From Problems of St. Louis by the Civic League of St. Louis (1917). Thanks to Paul Hohmann, the view is identified as about a block west of Union Boulevard looking east. The tracks in the median have been replaced by a grassy median, which is, ironically and 92 years later, just what the Civic League wanted done with Delmar.
From Street Lighting in St. Louis by the Civic League of St. Louis (1910). This photograph depicts the streetlamp at the junction of Lindell Boulevard and McPherson Avenue. The building immediately behind the streetlamp has been demolished. Note the tree-lined street. Compare with the current junction of Lindell and McPherson:
From Billboard Advertising in St. Louis by the Civic League of St. Louis (1910). A "double-decker" billboard is shown here at the corner of 18th and Pine streets; the caption for the photograph suggests it spans an entire city block. Below is the view today (still an empty lot); it is debatable whether a parking lot is preferable to a double-decker billboard. 
From Billboard Advertising in St. Louis by the Civic League of St. Louis (1910). This photograph depicts an illegal three-sided billboard erected on the strip of land between Broadway and Third Street. The billboard was constructed in 1907 against city ordinances, but upon attempting to tear it down, the billboard owners sued the city. In the ensuing court case (which took several years), all billboard regulations were overturned until later in the 1910s. Ironically, the site of the triple billboard structure is now occupied by an on-ramp for Interstate 70, which supports a multitude of billboard owners with its continual traffic.
From Housing Conditions in St. Louis by the Civic League of St. Louis (1908). The book was published with the intent of illuminating the extremely unsanitary and unsafe conditions of the homes and tenements from 7th to 14th and from Washington Avenue to O'Fallon Street. The area today has been almost totally cleared; in its place is the convention center, a host of parking facilities, and, perhaps not coincidentally, public housing projects.
Below, another photograph, this time of three "yard toilets" located on Morgan Street that served the needs of some eighty persons. The Civic League was primarily concerned with rehabilitation and sanitation for the depressed area north of downtown.
Finally, a series of wood-frame homes on Morgan Street, likely dating to the early 19th century, which the Civic League labeled as "A house on Morgan Street. No law by which it can be torn down. The shed is occupied."
The book is highly recommended for those who might think that the bygone era of St. Louis was one of only towering office buildings and glittering civic jewels. Like virtually every other metropolis of its age, St. Louis was a gathering place for the world's tired, hungry and poor. Here is a direct link for the book: http://books.google.com/books?id=yvguAAAAYAAJ&pg=PA1#v=onepage&q=&f=false
From Building Laws of the City of St. Louis by the J.T. McAnulty publishers (1908). The Miller Elevator Company was located in a substantial building at 9th and Victor streets; the corner here is still occupied by a foundry, although the building appears to have been substantially reclad. Miller produced both passenger and freight elevators, using electricity, steam, hydraulics, belts and hand power, depending on your fancy. Miller Elevator was later bought by the Otis Elevator conglomerate; their offices are now located in Brentwood, Mo.
From Building Laws of the City of St. Louis by the J.T. McAnulty publishers (1908). A wonderful sketch of the National Plumbing Supply Company on 12th Street shows the competing modes of transport in early 20th century St. Louis. The National Plumbing Supply Company provided high grade plumbing appliances and "complete bath-room outfits" in their showrooms at 110 S. 12th Street. Opposite City Hall, the building's lower levels were shipping and offices, while the upper levels were reserved for warehousing. Their neighbor to the north (left, in the image) was M. Kahn's glass company, seen with its smoking stacks and numerable windows. Mr. Kahn's building and the National Plumbing Supply Company building have been replaced by a more modern but less inviting municipal office building.
From Building Laws of the City of St. Louis by the J.T. McAnulty publishers (1908). Click in for a closer look at the goings on at the American Foundry and Manufacturing Company of St. Louis. The foundry produced a variety of goods and was a neighbor to F.W. Hanpeter's Furniture Factory at the time of this advertisement. The advertisement shows the corner of 11th and Hebert at the bottom left, with the face of the building on Hebert Street (with the streetcar). Ironically, the streetcar line was later removed (along with virtually everything visible in the advertisement) for Interstate 70. The location of the American Foundry & Mfg. Co. is now the off-ramp for southbound I-70 and a parking lot. However, Mr. Hanpeter's furniture business building is still standing, albeit barely, at the sharp turn on Palm Street along I-70.
From Building Laws of the City of St. Louis by the J.T. McAnulty publishers (1908). Another lovely advertisement from McAnulty shows the Navarre Building under construction at 600 Chestnut Street. Currently the home of Kiener Plaza (specifically, a row of trees along Chestnut in Kiener Plaza), the Navarre had tiled ceilings and tiled floors on its first floor and boasted fireproof construction. It was neighbor to a liquor wholesaler along 6th and to the Real Estate Exchange Building along Chestnut, but it was primarily an office building. One of the more notable offices located in the Navarre was for the Alton, St. Louis and Cairo Railway.
From Building Laws of the City of St. Louis by the J.T. McAnulty publishers (1908). This splendid advertisement from the building codes handbook of St. Louis shows three mansion homes upon which the Chamberlin Metal Weather-Strip Company worked. The home at 4312 Westminster and at 4925 Pershing (nee Berlin) are extant; however, 3563 Flora Boulevard seems to have been lost to the mists of time. It was built after 1903 (shown as an empty lot on a Sanborn fire map) but it is not listed among the current Property Assessor's records. A pretty shame, since it seems the most delightful of the three. It is possible, however, that the advertiser simply misnumbered his home, in which case one can hope 3563 Flora remains.
