The New York herald., 1869-03-06
COMMERCIAL AGENCIES.

COMMERCIAL AGENCIES.
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Growth and Extent Of Commercial Agencies In
Our City-What II Promised and What IL
Performed-Kind OF Correspondents En-
pIoyed-Coliusions Of Fraud and Fruits Of
Petty Spite.
Commercial agencies are rapidly attaining In our
city marvellous height Of power and prosperity.
They are comparatively OF recent origin. The nrst
organized this city, that used to be ITS cts TO
the Post Office, came INTO being long after that little
old quantity steepled Dutch church was converted
to its present uses, and when the look Of grim
age stared one In the face from Its brown
front and gabled roof almost as legibly
as now. AS time has ad yanced others have sprung
INTO existence till now there are three large and
prominent agencies OF this kind, besides others OF
feebler growth. These larger agencies occupy CO.
lossal rooms They have colossal desks. They keep
colossal books They do colossal BUSINESS and
their profits are colossal Everybody knows the
objects Of these agencies, or rather the proclaimed
purpose their organization. They claim to be vast
bureau OF information regarding business men, not
the business men alone OF our city, but the
bold and farreaching nights OF their imaginative
pretensons take in the whole sweeping range OF our
country, from Maine to California, from the precipi
tous banks Of the swiftly nowinR St. Lawrence to
where the waters OF the broad Pacific dash upon the
extreme northern point Of our lately acquired Rus
sian American possessions An examination into the
working Of these agencies, their nodus operandf Of
obtaningin formation, the terms ON which they
tmpart this informant and the extent Of reliability
Of this information not without interest," and the
facts ELECTED from such examination are not with
out their suggestive moral. The results OF
such examination, which we have been painstaking
in making, and in writing the details of which we
shall be equally pains taking to give the facts accu-
rately We shall now essay to unfold, with succlnct
brevity, and, we trust, with convincing proof that
the progress and completion Of our narrative Will so
plainly and palpably reveal the underlying moral
that even those who run may read It.
WHAT THESE AGENCIES PROMISE.
They begin with promising great deal more than
1t Is possible TO accomplish. They promise to give
accurate information OF the exact pecuniary status
persons engaged In all classes of trade.
These promises as we have stated. en-
merchants ana business men in every city OF the
Union, in every village and In every country town.
How utterly impossible these promises are Of frlh-
Failure are constant and sudden Those who are
to-day riding on the topmost wave OF seeming pros
perity tomorrow are wrecked In the great sea Of
financial speculation,
but even now worth this,
And worth nothing
as Antonio found when his ships had all miscarricd
and his bond 10 Shyiock was forfeit. They assume
TO keep themselves continually posted ana to be
able to tell VINO are safe aud reliable, VINO are
shaky and doubtful and who are positively untrust-
worthy. But Is is unnecessary to enlarge on this
points. The promises themselves, IL Is clear, are as
unstable and unreliable those placed in the lowest
inches OF unreablity IN their cumbrousy imposing
BASIS OF PROMISES.
This branch OF our subject ads US to explain the
naodus Opeyandi these agenc.es have adopted for
acquiring their Information which assumed
patrons. They get 1t through correspondents. but
what is the character OF their correspondents, anu
how much reliability can be placed on what they
hinges the whole subject az to the value Otherwise
OF these agencies, can be answered in two words
very little. They are mainly thrd-rate lawyers, or
men who Will grasp eagerly at any chance
To turn penny, the matter OF turning
troubles them, or certainly the most or them. Why
do they employ such correspondence simply be-
respect win not lend themselves to the mean syssem
OF espionage demanded OF such correspondents; such
Paul Pry procedure a. prying through keyhoes SUCH
sneaking inquiries to the liabilities OF their neigh
bors. such bnxeyed warchfuness to their habits.
respondents have placed In their hands, and how
likely, when opportunity offers. they are to
use u for their advantage. We viii explain
how the thing Is said to be DONE and IL requires
specially large acquaintance with human nature In
its progressive stages OF unscrupuous development
to believe that is DONE and frequently done. The
In some smart Western city or town. Our corre-
spondent knows the weak points OF this young mer-
chant-dimnished capital assuming the style and
airs Of large and assured resources ambition for
wealth that will not stop at any means to compass
crafty In speech and manner as he il
unscrupu0us and determined In purpose. He
has private interview with the merchant He
comes 10 his point by gradual approaches with the
snrewd skill or Iago working upon the weakness OF
Roleriso, and with that nnal powerful, clincning
argument OF the former:-
Put money in thy purse
'You see what can do" says this correspondent,
showing the credentials OF his appointment.
"Weil-yes," responds the merchant.
al can give you character IN New York - pursues
this oeagnous repre- sentative OF Que OF our
buy on credit any amount OF goods"
81 see.n
"shall 1t be doner'
The bargain Is made Our correspondent writes a
gowingly favorable account OF the financial re-
sources OF the young merchant. This account Is
duly transferred to the records OF the commercial
agency here. The young merchant comes to the
city our merchants get transcript OF his record;
nc puys eea oa hsa ana rud 1aey aoa &c. Their
more tnan lightning calculator TO estimate the
multiplicity OF just such cases. And here let
themselves any way accountable for the inaccurate
statements OF their correspondents Another power
Tor evil Their correspondents possess and that Is pur-
posely undertaking persons degree Of reliability.
perhaps and not unlikely suppositlon) because the
latter would not trust fin or sued him Tor bill and
he puts MS credit down as low or good Tor nothing.
And II shall 20 hard.
And blow them at the moon.
Thus resolves this basely gnominious creature.
II he dare not put down the subject OF his spite as
utterly devoid OF financial credit he will throw out
hints after the manner OF Polonus:-
- know the gentleman;
saw him yesterday Or tother day;
o. thsn or then with such or such and, a. you say,
There was he gaming Hesvery wild,
Addicted and
All this has its eject of course in bnv,no ooo5a