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In 1909 Frederick H. Kreismann became the thirty-fifth Mayor of St. Louis.
During his administration, the construction of the McArthur Free Bridge became a great problem because the $3,500,000 bond issue proved to be insufficient for its completion. The bridge was completed only after another bond issue in Mayor Kiel's administration.
Mayor Kreismann took a lead in establishing the Municipal Testing Laboratory for checking City supplies. It went into operation in 1912. An Ordinance of 1912 gave the Health Commissioner authority to regulate the storage, keeping, and carriage of food. Population had increased from 575,238 in 1900 to 687,029 in 1910 and St. Louis remained the fourth largest city of the nation.
Mayor Kreismann saw the completion of two City buildings during his administration. Constructed on the Municipal Courts Buildings began in August 1909. It was completed in 1911 at a cost of $967,000. The Central Library Building of the City's Public Library System was completed and opened on January 6, 1912. The block bounded by Thirteenth, Fourteenth, Olive and Locust Streets, had been set aside for a library building in 1902. The St. Louis Exposition and Music Hall, located on the site, was torn down for the construction of the Library. The land had belonged to the City since its purchase from James H. Lucas in 1854. the Exposition Hall had occupied the site since 1885 under lease not to exceed fifty years.
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