Northwest enterprise. [volume] (Anacortes, Wash. Ter.) 1882-1887, 1883-04-28
NO. 6.
SPECULATION.
The ladies' Bucket Shop" in Chicago, and
its Many Customers.
ENORMOUS BUSINESS DONE ON THE
BOARD OF TRADE.

Not the least interesting phase of
the absorbing craze in this city is
seen in the Ladies' Bucket Shop" an
attractive gambling establishment,
conducted exclusively for the pa
tronage of the fair sex. Commodious
apartments pleasantly arranged, ON
Randolph street. are crowded daily
during Change hours with middle
aged and young ladies who congre-
gate to watch the fluctuations in
grain and provisions as indicated on
the tape of the''t er" and on large
blackboard. Probably fifty chairs
are filled with wives, widows, daugh-
ters and sweethearts, while several
groups wearing anxious faces are
discussing the prospects of MAY
pork in the corners. March corn,
three-quarters" pipes the musical
voice of blonde-moustached clerk
behind the bank-looking counter
where the cashier and his assistants
are taking from the fair spectators
contracts for the purchase and sale of
futures i'll hog products and the
cereals. Strangely enough the ladies
are usually on the bull side of the
market, and when a deal goes
against them they will continue to
advance cash for additional margins
as long as they are able to raise the
necessary funds. The lady patrons
at this establishment are fashionably
but moderately attired as a rule,
many of them moving in the highest
circles, and the faces of all bear the
unmistakable stamp of those who are
accustomed to risk money in games
of chance. A well-known detective
who frequently visits the place called
attention to the peculiarly notice
able expression of the features of all
the lady spectators as that of immo-
bility. Their eyes were calm and
deeply thoughtful and determined,
but their faces gave no outward sign
of the consciousness of inner
thoughts. One lady of imperious
bearing, with costume of rich
black silk, enveloped in seal sacque
of most ample Dimensions, is the
heaviest operator. She is Mrs. L.,
the wife of board of trade commits
sion merchant, and has become thor
oughly imbued with the spirit of
speculation from the operations of
her husband, who makes practice of
talking shop" at home. She gained
about $4,000 on the January corn cor
ner. Miss H, who formerly resided
in st. Louis, is pointed out as a bold
and daring operator, having been
known to handle $4,000 bushels of
corn in a single day. She is thor
ough scalper, however, and usually
closes out her trade every day. She
is believed to be generally successful.
One sad case is pointed out in the
person of very pretty young widow
attired in the deepest mourning eos
tune. About ten months since her
husband suddenly died. They had
lived extravagantiy in elegant
mansion on Dearborn avenue, one of
the fashionable thoroughfares, and
when the estate was settled only
about $4,000 could be cleaned up
out of the property of the deceased.
AS the annual expenses of the family
had grown enormous the widow soon
found that she must perforce either
move to a less fashionable quarter
and live more economical or devise
ways and means to secure a larger
income. With the latter end i'll view
she commenced specializing Within
three months the unfortunate woman
has seen her capital wasted away, has
aged rapidly and caused her friends
much disquietude. The last remnant
of her fortune she has now invested
in May wheat which cost her only
S1.S0s, but she is SO infatuated with
the deal that she may continue to
hold until not only the profit but the
entire margin is swept away, ifvolv-
ing her in complete financial ruin.
Speculation has grown to an enor-
nous extent within a few years.
There are 1922 principals doing bust
ness in the city as commission mer-
chants and brokers in grain and pro-
vision futures of speculative char
acter. These include regular legiti-
mate members of the board of trade
and the call board, besides the open
board, the bucket shops and curb
stone brokers. These persons trans
act business for not less than 475,00O
people who invest money with de-
sire for gain. Their half million GUS
toners reside in Chicago and in near
ly every city and hamlet of the great
northwest, and many are found in
every state in the Union. The annual
business transacted for these people
aggregates the enormous sum of one
hundred and eighty millions Of dol
lars. The investments of the great
majority are swallowed up in tn"
maelstrom of the street, while tho
number of those gaining fortunes is
small indeed.