive impression of the capacity of the works, and after passing through tho buildings covering the entire front on Lewis street, four stories high, and with several parallelograms projecting into the interior area, all occupiecl for cleaning castings, mounting stoves, storage, &c., we are prepared to hear that the capacity of the works is upwards of forty thousand stoves per annum. Deducting the time necessary for repairs, in July, and that consumed for taking stock account in January, the number of its working days in the year last past was two hundred and eighty-eight. The number of stoves manu factured was forty-one thousand six hun dred and twenty-five—thus producing one finished stove every two and a half minutes during the entire year! Upwards of two hundred varieties of 6toves are made here, but the celebrated Hew Mon To; (Mr Oak Is made a specialty, and its deserved popularity is best told by giving the figures which tell the large and increas ing demand for it. It was introduced in 1852, and 2,619 stoves sold that year. The sales increased each year until 1857 in which 10,801 were sold. After the finan cial crisis of that year, the sales were each year as follows: In ’58, 6,505; in ’59, 7,144 ; In ’60, 7,306. The war began in 1861, arid, unfortunate as St. Louis then was in being located on the border between the contend ing armies, and difficult as it was to pro cure labor or make shipments, the sales of Charter Oak Stoves during that year numbered 3,183, and eacli year increased until the sales of the year last past reached 21,106; and the aggregate sales from 1852 to Jan. 1st, 1871, foot up one hundred and seventy thousand, nine hundred and fifty- four, (170,954). A greater celebrity 7 , sure ly, than can be^claimed for any other stove extant. Before making our exit from the foun dry, we take a look into the bath-room where are twenty-one bath tubs, provided with appreciating care for the comfort of employees. The water in each may be heated by the steam from the boilers; and to the heated, toiling men these baths must be a great luxury. Of the engine, machinery, cupola, &c.. all in keeping with the magnitude of the work they are intended for, we cannot give detailed de scription without extending our sketch to too great length.' The Excelsior Manufacturing Company has been incorporated. Its capital stock represents a very large sum of money. Its stockholders, however, are very few in number, being only three. The offl-. cers of the company are Giles F. Filley, President; James W. Bell, Secretary; and E. C. Little, Superintendent. The foundation of the establishment was laid by Mr. Filley, in 1849, and it has barely attained its majority. Congratulations upon judicious management, intelligent . attention, and honorable conduct to vigor ous manhood are evidently now in order. Tiie establishment, it is true, may now speak for itself; and it, perhaps better than our feeble pencil, can by its every day performances ao the greater honor to its officers and owners. It is an institu tion that accomplishes its work withc.it ostentation. In the employment it gives to over three hundred persons ii proviies \ food and raiment for nearly 7 two thousand ' souls. Its pay-roll for labor alone foots up over twenty-two thousand dollars per month. The business department and sales and storage rooms are located on Main str=et, immediately north of the great steel bridge which will here soon span tho Mississippi. Tho buildings here occupied by the Com pany are 612 and 614 North Main Street, 40x120 feet, and 012, 614, and 016 Commer cial Street, 60 feet front and extending 120 feet to levee or river front. The present j stock on hand ready for the fall trade is twelve thousand stoves with all their ap purtenant trimmings. The customers of the house are found in twenty-two States and' Territories. The first car load of stoves to cross the Union Pacific Railway was a load of Charter Oak from Excelsior Manufacturing Company, leaving St. Louis June 12th, and twenty days cn route, and to day (July 26tli,) is receivod an or der from Locke’ & Montague, San Fran cisco, for one hundred and five stoves. The largest order pro’^blv ever given or received for any 7 particular stove, is ad dressed to Excelsior Manufacturing Com pany 7 , St. Louis, bears date of New Orleans, Juno 2nd, 1871, and is drawn by Rice Brothers & Co., for three thousand, two hundred and seventy-two Charter Oak Stoves. [See Order on 3d page.] You Will Blnvo A SURE THING IF YOU BUY AN Hivening Star OF GETTING THE VERY iii It will give a more'uniform and pleasa-it heat; Requ'.es less fuel and the doors are more carefully fitted; The fire is under more perfect con trol, and it has a better draft —TUAN ANY Sleet Iim Parlor Sieve iii tie MaM (t Is a SURE THING that any person, who has ever used tivr mwENim* SfABj would not exchange it for any other Stove. No. SO, Is used for Small Olliers and Chambers. , Nos. ‘.'4 and 2S, for Parlors and Large Chambers. No. 30, for Stores, Churches and Halls. CALL ACT CIS CHI EVENING STAR AT 612 & 614 N. Main Street, ST. LOUIS, SALESROOMS OF TIIC Eteoslsior Manufacturing Co.