Weekly national intelligencer., 1847-09-18
ILLUSTRATIONS OF MERCANTILE LIFE.

FROM s'Husr's MERCHANTS MAGAZINE" FOR sErrEmBEn.
lights night esbiant and attractive, but certain
ruin. They the blaze from distance they long
themselves in the genial glow they hear of its manifold
ctements and they begin despse the dull routine of their
inland homes In little while they have disposed of what
little they possessed in the country imbbed perhaps from
cestos whose memory is blessing to hem and they hurry
off life in an untried sphere of existence
They plunge headong into all Of dissipation they
desperate specuatons and questionable
modes to keep their expenses and the uphot of the expert
ment is that in few months they bankrupt and what
little their families possessed is lost along with their
spectabiy and reputation. All that they have gained ex-
ravagant habits and tastes, which be graed
This is frequent and melancholy experience We are led
these remarks by reading the following Cists
Cincinnati Advertiser and similar might be made
of every city in the nation
The avidity with which young crowd those avocatons
in life in which there chance of making money with
pidy, of acquiring political social distinctions and emf
nence, is the remarkable when it apparent the
very surface of the subject that they venuring in oe
ry in which there many blanks to prize. few
qure the object of their pusuthe sink into obscuriy
and insigni6cance.
Take for example, mercantile pursuits 1t the expe-
rence and observation Of intelligent persons in Eastern
cities that there hardly firm in existence which did
business twenty and that nine out of ten in
camille life in the long run, amidst the fluctuations OF its pur
suits, broke.
Let me, however, bring the subject nearer home. | had
prepared list of the prnc pal active business who
in trade twenty years ago in Cincinnati of which brief
tract all that have space for in these columns In place
of giving names, shall distinguish the firms by numbers
No. l. broke afterwards resumed business has since left
Cincinnati.
2, broke resides in Indiana.
B. broke, and now engaged in collecting accounts.
A, died.
now captain of a steamboat.
g. left merchandising put up pork, which business he
also quit in time TO his bacon; independent crcum-
stances.
z, dead.
g. broke; resides in St Louis.
g. firm of the partners died, the other of busi-
ness both insolvent.
10, partners both dead.
IL, partners broke bookkeeper, the other
dead.
IL, became embarrassed ard swallowed poison.
Is, firm broke.
Ia, firm broke of the partners died common sot,
the others left the city.
Is, firms broke, and left the city.
l6, frm all its members out of business.
Ssl7, firms senior partner dead.
49, firm senior partner dead, junior resides Toledo.
49, clerk, and left Cincinnati, after becoming in
temperate.
90 firm; two of the partners dead, of whom died
Incorporate the other now engaged IN other business
81, firm senior partner died incorporate, junior now
pastor of a Presbyterian church.
%, died of Madeira wine
23 died OF do.
ID firm of the partners dead, the other now in
business in Pearl street.
25 firm junior partner in business in Pearl street.
&c, firm; broke OF the partners i'll other business
one removed to New York. and tie third clerk.
81, broke, and drowned himselfin the Ohio.
2s broke, became incorporate, and died Of delrum e-
mems.
80, broke resides in Baltimore.
30, removed to Baltimore.
81 firms senior partner dead, the other partners dealing
in real estate.
30, out Of business, having broke three times.
SO, broke dealing in flour.
"a, died of cholera.
IS, firm; senior partner dead, junior gone to New Or
leans
SO, broke removed to New Orleans.
81, broke removed to Illinois.
3s, broke removed to Missouri.
NY list compchends four hundred business men, of
which the above sample. know of but five in bu-
who were twenty years snce Such is mercantile
success.