, 1859-07-04
Grain Dealing In CAlcu~o.


grain depot in the world. but that is not all
l'cr grain dealers and spectators IRE the hard
est worked race Of human beings on the face Of
the earth. In New York, Liverpool, London,
and other large markets, gr:tin merchants arc
an easy going people attending au hour or two
Oh Change, making ur their bank accounts. and
closing: their Offices n1out thrce four o'clock
III the afternoon, so US 10 spend tho balance OF
the day with the farmers, in so1ne quiet retreat
tout Of town." another aud rery different
fatc is that Of Chicago grain dealers. They get
ur ut sunrise, bolt their steak and rolls, and
rush down town TO tue a. first bourd," which
meets tit well known corner between eight and
eleven o'clock. There they buy and sell-sel
and buy-make contracts-scttlc differences
open their lettcrs-bolt them as they do their
hrcakfasts-and "bull " aud "Lear,'' rs j, is
their interest," till it is time ~ attend the Sec
oud board" ut the Board Of Trade rooms.
There they investigate tho bulletin boards,
note the receipts and the shipmcnts-com-
pare them with the past two or three
years, and make up their minds as to
the state Of the stocks. Half-past eleven
O'Clock comes, and I'LL eyes arc turned towards
the telegraph Office across the way. The New
York dispatches are expected; aud nothin. csu
he done till they arrive. The sellers won't sell
mud the buyers wont buy. The shrewd spccu-
lators generally hare their dispatches conveyed
to them by clerks who come on Change, aud
s;ly slip them into their employers hands as
they pass. They arc now prepared to act-t'cy
have tile New York market, and like the ga1ll-
bier who has loaded dice, they have the advan-
tage-which they never full to use. Then the
tug begins. Each "privatc dispatch man.
steers clear of tile other, and they operate Oh
those who arc ignorant Of the news. If they
want TO buy, they give their orders to broker
aud offer themselves to sell; or sitx re,1a.
There is 4 world Of whispering-the great mass
OF the operators are eagerly trying to catcl t]ac
news. j" Is The steamer in:' SLOWS Nrw
York: = are the questions Of tue n.oncnt-an,l it
is but 4 moment; for il soon leaks out that bro
kcrs are paying in advance. New York has utl-
ranced-the steamer is in witt, more war]ikc
news. But the spcculators have bcc, at work
aud picked up many thousand bushels ut q cen,
or two below what will prove to be the ruling
prices Of the day. The "loaded Dice did its
work. llali-past twelve or one o'clock. anu
probably 1Vp,upu or .0o,0uv bushels of grain
have changed hands. 1t is dinuer-tilnc-but
there is no time for dinner in tile proper mean
ing Of that word. Orders are pouring in VI, the
brokers, und they must be filled before Il certain
hour, or they may bc withdrawn and the conf
missions lost. There is Ill interval Of alou.
half an hour, during which period the lotc1s
and restaurants are visited, where bccf.steaks
ant! nn'tton-cors are swallowed 'at sight,
aud washed down by sherry ccbblcrs or licl>ick
cider.
The third board" las met-t,n the corner
before u'cntiond (somc call it t:u.rLlcr's Cor
F. ncr), aud the same operations described on
'Chauge are rcpcatcd-only with ,,,orc reckless
ness. There is nothing to be heard among the
crowd hut "No. ! 1,cd,' Standard'-.
option Ill next week." Your optiou next ten
days" Who'll buy ten thousand Standard ut
ninety cents, all next week, BUYERS option -
I'll take it," Gre me j card'' And tins il
gocs till six u'clock, wien the Court House bell
does wlat the police l4avc been unable to do all
afternoon clears the sidewalk, and allows rr,!-
estr1ans to pass uninterrupted.
To New York operator, the above described
amount Of labor would appear enormous. aud If
he worked half as hard on any one day, liz
would 60 lone to rest. but Chicago .recu-
lat"Es never rest il is contrary to tlci, rrinvi-
pics. What: 90 home ut six o'clock. and not
return to the city again: Tie steamer might
colne in with Il declinc, and thus thousands Of
dollars would be Iost-or nut won-whic!, is ri, !
the same. Spend Ill evening at home in tie /
bosom Of thcir families! What would bc the |
consequence if meanwhile Prussia should ioiu |
Austria in tic war, an.i Russia march into Ger
many-,f the Black Sea and the Baltic were
blockaded by English fleets: WAcw. A:.c tlar
news Of all that might arrive, YOU know. OIL the
very night the grain dealers were loling in arm
Chairs III their i'arlorS, surrounded BY their
families aud friends: The rcry thought is ap-
pallln.. No; they must attend the "a feu,,,
board' ut the fremont House -ur rather
OIL the sidewalk opposite the Trcusont-{th. Ia.
dies all know the place we'll; for the have i'll
sariably to turn out nto the street at this poit)
1t meets ut O'Clock r. II. Some are pcrclvd
on the steps leading to the street, quietly s,nok-
'ns their clcro"ts; but tic grcas mass Of one.
sc,t;,rc,,s ,fho1,rs o,1.,.s t, .A'
r.,,;,1 ,,ss,..s ,,,wnon ,,. ,a,,:,a"',' 's 'AA
the fremont, to sec if the N4d.rivl: llas not
y,t urriv,,, w;,h m. a,,... 1,,,. ~
rope. 1t is t'allpast seven and there has lcsu |
n" n'"vcncnt-*'buyers and sellers are :par;."
II length one Of tile bulis,.' sharp looking.
keen eyed snrcn,,tor ,,o,,n,. ,1,o 49,, '' .
aud challenges ,nv o,,. tn sill liz, ;, ,,,,s ]
bushels No, / Red Ut ii .co. ?1,r. :. -, ~.,.,.
4 Has uol,ody ,,ot any u;,,,. ~ ~,
cnr,h sonc one hr,,ks mn, u;,,, am .ou
. Thousand Ut s1,G1- .r,It,.. Nv :. 49,
,ly, Ill .,iyc van ano,hcr >, ,.,,,,, .,,o -sn.-
!. III take two" liz ,,,ts fhc ,wo .,.u $780,.
;ou two more. saws 1hr s,l,rr SNAKE :, +;r,~
,ays til. buyer; bu, tue seller has oa1v ,w,,
lc's out Of thc market, Apybody mr. vhc,,
O scll:" cri.s the buyer. with ;, c,.,r .1,.;,,
'oicc. "1l .,iyc II &. fir tiv, thors.,, t,..,.
is, nv optiou I'LL the work." NJ r,,,,, T,,..
$ considerable agitation. am rive II s4";s
gain heard above the n,urmuriur vo;c,s
How nuc1, do YOU wan,." says 1h;.l.x,,
la.d-Gaccd lookiuy gent. Fire tl,ous,,l
'us1,cl<," SAYS the buycr. You can have
AVE it at sl.c3 says the lard,faced mau.
III take it, - is the reply. "Will vo, take five
|,arsard ,nnrcs u1H;E. x,, =, III &. A.. a, , |