Daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, Va. [W. Va.]) 1859-1865, 1862-11-17

ish system close one half of this continent
against the free white WOrkingmen of
America. II, in our cities and in our East
ern States, white men find themselves over
crowded. find it hard to live, lie: them re-
member that they suffer and toll at disad-
vantage, because the slAVeb0lders. the de-
clared enemies of ''mudsills," hold Viz
ginia, and all tie South, and close against
them, by their system, the most fertile part
of the Union.
An Hour with the MOnsy-ChRngers.
lBy Rev. Theodore L. CuyIer, in then. Y. IndePen-
dentl
Joining a pleasant friend-one of the
golden guild went with him yesterday,
by invitation, to the Board of Brokers.
Leading me up into n singular paved
court out of Exchange Place, and thence
through long, narrow, dark passage, he
ushered me at last into square, high
walled room, in which conVenes the high
parliament of the money-changers. 1t
is not necessary to announce that the
meetings of the Board are strictly private
for none but the initiated would surely
ever find their way through such tor
tuous labyrinth into such a cave of Alad-
din as this.
AT the entrance to the Board-room is q
telegraph apparatus. The moment that a
sale takes place within, some interested
party hints the fact to his fellow stock
jObber in Boston, Philadelphia, or Balti-
more Orders for purchases are flashed
back over the wires, and so millions of
dollars change hands, every month, by
lightning Passing through this vestibule
and by knot of newsboys aud apple
women, we enter the room, where the
First Board" meet at half-past ten o.
clock A members imitation fee is over
one thousand dollars.
AS We enter, we are saluted by Babel
of voices, that reminds us of classroom
of noisy college students waiting for the
advent Of the professor A group Of q
hundred gentlemen or more-soft hated,
thoughnot soft-headed-Withan unwOnted
proportion of keen eyes and long boards,
are seated before tables, and each one
talking at the top of his voice. Some are
cracking jokes Others are eating apples.
Others are shouting out in jOcular tone,
"What's the price of gold TO day?' ''Is
putty up or putty down2" "Take your
seat, Mr.. w." The Mr.. W
thus brusquely addressed is the acting
President of the Board, and for his daily
four hours labor, he receives the richly.
earned salary of five thousands dollars.
While the younger and more volatile MEM
bers are indulging in these jocularities,
the veterans arc solemnly pOndering as
to how deeply they shall go into "Dela,
ware and Hudson" or into "Erie bonds"
or poor old Virginia's insecure ''securi-
ties" Each man has stock-bOok before
him, in which he enters the prices bid for
the stock as they are severally called.
So accurate is the Presidents memory
that be announces each stock in its order
without once referring to the long printed
list.
>, At halEpast ten he takes his place in a
iiigh-backed chair, with a miniature
American flag at the top. He raps to
order, and commences by calling of the
Government securities. When he reashes
some active speculative stock like "Paciic
Mail or "New York Central Railroad, y
then there is an explosion of excitement
Men leap to their feet: shouting veciferOus-
five-sellers three days" Fifty for the lot, /"
anda score of other ordinations. Fingers
are shaken ut each other, or snapped to
Orrest attention. The lOudest speaker
is the best fellow. But above all this
1
the President is heard calling off the bids,
and announcing the names and the terms
Of the several purchasers. What is q
roaring bedlam to US, is perfect order TO
him. He distinguishes in a twinkling
the different voices, gestures, and utteran-
ces of thirty excited men. each shouting
at the top of his voice, and with lightning
like rapidity of speech. Occasionally a
dispute arises in the noisy melee as to
the priority of q purchase. This is settled
on the spot by a vote of the Board, and
from this vote there is no appeal.
was greatly interested in watching the
different well known finanoieTs as they play
ed their Paris in the exciting game. Some
sat quietly, and bat seldom yeniured intO
the lists. Others were on their feet, with
arms extended, and faces almost cOnvnlsed
with excitement, through the whole houI
of roar aud tumult. To the left of the
President sits the UTSG MGjOr of the Stock
Board-a we'll known broker Wnom I need
not name. He seems very quiet now hui
in former times he used to shake the stock
market with a nod. As he listens TO thI
various bids, the workings of his eounte-
nance reminded me OF Broughhm in thG
House of Lords. We once saw him EteE
out from his seat and snap his finger TO-
ward another broker, and called out, "Fl
take your lot at thirty days" "Theu,
whispered my friend, "by that simple ope.
ration, fifty thousand dollars changed
hAndsr Millions Of money are tossed
back and forth every day on that temPes
Of uproAr; fortunes are won or are lost il
. single week. 7asl
The most remarkable things to us in tht
Brokers, Board were the intensity of eK
citement at certain times under the bidding
for contested stoeks-and the lightning
like rapidity with which decisions Wer
j made involving vast sums of money. De