River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1875-05-28

hISuO Va htS NlAilOis, VINO ieel con-
stantly great apprehension Of be-
coming entangled in it, and that when
one Of his friends made, thanks to that
hole, a stumbling and rather fiat entry
into the apartment, Mrs. Sage remarked
that she had frequently called her hus-
bands attention TO the necessity OF a re
storative work being undertaken, but was
rebuked with the argument that business
was dull and that expenses Of that sort
could not be afforded just now.
The social position Of Russell Sage was
never very prominent one, but Of late,
and especially since he has had to part
with the management of the Pacific Mail
it has still more declined. The Vice.
Presidency of the Milwaukee and st.
Paul X. K. Co. is at the present moment
the only public post he occupies; but
even that chair will properly soon be
given up, under the heavy pressure of his
former friend and present antagonist, Al
eSander Mitchell, an open war having
broken out between these two gentlemen.
Mr.. Mitchell. accuses Mr.. Sage Of making
the board Of the unlucky railway
company Safeguarding engine in New
York, while Mr.. Sage accuses Mr.. Mitch.
ell Of trying TO transform the railroad
into political machine in Wisconsin, un.
der the pretext of his love for the people
of the Northwest. The knowing ones
seem to be Of the opinion that both accu-
sations are correct. Mr.. Russell Sage
makes large profits out of all sorts Of
speculations with the stock and money Of
the Milwaukee q st. Paul road,
while Mr.. Mitchell takes advantage
OF his connection with it for electioneer.
ing purposes. There was time when
these two gentlemen were great friends.
They constructed very Improbable air
line from Milwaukee to Chicago, sold it
to the St. Paul road, and realized some.
thing like a million each. But this
friendship and division Of profits are now
mere matters Of tempt p0sSdii, and the
two millionaires have apparently made
up their minds to fight it out on that
line. Mr.. Sage does not, however, on
that account lose his natural serenity.
Nothing in the way of controversies, law
suits or public exposures can intimidate
him. He knows that where there is a
will to get out OF them there is a way TO
do so. But his nervous system does not
seem to stand practical jokes. At all
events the Stock Exchange boys" threw
him the other day into perfect moral
distress.
Until very lately, Mr.. Sage dealt on
the Exchange through brokers, some Of
whom he induced to do his business for
much smaller commission than is allowed
49, H0e Of these brokers having
been discovered in doing this, was ex-
PEELED from the exchange, and Mr.. Sage
resolved for the sake Of economy, to be.
come himself member of the Board. He
paid some $4,000 for his seat, underwent
some difficulty in getting elected, but
overcame all that, and has now the privi-
lege Of either doing business himself OF of
paying only one thirty-second per cent
commission, instead of one.eighth per
cent. to his brother brokers, through
which economy he realizes an immense
saving IN the long run.
His election took place abont year
ago, but he never appeared on Change
until last Monday, when the election of
new President took place, and he had to
give his vote. The Stock Exchange, as
is well known, preserves the laldable Gus
tom of hazing new members, and Mr..
Sage had TO pass the usual ordeal The
moment he appeared in the hall the air
was rent with cries OF "Here's Old Hon.
esty !" Lock out for your pocket books
and watches ~ "Knock his skull in - and
so on. His hat was smashed; he was chased
all around the Exchange room, thrown
against the bulletin boards, and ill.used
in different other ways and manners, I'M
til the chairman of the board, Mr.. " hee-
lock, came to his rescue ard carried him
away, pale, trembling, and considerably
damaged all over. The next day Mr..
Sage was quite serene again, quietly sell.
ing his ''puts" and "calls," and assuring
everybody that he understood perfectly
we'll that the little ill.usage he was ex.
posed to was simply joke on the part of
"the boys" Those, however, who were
present at this reception have apparently
some reason to believe that, had it not
been for Mr.. Wheelock, Mr.. Sige would
probably been induced to take some
what different Wow of the eambols of
those playful young cubs and calves,
whom he, in common with the other full.
grown bulls and bears, sometimes han
oles 80 severely whenever he gets a chance
TO do so in business transactions.