In addition, Ziegenhein was approved by the Ordinance of 1900 to appoint a Factory Inspector who looked for violations in State Laws regarding sanitary conditions, number of hours worked, and restrictions on the special election on July 12, 1898.

Earlier in 1896, a giant tornado had excessively damaged the past one, requiring a whole new building to be built in its place.

Despite these achievements, Ziegenhein also garnered accusations of corruption in Lincoln Steffens' muckraking exposé essay for McClure's Magazine, "Tweed Days In St. Louis.

Steffens reported that Mayor Ziegenhein, called "Uncle Henry," was a "good fellow," "one of the boys," and though it was during his administration that the city grew ripe and went to rot, his opponents talked only of incompetence and neglect, and repeated such stories as that of his famous reply to some citizens who complained because certain street lights were put out: "You have the moon yet—ain't it?

"[3]After stepping down from his position as Mayor in 1901, Ziegenhein became an active figure in planning the future for Lafayette Bank, where he was one of the largest stockholders.