St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1873-01-24
DRINKING AND GAMBLING.

appears to be largely overdone do no
learn as the number is decreasing OF
the contrary Il residence opposite on,
of these places for few weeks has con
WINGED me that however dull Ordinar,
business is the liquor business is yer!
brisk. In short rum selling and run
drinking appear to be the overshadow
ing blight in this city of the west, al
they are of SD many places in the east
Ninetenths of the crime can be traced
directly to the dram shop, while tn,
time and money squandered there can
not he computed.
STOCK GAMBLING.
Another business carried on witt
great energy in this city is the purchase
and sale of mining stocks at the Brokers
Board politely termed here, stock
gambling. There is company of bro
kers who bend all their energies to ere
ate rise or fall i'll some particular
stocks. BY certain manipulatiols with
which they are familiar, and at which
some of them are adopts, they manage
to create great fluctuations in o very
short time, enriching some and impov-
eriShing others. Many fortunes have
been made and lost in this way. and a
mania for gambling in stocks has been
created all through the community.
Much of the time between ten o'clock
and four. the sidewalks in the vicinity
of the brokers offices, at the intersec-
ton of California and Montgomery
streets. are :" crowded with these in
tatuated people that the ordinary pc
destrian has to take the midCle of the
street.
y great many men in business clerks,
mechanics and others. have been tempt
ed by this illusion. invested and lost.
Some have made fortunes. bit | am
told that such is the infltuatlon that
most of those who become rich in this
way keep on vcmturing until they lose
all again. 1t has the same effect on the
mind rs common gambling. \ success
turns the head Il loss makes one any
i"n> t" try again. In either case the
victim is generally doomed.
This stock gambling cause> disaster
morally and socially as we'll as fnan-
cially. To-day Il man supposeS his
partner i'll business honest and worth
S21.'hm: tomorrow dcvrlopes the fact
that lIe has lost his own fortune and
forged the firm name for Il large amount.
all of which has gone in stocks.
SAD CASE.
y still >adder ease came to light last
week. Six weeks ago Gro. Lane mar
rird Il Young lady in this city. She
had >2O.OOO in her own name. left hy
her father ut his decrease. Lane was
considered more than Respectable.
moved IN good circles. rs did his wife.
hcf"r" her marriage. Last week he
and it has turned out that
he hats robbed his wife of her entire for
tune, besides many lesser sums of rcla-
tivc> and acquaintance. 1t proves as
WAS anticipated that he lost all in stock
Speculati"n~. y letter without date
has been received from Lane in which
he admits his crimes. The anguish of
his Young bride at being robbed and
II al L..
not hc imagined.
But the temptation t" invest in these
stocks is very great. The rise NAV
make Il poor man rich in few weeks
time. For instance. last january Belch- |
rr mining stock sold at 30 IA share. |
In February it rose to S775. and in
April To Sl525 per share. 1t sold ut
the Board yesterday for $50. Ten
shares brought in january for STD
would have sold in February for 81
40, and i'll April for SI5.2jO. con
less t" some sympathy for the deluded |
victim. who may he working hard for
w" or three dollars day, and think |
n% he sees competence within 50 easy |
each. reaches for it, usually to grasp IL
phantom.
Look at the chances on the other
side: In May last Grown Point" sold
or HlH'm per share. and was then ris-
ne. suppose one to have bought ten
'll;ilt's at that price. us many did. and !
hat he had been obliged to sell the
tmc yesterday, or at any other time
turing the last month, his SIS. 900
Investment i'll May would have brought
nm i'll December some over $500. less
interest and commissions. Grown
'oint' now sells at 81.
THE BRIGHT SIDE.
But there is Il brighter side to Cali
ornla life. The wonderful agricultu-
al resources of the state are being de
'elopcd. She is already the greatest
wheat producing state in the Union,
md not quarter of her arabic land is
ct cultivated. The Yankee leaven
: working i'll business. in social life.
md the church. As honest business
men can be found here as any where.
'"od social society can be had if one
eeks 1t. In no place have | heard
more earnest and faithful preaching.
he clergy of this coast are laborinp
With faith and zeal hich augurs great
'"od. The week of PRAYER is being OBJ
erNed by nearly all the eyanreE.al