Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1868-1875, 1873-06-28
A LADY AMONG THE GOLD GAM.
BLERS.

lady correspondent of the Louisville
Courier Journal has this to say relative to
visit she paid the New York Gold Rooms:
Where do you suppose went yesterday
| 10 no less 8 place than the Gold Room. I
bad desire TO see the famous place which
so powerfully influences the finances of the
country, anG being told that ladies frequent
~ went as spectators, |, accompanied by
gentleman who unfortunately was not pre-
pared to give lucid explanations, took up
position in the small gallery to which the
public are admitted. l was much disap-
pointed in the celebrated place, except in
one particular; the shouting, shriekiDg and
general wlldness of appearance, as well as
demesnor OF the spectators, exceeded any
description l had heard. AS we walked
along New street towards the Gold Room
we heard the noise afar of. l was told
that the market was very dull, and that
there was nothing going on Of interest, yet
the gesticulations were violent and the
voices deafening. The Gold Room is a
square hall, which galleries, supported by
columns, running along the sides and cut
ting on the corners make appear circular.
The floor within the circle has several rings
OF steps by which the members descend to
the railing In the center around the circulsr
basin Of fountain. The fountain itself
has for device, strange to say, bronze
Cupid. II this is meant as an allegory or
satire, know not.
II is plain and rather common looking |
place. The presiding officer sits on plat !
form, rallied off from the rest of the room. |
and clerk or secretary sits near hin. The |
chairs and desks on this platform sre such |
as are ordinarily seen in offices. The men,
bers Of the board congregate around the |
fountain railing and bawl at each other. j |
counted twenty-five chairs OIL the outer /
edge Of the rings where members can sit if /
they choose, but although the members
number in the hundreds these few chairs
are rarely occupied. And yet "seats'' So /
called are sold when there is a vacancy In
the board for from five thousand to ten
thousand dollars each If sold By the board.
looked down for some little time on the
crowd around the fountain, who resembled
Gagged wild beasts more than anything else.
They did not impress one fsvorably. In
fact, | rarely am faVorsbly impressed with
manly pursuits and manly sports, when
penetrate into the mysteries of them. The
utter imbecility with which men fritter
away their money and call it business or
pleasure is incomprehensible to me. This
gold gambling, for instance, and the pool
selling at races. The former produces a
worse effect in appearance at least. l
mean in the expression of the
face, which it shsrpens and intensi.
hes into one eager look of
greed or cunning more like the lower ami
mails than human beings. The figure, too.
grows sunken and looks IS if vitality was
fast being eaten up by tie constant strain
of excitement. While 1 stood watching
there was bat one "transaction" as it is
called, that is, but one lot of gold, an invis-
ible lot Of course, was sold. The ruling
price was 16B, end all attempts to purchase
under vat price failed. One man wanted
to buy forty thousand dollars, and scream
ed out his offer at the assembled bulls and
bears who were all screaming at each other
without any result while | looked on. was
told be was a bear and that was why no
one was disposed to sell to him, as be did
not offer enough. When any one accepts
one of the bids, he simply mods at the bid
der and "sOld" is called out, and the pre-
siding officer or his secretary makes note.
The Gold Room is not only an ugly place,
but it is not even neat. The floor is strew-
cd with bits of paper, and there is a gener-
ally untidy look about it. The members
cave their dignity outside, if they have
any, and caper around, amusing themselves
1y playing tricks on each her when they c
sEe not buying or selling.