The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1883-12-06
WOMEN WHO SPECULATE
Characteristios of the Chicago Females no
Gamble in Grain and Produce.

this business.
Some of them make very good ones, sir;
even better than men, because they are not
down quietly in the Office, receive the quota
TONS compare notes, make up their minds,
and act on their Judgment. They get point
ers' outside occasionally, and are on the
whole. quite well posted, Some of them
make it business to call at the Offices of
some of the big firms which do business on
the Board of Trade for news, and they nearly
poster the life out of the poor fellows trying
to get their opinion on the market. One act.
i've little broker who figured prominently in
a corner in grain few years ago, was nearly
badgered to death by lady spectators, who
felt sure the information they could get from
him would make their fortunes"
Are there many female spectators dab
bling in grain and provisions"
YES, good many. Formerly they traded
on the big board, but since the open board
was organized they have transferred their
operations to that institution, where they can
trade in smaller way and risk much less
money. L never heard of lady speculator
getting rich. They make and they lose, and
have TO take the ups and downs just like the
men, and in time drop out of the business
wiser, | trust for their experience. There
are several brokerage firms in the open board
which have an extensive female patronage,
and some of the houses on Change execute
orders for ladies. There is also bucket-shop
here where women collect watch the black
board, and f1atter themselves they are on the
high road to wealth. But the bucket-shop,
1 think, has had its day, and it may be said
to the credit of the ladies that they do not
patronize this institution so much as they
did few years ago, when their custom was
large enough to keep three or four of these
concerns running. The celebrated 'tFund
w" also caught good many of the gentler
sex and taught them lesson. They have
evidently come to the conclusion that the
old-fashioned way of specializing is the best
and safest. If they must speculate, they are
undoubtedly right"
"What do the successful female speculat-
ors do with their money!
''They spend it freely, just as most women
do. All of them dress as well as they can,
some see every show that comes along, and a
few-when they are at home-look after their
children. The typical woman speculator is
seldom young, but just little passe and
very strong on woman's rights. She is nerv-
Gus, eager, always in a brown study and
she can rattle off more board of trade slang
in a minute than the oldest member of the
board ever heard of.
"a year or two ago a middle-aged lady, a
slender, fidgety little woman-I think she
was widow-was daily attendant on the
board of trade. Every day. rain or shine she
was to be seen in the visitors gallery. She
was full of wisdom, well-informed and con-
fidential. The old lady brushed up to me
one day and said: I have got a nice profit
in $50 tierces of lard, but l don't know what
to do-whether it is best to take it out or
leave it over night. There comes my broker
L II. II -
watched closely bright-looking young man
who came down near the center of the trad
ing hall and exchanged few signs with her.
There said she, Il have given him an order
to close out the deal. l am afraid the market
is going against me, and 1 think had better
take my profit This lady often told me
about her ventures. She gave orders for flu
lures puts, calls straddles,' and in fact
guess she tried every kind of trade that is
known among the boys, She disappeared
several months ago, and no one has ever
heard of her since Probably she is dead"
Don't some firms refuse to take orders
from ladies?' was asked by bystander who
is leader on Change.
ayes, most OF the houses on the board of
trade positively refuse to trade for them.
We have had women come to our office day
after day and beg us to take their orders, but
we won't touch them. We decline to do
speculative business for ladies or clerks"
"Why do you object to the ladies?"
because if they engage in speculation they
must risk their money. and they are seldom
able or willing to lose it. If a woman loses
in deal she is quite likely to turn on her
broker and say he stole it or lost 1t for her.
or else plead the charity dodge, and tell him
her little ones will starve if the money she
has invested is not restored to her 1t be-
comes a sort of black-mail. AS for clerks, it
is not always easy TO find out where the
money comes from they are specializing with,
and the broker or commission man who takes
their orders without knowing their cireum-
stances may lead them to ruin, besides dam
aging beyond recovery, perhaps, his own
reputation The best firms on Change steer
clear of this class of customers Here is a
letter." said the gentleman, from a lady
living in an Eastern city, telling me she is
poor, aud would like to have me take the
amount inelosed and make some money for
her. She adds in a postscript that no one
knows she has sent the money, and she must
depend upon my honesty. 1 returned
the amount writing that the business she
desired to engage in was very risky, and as
she could not afford to lose her money it
would be better for her to make safer in
vestment. This is only sample of the let
tiers receive, and other houses on the board
go through the same experience"
Don't the big operators sometimes make
trades for their wives2'
Certainly, and the ghins are called PIN
money. But the great Spectators can stand
the losses, and besides their power iii the
market is often so great that they stand a
very mach better chance to win than tile
little operators"
''Then you would not recommend specu-
lation to the la,lies?"
mo. 1t should always be discouraged It
is not even asked for by the advocates of
woman suffrage. Men are better able to
risk money in speculation, to fathoih the
mysteries OF the bull and bear. ciiques and
to determine when it is best TO flop from The
long to the short side. Let the women stay
at home and amuse themselves with crazy
patchwork" .........
THE CANTILEVER BRIDGE.
The Wonderful Structure Just Compiler ed at
NiaOnra Falls,