In 1880, the leading industries of St. Louis included brewing, flour milling, slaughtering, machining, and tobacco processing.[42] Other industries including the making of paint, bricks, bag, iron.[42] During the 1880s, the city grew in population by 29 percent, from 350,518 to 451,770, making it the country’s fourth largest city; it also was fourth measured by value of its manufactured products, and more than 6,148 factories existed in 1890.[43] However, during the 1890s manufacturing growth slowed dramatically.[43] The Panic of 1893 and subsequent depression and the overproduction of grain made St. Louis mills considerably less productive and valuable.[44] Flour milling was halved in production, and most other industries suffered declines.[44]

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/History_of_St._Louis_(1866%E2%80%931904)

List of names of Factory workers and where they worked in Chicago  in 1900.  Fill out the form to your right (include your name and E-mail and then in the message field  enter your ancestors name  and occupation  if you know it.)