Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1873-09-25

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When the bulls and bears reached the
Stock Exchange yesterday morning they
wore troubled look and seemed puzzled
They quietly noafed around the great room
| for while and awaited the fir>l call
| The opening prices We're: Erie. - 80 !;
Pacific Mail. ~ Ia; Lake Shore. 30 IA !;
Northwestern. 80 3-4 Rock Island, lO2 | 4 !;
Western Union. IS l-2; Cenrca., 9Ol-2:
! lex did END St Paul, 43 IA; Union Paci.
nc. % "a c. C. and |. c., %; Ohio. sc IL !:
Wabash, Sc; Harlem. i26 IL; Panama
liz IL. Then the manipuators OF the
market stared At each othe.. and soon
there was a buzzing which denoted that a
storm was coming. Some talked of the
great frauds which have lately been .un-
earthed, and Of the Insecurity Of invest
Ing in all kinds of stocks. Every one
seemed TO mistrust his neighbor aod - TODD
/ back waiting 10 a move. About IL o'clock
they began TO strike out from the shout
der. apd panic ensued. Trcmendou. ex-
/ element prevailed, and sales were made
rapidly. Brokers ran too and fro telling
each other that everything was coin" TO
smash. land the floor Of the Stock Ex-
change seemed pandemonium. To u
/ stranger Ii would have seemed ~ though "A
great free fight was in progress Well
dressed men hurried in and began to
sN'Na" SonttiihiS tutt W a.
! Ineligible to those around them, tor "A cir
Gle was soon formed. and while the new
conner yelled and waved his hand above
his head, the others gestculafed wildly
aud shouted as loud A. he. All had mem
orandum books. aId just about the time an
outsider might suppose The first blow
would surely be struck all jotted something
Ia their books and separated to listen 10
another. One broker. a tall. darkroom
pleNioned man. wearing a white hat dash
ed in and waving his memorandum book
about as defying any ohe TO approach him
began in squcaking voice, which sound
ed far above the din around him. TO call
near him some OF The most excited one, on
the floor. His eyes flashed A. he shoot.
his fist in his fellows faces, showed up
agains; them and then stepped back lie
was terribly IN earnest. and the telegraph
operators, calm. cool and collected a ever
wandered around the crowd looking over
mems shoulders. saying nothing to any
one, and Fastening back 10 their instru-
nents 10 resume the ticking which seems
never 10 cease in the room. 4 short thin
man with large blue nechtie CRASHED his
teeth and seemed ready TO pounce upon the
tall. dark-complexioned man. They ad-
vanced toward each othe-, shaking their
tsts and shouting at the top of their
voices. Inc bystanders drew near. ana
all shouted and raised their hands. They
rubbed up against each other, and hats
were damned over the eyes of sore. Still
there were no knockdowns. only lettings
Ia the memorandum books. Young men
stood on the railing and behind il, and
shouted until they were hoarse the name
OF some one wanted. Uniformed bows
with small pieces of paper in their hands
strobe around with a military air calling
one whom some one else on the other cir
Gle wished TO see. Some laughed and 9TH
ers seemed ready To shed tears as they
grasped each other. There were hurried
whispers and passing OF memoranda and
| then a return to the terrific shouting.
"feahoo, resounded through the room
| followed by succession of almost unln-
telligable words and the babel OF voices !;
| the scrambling about. and the wild looking
countenances, made up . scene that a
stranger never could forget. The presid-
| ing officer sat calmly in his chair. occa-
sionally scanning the excited crowd aud
then pleasantly chatting with several gen
tlemen on the rOstrum. When the noise
was greatest he seemed most happy, and
when lie arose about twelve minutes past
IL, holding q small piece of white paper
and with goody-sized gravel command
ed order, his eyes fairly twiukled. The
shouting ceased for a moment aud the
brokers like flock OF sheep drew near.
| They were nervous and scarcely able 10
stand still. but they were quiet long
enough TO hear that the great banking
house of Jay Cooke q Co., had suspended.
Then they turned their backs on tue pre-
siding officer. Some yelled louder than
ever, few ,cheered as though they were
really glad to hear it. while many SORROW
fully shook their heads. \ score of brok-
ers from The scare.ly haliaytnr
il possible that Jay Cooke & Co., had been
SO unfortunate, and fastened to the bank
ing house Of that firm. The bootblacks
and newsboys were there before them and
stood leaning over the iron railing on the
sidewalk peering into the windows and
saying, "She's busted" Ali kinds Of ru-
mors were set aflOat in the room. and
nearly every bank and railroad company
was said TO have gone under. Henry
Clews 4 Co., George Opdyke. Drexel.
Morgan Co.. the Pennsylvania Company.
and others were mentioned among the
rest. The Vanderbuilt party were doug
their best to keep their heads above water,
but their foes were determined that they
should sihk, and the fight became hotter.
The cry was, ''Who will go nextT' The
small fry wandered about eXclai,ninS that
they had chartered a balloon: that the
street had been knocked all out OF share
and that there was no room for them.
They predicted that every well-kpown
firm in Broad aud Wall streets would
make a grand ascension. This thing
will stop to-day" said one broker to
another cOntidentially. Don't you believe
it," replied the one addressed; this is but
the beginning, wait until tomorrow" The
thrOng in the gallery. among which were
many elegantly dressed ladies, manifested
\ MT nd ,n,bu
astic broker on the floor threw up his hat
and cheered they could not CONTROL them
selves and joined in the shout. At
o'clock Pacific Mail was down to 81; Lake
Shore, 81 "a southwestern, 40 1-2; Rock
Island, SO; Western Union. IS l-2 (ten per
cent. decline since the Openiug;) Central,
81 Is; st Paul, Al; Union Pacific, 81
c. C. and l. c., "a IL; Ohio. "a; Wabash,
50 IL. One Of the Oldest brokers in the
street said there has been no such panic
since 1857, and that it might be attributed
to the building OF railroads In advance OF
railroads In advance Of the sale Of bonds,
thus increasing our liabilities and piling
up our Indebtedness. At about half-past
two Vice-President WheelOck, who had
but . short time before taken his seat, at.
tired in his usual faultless style. arranged
his white necktie. adjusted his ye-glasses,
and arose. He had small piece Of paper
In his left hand. He raised the gave! and
smiled. Then he beat on the desk for or.
der. The brokers reluctantly checked
their screaming aud looked at him. There
was . shutting of feet, and the Vice-Presi-
dents deep bass voice could scarcely be
heard. He regretted to inform the Board
that the firm OF Robinson & Suydam. Is
Broad street, had suspended. Then he sat
down shifting, and the screams of the
brokers again filled the air. They hud.
died together and in . moment forgot that
there was one firm less In the street, so in
tent were they upon buying or selling
stocks. The ''yahOos" sounded louder
than ever. The messengers shrieked more
nercely than before, and the Vice-Presi.
dent twirled his Eyeglasses and WAS hap
nv. On the sidewalk there was q great
surging crowd, but the lynx-eyed door