Fascinating stuff! So many and such diverse stories. I've always been interested in people living where they work, but my heart goes out to William Maas, the tower keeper. Stuck without tobacco in 1904! Yikes! Love the amusement park, too, but then I always do...
This has been the hardest winter I have ever experienced at the tower. I am afraid I should have given out if the brave fellows had not reached me last night. Nobody who has not made that trip under such circumstances can understand what it means.
The work of keeping the tunnel clear of ice is harder this winter that [sic] it has ever been, and I was almost completely exhausted. Not only was I about to run out of provisions, but I was entirely out of tobacco.
That was the greatest hardship that has ever come to me. For two days I haven't had tobacco, and it got to be awful. It is a mighty easy thing to go insane when one is shut off from the world with no one to look at or talk to, and no tobacco.
This has been the most lonely winter I have ever spent. Last winter and the winter before my wife was with me. But now there a little one in the family for her to take care of, and she had to go ashore. She and the baby are living at 4317 North Second street, and I usually get home every two or three days: but if this thing keeps up I guess the boy won't know me the next time he sees me.
I haven't been hope now for two weeks; and it isn't likely I'll get ashore for the next month if things don't change some.
I usually have plenty to eat but it had been so long since anyone had been able to get out here that the store was getting low when I telephoned ashore Tuesday night. When the first three attempts failed it began to look squally. It was a pretty even chance that I would be going hungry pretty soon. I could have put up with hunger for a few days if my tobacco had not run out on me, but to be without tobacco and food both is rather more than a man likes to look forward to.
There has been plenty of work to keep me from getting really lonesome; I didn't really have much time to think about company for punching and pushing at the ice. But I was giving out under the strain.
The next time I get ashore I am going to bring back a boat load of tobacco, and take the chance on getting back for food.
NEVER MIND MY WIFE AND CHILD! NEVER MIND STARVATION! FILL MY PIPE! NOW! THE HORROR! :) Thanks so much, Jackie! This is hilarious. This guy didn't need a shrink. He needed a smoke.
I worked at the park for two years 1969-70. First year I made $1.00 an hour. Second year got a 10 cent raise! The worst part of my job was cleaning out vomit from my ride, but also got to pick up all the change that fell out of pockets during the ride!! It was a great job to meet guys!!
That’s amazing! Cleaning up vomit. What a great line to put on a résumé! 🤣
The $.10 raise cracked me up because I thought hard for my $.10 raise in 1987 when I was making $3.35 an hour. It’s hard to believe there was a time when that actually mattered.
i enjoy this a lot i want them to remove the dam so one day i can go inside intake tower 1 to see inside they went in intake tower2 i knows whats inside intake tower 2 i want to see inside intake tower 1
They won’t remove the dam anytime soon because it’s necessary for shipping traffic on the canal to the east. However, the dam has nothing to do with access to the water intake towers. Those can be accessed, in theory, although they don’t generally let anyone in.
yes i understand im sorry ive been so upsessed with them since when i was a little boy and i still am today but ill stil figure a way in to get in it hopefullly one day thw water level will lower so the wind dycke aka the rock acess to intake tower 1 is available there is this video of intake tower 2 the old doors are still there and they arent locked apparenly ill have to look when ever i visit st louis again its oly 4 hours away from where i am in kansas ...
Apr 29, 2022·edited Apr 30, 2022Liked by Jackie Dana
I lived in Glasgow Village from 1953 until mid-college around 1964. There were innumerable traffic jams when semi's would meet at the bend of that old bridge. Invariably the police would have to stop approaching traffic have enough vehicles back up so one of the trucks could back far enough for the other to clear. Many of us from the North County area going to college had summer jobs at Granite City Steel so we would buy a bridge ticket book at a slight discount to the single charge.
I recall St. Louis City had something to do with the Chain of Rocks pool and once per week it was drained and refilled. That next day was chilly! The roads as well as the hills in the park were favorite sledding destinations on snow days.
The old bridge into St. Charles had a slightly shallower bend. The interstate system brought wider lanes so knuckles weren't so white and eyes weren't so tightly closed!
I really enjoyed your article! I grew up in north St. Louis County and made numerous trips across the Chain of Rocks Bridge to visit relatives in Illinois. Every memorial day, there was a wreath hung on the bridge, at the curve. I was told someone had died during the construction of the bridge and the wreath was hung as a memorial. Thanks for such an interesting walk down memory lane!
Lived in Bellefontaine Neighbors. Went to the park sooo many times. Drove over the bridge into Illinois sooo many times. Also, drove over the canal road several times with friends & their parents vehicle. Fun days, I miss them.
Well, I was in the back seat, so I don't know. I'm sure my dad wasn't fond of it, but I don't remember any particular comments. I used to love to look at the water intake towers as we drove by, imagining them to be moving through the water instead of fixed in place.
What a blast from the past! I also lived in Belfountaine Neighbors and attended Riverview Elementary on Diamond Dr. from 1959-64. I remember all the different classes would parade the neighborhood on the last school day and then head to CoR park for more fun than I can fully remember but it was a thrill. I don’t remember ever going there not with schoolmates. And while there was a pool there, I remember another pool closer to the river, just at Riverview Drive and the I-270 bridge. We called it the White Place because that’s how it was painted. All white.
They need to get inside intake tower 1 as well I keep looking for pictures inside intake tower 1 but it only shows intake tower 2 inside only I want to go to intake tower 1 in person to see what's inside badly
i want them to remove the dam so i can go inside intake tower 1 and see inside intake tower 1 i seen a video of inside intake tower 2 nobody has been in intake tower 1 i want to be the first to see the inside of it
Very interesting and informative!! Love learning so of the History of area! Spent many hours in park and playing on old bridge! Thanks!
That's awesome. Thanks for sharing.
Wonderful! I grew up in Glasgow Village, spent many school picnics marching to the park. Great memories, thank you!
That's great! Did you visit the amusement park itself much? Did you have a favorite ride?
the amusement park its still there but its abandon today
Fascinating stuff! So many and such diverse stories. I've always been interested in people living where they work, but my heart goes out to William Maas, the tower keeper. Stuck without tobacco in 1904! Yikes! Love the amusement park, too, but then I always do...
Here's the entire account by William Maas:
This has been the hardest winter I have ever experienced at the tower. I am afraid I should have given out if the brave fellows had not reached me last night. Nobody who has not made that trip under such circumstances can understand what it means.
The work of keeping the tunnel clear of ice is harder this winter that [sic] it has ever been, and I was almost completely exhausted. Not only was I about to run out of provisions, but I was entirely out of tobacco.
That was the greatest hardship that has ever come to me. For two days I haven't had tobacco, and it got to be awful. It is a mighty easy thing to go insane when one is shut off from the world with no one to look at or talk to, and no tobacco.
This has been the most lonely winter I have ever spent. Last winter and the winter before my wife was with me. But now there a little one in the family for her to take care of, and she had to go ashore. She and the baby are living at 4317 North Second street, and I usually get home every two or three days: but if this thing keeps up I guess the boy won't know me the next time he sees me.
I haven't been hope now for two weeks; and it isn't likely I'll get ashore for the next month if things don't change some.
I usually have plenty to eat but it had been so long since anyone had been able to get out here that the store was getting low when I telephoned ashore Tuesday night. When the first three attempts failed it began to look squally. It was a pretty even chance that I would be going hungry pretty soon. I could have put up with hunger for a few days if my tobacco had not run out on me, but to be without tobacco and food both is rather more than a man likes to look forward to.
There has been plenty of work to keep me from getting really lonesome; I didn't really have much time to think about company for punching and pushing at the ice. But I was giving out under the strain.
The next time I get ashore I am going to bring back a boat load of tobacco, and take the chance on getting back for food.
NEVER MIND MY WIFE AND CHILD! NEVER MIND STARVATION! FILL MY PIPE! NOW! THE HORROR! :) Thanks so much, Jackie! This is hilarious. This guy didn't need a shrink. He needed a smoke.
Right? This dude was something!
Thanks Annette! I actually had to cut out quite a bit from Mr. Maas. He had A LOT to say about his tobacco shortage!
Okay, this man needs a post of his own! LOL!
I really enjoyed this. I had never heard of water intake towers before. Very informative. Great job, Jackie!
I worked at the park for two years 1969-70. First year I made $1.00 an hour. Second year got a 10 cent raise! The worst part of my job was cleaning out vomit from my ride, but also got to pick up all the change that fell out of pockets during the ride!! It was a great job to meet guys!!
That’s amazing! Cleaning up vomit. What a great line to put on a résumé! 🤣
The $.10 raise cracked me up because I thought hard for my $.10 raise in 1987 when I was making $3.35 an hour. It’s hard to believe there was a time when that actually mattered.
i enjoy this a lot i want them to remove the dam so one day i can go inside intake tower 1 to see inside they went in intake tower2 i knows whats inside intake tower 2 i want to see inside intake tower 1
They won’t remove the dam anytime soon because it’s necessary for shipping traffic on the canal to the east. However, the dam has nothing to do with access to the water intake towers. Those can be accessed, in theory, although they don’t generally let anyone in.
yes i understand im sorry ive been so upsessed with them since when i was a little boy and i still am today but ill stil figure a way in to get in it hopefullly one day thw water level will lower so the wind dycke aka the rock acess to intake tower 1 is available there is this video of intake tower 2 the old doors are still there and they arent locked apparenly ill have to look when ever i visit st louis again its oly 4 hours away from where i am in kansas ...
Wow! Remember the mad mouse at the park! Grew up in bellefontaine!
I lived in Glasgow Village from 1953 until mid-college around 1964. There were innumerable traffic jams when semi's would meet at the bend of that old bridge. Invariably the police would have to stop approaching traffic have enough vehicles back up so one of the trucks could back far enough for the other to clear. Many of us from the North County area going to college had summer jobs at Granite City Steel so we would buy a bridge ticket book at a slight discount to the single charge.
I recall St. Louis City had something to do with the Chain of Rocks pool and once per week it was drained and refilled. That next day was chilly! The roads as well as the hills in the park were favorite sledding destinations on snow days.
I can’t imagine a semi on that bridge. How the hell would that even work? What a nightmare. Thanks for sharing!
The old bridge into St. Charles had a slightly shallower bend. The interstate system brought wider lanes so knuckles weren't so white and eyes weren't so tightly closed!
Can we add this information to our website? corca2stl.org
Sure, add whatever you’d like.
I’d appreciate a link!
Very interesting read ,great work!
I always want to hear about the history of St. Louis and it’s surrounding area.
Thanks for sharing!
Thanks! I will keep writing about different moments in St. Louis history, so stay tuned for more!
I really enjoyed your article! I grew up in north St. Louis County and made numerous trips across the Chain of Rocks Bridge to visit relatives in Illinois. Every memorial day, there was a wreath hung on the bridge, at the curve. I was told someone had died during the construction of the bridge and the wreath was hung as a memorial. Thanks for such an interesting walk down memory lane!
Oh that's interesting. I'll need to look to see if I can find anything about that. Thanks for reading!
Lived in Bellefontaine Neighbors. Went to the park sooo many times. Drove over the bridge into Illinois sooo many times. Also, drove over the canal road several times with friends & their parents vehicle. Fun days, I miss them.
Hey Daniel, thanks for sharing. What was your favorite ride at the park? Did you ever go swimming there?
Thank you, great story! Grew up in Spanish Lake, and took many car trips on that bridge heading to Greenville Illinois where my grandmother lived.
Oh wow, that's cool! What was the bend like as a driver? I have to admit I can't wrap my head around that at all.
Well, I was in the back seat, so I don't know. I'm sure my dad wasn't fond of it, but I don't remember any particular comments. I used to love to look at the water intake towers as we drove by, imagining them to be moving through the water instead of fixed in place.
I love that!
What a blast from the past! I also lived in Belfountaine Neighbors and attended Riverview Elementary on Diamond Dr. from 1959-64. I remember all the different classes would parade the neighborhood on the last school day and then head to CoR park for more fun than I can fully remember but it was a thrill. I don’t remember ever going there not with schoolmates. And while there was a pool there, I remember another pool closer to the river, just at Riverview Drive and the I-270 bridge. We called it the White Place because that’s how it was painted. All white.
Thanks for your comment and memories! It's great hearing from people who resonate with the historical pieces I write.
They need to get inside intake tower 1 as well I keep looking for pictures inside intake tower 1 but it only shows intake tower 2 inside only I want to go to intake tower 1 in person to see what's inside badly
i want them to remove the dam so i can go inside intake tower 1 and see inside intake tower 1 i seen a video of inside intake tower 2 nobody has been in intake tower 1 i want to be the first to see the inside of it