Mo. Rev. Stat. § 237.210
Any city, town or other municipal corporation may, for a just compensation, in its discretion, lease to any owner or association of owners of any steamboat, or boats, or vessels, any portion of the wharf or landing of such city or town, for a term of years, for the purpose of maintaining wharf boats thereat for the accommodation of steamboats and merchants and others in the reception and discharge of freights; provided, that no part of any wharf or landing shall be so leased for the use of any particular owner of any boat or boats, or association of owners of boats, if such lease shall give to such owner or association of owners a monopoly of said portion of such wharf or landing, or work a serious injury or inconvenience to other owners of boats landing at such wharf or landing.
§ 237.210, RSMo