Ep 3.04: Reformers, Strikers, and a City Preparing for the World’s Fair

This episode continues the story of turn of the century St. Louis, where Archbishop Glennon steps into leadership just as the city confronts its own political and social turmoil. Monsignor and Teresa trace the aftermath of the “boodle” scandals, highlighting reformers like Mayor Rolla Wells and circuit attorney Joseph Folk, whose investigations exposed the deep ties between corrupt aldermen, business interests, and political boss Ed Butler. The narrative then widens to the stark contrasts within St. Louis society—from the wealthy families of the Central West End to the working poor crowded into the slums of Soulard and Biddle Street. Against this backdrop unfolds the violent 1900 streetcar strike, a six month clash between overworked laborers and powerful transit companies that left several dead and the city shaken. As St. Louis races to prepare for the 1904 World’s Fair, Mayor Wells launches an ambitious campaign to clean up the city’s infrastructure, water supply, and public image.