The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1859-04-12

ASoRAMBLE FOR Stock. Unusual Scene. e.-Railroad
stock of any kind is seldom scrambled for by ca.
the will be refreshing holders of stock that ia
always Ia that condition known as ex div The
corporators Of the Chestnut and Walnut styea,
Railroad advertised that their books would he
opened for subscription on Friday morning. The
Ledger says:
BY 6 O'Clock, over one hundred had assembled,
and the stairway leading to the secoud story room
packed by those, 1t is said, who were emnIovad
to keepout the citizens desrous ofsubscribing The
crowd did mot hear the rumor that the corporators
had armed six oftheir number with powers of attor
ney, who were to stay in the room all night and
soon as nine O'Clock arrived, put down tbeir
names, while the paid watchers Kept those hay.
ing the means to subscribe from reaching the
room until matters had been prepared for their re-
ception; hence their patience. The crowd in the
street. from six to niEe O'Clock, attemp pied to break
the monotony of waiting by cracking jokes. One
man, who had edged his way uD 10 the front door
aud got bis nose inch two inside. was offered
ten dollars to back out. lie could not be bought.
but he was very unceremoDiously showed out by
raw boned, big fsted fellow, who swore that he
would have one hundred shares in spite of the
devil. Watches were ia great demand tbs f;ms
being sought for about every half mitute One
minute before nine, some fellow in the crowd cried
ont, "hod on to your pocket.books, here's a Pick.
pocket, and in the midst of the excitement Occa-
soned thereby, the door were thrown opsn lead
ing to the corporat0rs room, but the crowd did
GOT go in. Those at the head of the stairway pre-
tended that they could not get in, and ther efore
those at the foot could only push and ascend step By
| step, as the surging mass behind them forced
hem through the living wall of fortuue-hun-
| ters. Several of those who were thus driven
up like a wedge into iece of live oak. wired,
tainted. and became generally weak 10 the knees
that they had to be carried out. 0ne Of the clerks
in the Treasury department, being without any
super fuity Of flesh, managed to get himself and
| his gold squeezedthrough passage way not yisi-
| BILE to the naked eye. and, at the end of half an
honr, found himself fronting the counter on which
the book Of subscription was supposed 70 be laid
He exhibited his gold, and desired to subscribe for
| one hundred shares He was politely informed
that he was too late, "the last share having been
| taken" but by whom. was past finding out, as it
was very certain that not of the many who
waited outside even got glimpse of the book, nor
did any OF them see any money that had been paid
after getting in Mr.. I. protested; so did several
others; and some threatend to take out an ipjunc-
| tion, because OF the manner in W hich the stock
| had been subscribed for. The crowd slowly dis
persed, about10 O'Clock, some Iamenting over the
loss OF part of their garments others, because thew
could get no stock, while those attracted by the
crowd seemed to enjoy the sport The scene was
| amusing as we'll as exciting. 1t strongly rescm-
bied the old scramble for bank stock, when men
broke their necks almost to get some of the stock
who few years after, run their legs off nearly to
get rid of it.