This is a rare and interesting look at the city of St Louis (Saint Louis in the letter) from someone who has traveled to Missouri in the early 1800's to make a life in the 'far west'. In this letter, Charles E Long  is writing to Brother Heath who is a brother Quaker from Bow, New Hampshire. Charles was born in Germany and came to the United States as a very young child to live in Hopkinton, New Hampshire and when he approximately 23 years old he moved to St Louis. In this letter that gives a glowing and loving view of his new home, Charles talks about the friends he has made in St Louis and calls it a 'grand Western city'. In one sentence he gives us a view of this 'grand Western city'.
"It stands on an elevated spot, and the level of its extent, both back, and up and down the River, is enough of itself to convince one that at some distant day, it will be a city of 500,000 inhabitants, and taking into consideration the immense region of rich soil for farming purposes, and the boundless depths of minerals for manufacturing, and the shores of each washed by two fo the longest Rivers in the known world, centering at this point (this being the height of navigation for first class of steamboats) all present almost positive proofs as of its speedy growth."
Charles also speaks of setting up his business and in the 1860 census, he is listed as a carriage blacksmith. He lives in Alton but has his business in St Louis and lives to a old age.
This is a wonderful view of the city of St Louis and gives us a view of this growing part of the country.