Omaha daily bee., 1883-06-29
GREAT sPECULAToRs AT LUNCH.
Gould, Sage, Common, Field and 9th
crs at Their Midday Meal.


New YORK Times.
A man with his mouth full of apple pie
! gesticulated wildly on the floor of the
stock exchange the other afternoon when
business was at its height. A broker who
thought his gullet was clogged with pie
hammered him on the back, and
the general howl in the immediate
vicinity was stopped by his alarming
actions. AS soon as he could clear his
surcharged throat he found his voice
and began selling right and left in one
line of stock. He was taking his lunch
with one eye on the ticker and the other
on the pie, when some figures that were
jotted down on the tape caused him to
forget his check and dash out of the res
taurant like a mailman. He was on the
wrong side of the market, and saw a
chance to cover.
When he had put himself in a position
to feel hat he was on the safe side of the
fence he went back to the restaurant, ate
another piece of pie, gave the waiter a
quarter, and told him to say his prayers
every night on going to bed and to cover
when he was long on a declining market.
Then he bought a put, lighted a cigar,
and for half an hour blew big rings of
smoke up to ceiling. He smiled at every
one who came in, said the market was
going to the dogs, rode home in
a cab, and in the evening informed his
friends that he was 500, 900 better off
than he was in the morning. When
times are exciting on the exchange a
broker car hardly get his lunch. He has
to take advantage of a lull, and while he
is out things may start out again. He
must keep close watch on the ticker, and
if the figures go his way or against him
he has to abandon his lunch in the mid
die of it to reap the benefit or take meas
ures to protect himself.
The g eat operators lunch as well as
the lesser lights. Jay Gould takes his
lunch at his Office, II Broadway, and
sometimes in the Office in the Western
Union building, at one or half-past one
o'clock. 1t is always light. 1t consists
of consomme or some other light soup,
toast fruit, and tea. When in consulta-
ton with a number of gentlemen Mr..
Gould orders a more extensive spread,
but he never eats heartily himself.
His breakfasts and dinners are
sent from Delmonico's, and
the walters, who are the same
the year round, aforementioned at Christ
mas time. Washington L. Conner, Mr..
Gould's partner and manager, takes cof-
fee and eats whatever suits his fancy.
He is quite fond of game. He eats and
transacts business at the same time.
Russell Sage, the money-lender, and the
great operator in puts and calls, is avon.
derfully modest man In eating. He will
make a comfortable meal of a fve-cent
sandwich and a couple Of red apples,
costing seven cents in all. He
never risks running his digestion by
eating in a hurry. He may be all the
afternoon %devouring his sandwich and ap
Piles. Occasionally Mr.. Sage takes a plate
Of oysters or a brace of chops, with a bot
tie of beer if his digestion has been help
ed by satisfactory returns from his puts
and calls. Mr.. Sage is always said Il
show his respect for the rules of etiquette
by stuffing himself far beyond his ordi
nary capacity when at a public dinner OIL
asked out to dine or lunch with Other
gentlemen. His strict adherence, as fal
as possible, to plain living, has no doubt
r contributed to his remarkable vigor ant
good health. He is very wealthy, but h,
> has restrained from high living, whicl
means the ruin of n constitution, no mat
y ter how strong. Few men of Mr.. Sage
i age are SO well preserved as he. Cyru
f w. Field lunches at the Down Tow
! club in Pine street, and takes a prett
fair meal. He is active, and blesse'
: with good digestion. James II. Keene
the leading bear, takes his meals at Del
monico's Broad street establishment. H
n gratifies his appetite and eats everythin
that suits him. He likes to tarry at hi
y lunch, and, if he has time, invariabl
drinks a small bottle of champagne.