St. Louis Bridge Company (Eads Bridge)
St. Louis Bridge Company (Eads Bridge)
- In stock
- Inventory on the way
Product Details
Beautifully engraved antique stock certificate from the St. Louis Bridge Company dating back to the 1870's. This document, which is signed by the company President and Secretary, was a printed by the American Bank Note Company, and measures approximately 11 1/4" (w) by 7 3/4" (h).
This certificate's beautiful vignette features the company's Eads Bridge and the St. Louis waterfront.
Images
You will receive the exact certificate pictured.
Historical Context
Economic interchange grew as the railroads came to and prospered in St. Louis. At first, the river was a hindrance. Trains carrying goods west or materials east had to stop at the rail yards in St. Louis or East St. Louis. Wiggins Ferry Company, who owned a virtual monopoly in St. Louis, carried the rail cars across the river where they were again connected to locomotives for the rest of their journey. It consumed both time and money. James Eads headed the solution: a bridge over the river. With the help of engineers Henry Flad and Charles Pfeifer, Eads supervised the construction of the bridge by Andrew Carnegie's Keystone Bridge Company. The 1,627-foot Eads Bridge was completed in 1874. A 4,880-foot tunnel underneath downtown opened the following year, connecting the bridge to the Mill Creek Valley without disrupting traffic. Smoke from the locomotives made the platform under the new Post Office and Customs House (now the Old Post Office) unusable until Metrolink reopened the tunnel in 1993.
Rail companies didn't use the bridge at first. Railroad operators found they had no licenses to operate in Missouri, and didn't rush to get them. Wiggins Ferry continued to carry train cars across the river, leaving the bridge and tunnel standing idle with a huge debt and little revenue. By April of 1875, Eads Bridge was bankrupt. The St. Louis Bridge Company purchased it at public auction three years later for $2 million, about a third of its original cost, then transferred it in 1880 to interests under the watchful eye of Jay Gould.
Additional Information
Certificates carry no value on any of today's financial indexes and no transfer of ownership is implied. All items offered are collectible in nature only. So, you can frame them, but you can't cash them in!
All of our pieces are original - we do not sell reproductions. If you ever find out that one of our pieces is not authentic, you may return it for a full refund of the purchase price and any associated shipping charges.
FAQ
Are the certificates offered on your site genuine or reproductions?
All of the certificates you see on our site are genuine pieces, we do not sell any reproductions.Are the certificates you sell negotiable on any of today's stock markets or indexes?
No. All of the pieces we sell are either canceled or obsolete and have collectible value only.
Are the images presented in your product listings of the exact piece I will receive?
It depends. We try to present images of the exact piece you will receive whenever possible. However, when we are offering quantities of a piece, this is impossible. Within every product page we detail whether or not you will be receiving the exact certificate listed, or if the image is a representative example of the one you will receive.
How will you ship my order and how much do you charge?
We ship all orders via the United States Postal Service. Most domestic orders are shipped via Ground Advantage. USPS International, Priority and Express Mail, UPS and DHL services are also available, and costs are calculated during checkout. Current charges may be reviewed here.
Can I return my purchase?
Absolutely. You may return any merchandise, for any reason, within 30 days of the purchase date for a full refund of the purchase price.
We guarantee all of our pieces to be authentic. If you ever determine that a piece is not authentic, it may be returned for a full refund of the purchase price as well as any associated shipping charges.
Shipping Information
If your order exceeds $35, and the shipping address is within the United States, shipping via USPS Ground Advantage is FREE!
We make every effort to ship out all orders within 24 hours of receipt.
We ship the majority of orders via the USPS, with domestic orders using the Ground Advantage service.
Shipping is calculated during checkout. Upgraded services such as Priority and Express Mail, as well as UPS and DHL options, are also available.
As soon as your order is shipped you will receive your tracking information via email.
OVERSEAS ORDERS PLEASE NOTE THAT WE DECLARE FULL ORDER VALUE ON ALL SHIPMENTS. CUSTOMER IS RESPONSIBLE FOR ALL VAT/CUSTOMS CHARGES.
Returns
Our goal is to make sure every item you receive is exactly what you had in mind. If you not happy with your purchase, we’ll help you get it sorted in a timely and professional manner.
You can return anything we offer for an exchange, refund or store credit within 30 days of delivery. Return shipping costs may apply, and the item must be in its original condition and packaging.
Any shipping charges collected on the original order are not eligible for a refund.
