Semi-weekly interior journal. [volume] (Stanford, Ky.) 1881-1905, 1883-01-26

raVening monsters oi trade ~ very loltYi
spacious one much longer than wide--el-
eganlly frescoed and succeed, brown upon
blue ground, with gothic windows, and
galleries for spectators at either end. These
are generally occupied and sometimes
crowded by lockers on, who come and gsze
and wonder and leave to make room for
others. Just under the gallery railing are
little flaps covering the numbers Of the va.
rious members about 1000 Of them and
when there is at a certain desk letter, tel
egram or other communication, for any
one; by curious instrumental arrange
ment, covered with AZ many knobs az there
are numbers. and duly touched by the
proper official, the flap that covers a mum.
Der falls and il stands uncovered until the
owner Of that number gets his message.
Then by another touch the flap covers all
up, until something else comes. This is
the way members find each other 10 the
fearful hubbub, when desirin z IL.
Right through the centre Of the room,
lenRthwise. are ornamented posts, or 10
feet high, like those used for gaslights in
streets, only handsomer, on the top Of
which, certain stocks are advertised that
are on the market. To-day on opposite
sides Of the sliding board on No. North
end we're posted the words: "Erie,"
Loans" in staring capitals; No. 2. "Loans"
"Cen. PAci6c"-"Elevsted r. R'ds." on No
8 Louisville q Nashville" "Omsba."
No. 4. "Dsnver q Rio Grande;" Texas
Pacific" No. 5. missouri, Kanas &
Texas;""N J. Central" No. @. ava
basb;" Lake Shore"
The battle seemed TO rage most iercely
around post No 4. A dense throng Of men
shouting at the top Of their voices, gesticu
lating wildly, holding up their hands in a
frantic way, pushing, elbowing, tramping
and sWsying desperately around central
figure, who. bare-hesded, calm and tablets
in hand seemed TO be selling. supposed
the madmen about him to be the contest
ing buyers. At last some conclusion SEEM
ed to be cached, for heard a frantic yell
that seemed to burst from every throat
simultaneously, announcing the fact, what
ever il was. Then the chronic uproar be-
gan on some other point. At the Lake
Shore post one man yelled in stentorisn
tones that rose above the din Of 500 voices,
Lake Shore, a." whatever that meant.
After repeating this several times he sub
sided and moved of in apparent disgust, to
another part OF the room. It occurred to
me that by general consent those around
him by their silence seemed to say: "Well,
who cares IL it is IA, have it your own
way" One would think that it was a wild
scene Of drunken revelry at times; what
with many rushing around bare-headed,
some with garments not little disheveled
and here and there groups Of two or three
with arms around each others ne ks, talk
ing and laughing in a maudlin way. / no.
ticed one pair particularly, one OF whom
had the other clasped in close embrace;
with fingers locked over the others spinal
column and their heads lovingly toget her,
first whispering and then laughing immod-
derately. Finally the embracing party
lifted his fellow clear of the ground, hello
hun a moment with legs dangling, then
dropped him suddenly with loud laugh
and ran off TO tackle another victim, for d
nttle while after he had another gent in
confidential parley. l watched the motions
OF this animal with good deaf Of interest.
adjudged him bear" of the first class,
from his hugging proclivities.
The unhappy gentleman who presided
over this pandemonIum of commerce, was
thin vlsaged, worn looking man, with
head YEARLY restIns on his hand, gazing
rather blankly around, IA il the noise dis
traced him. rhin hair combed over the
top OF his head, but partially concealed the
badness, and felt sort oil pity for him,
which was OF course wasted) because he
had 30 much the air of one thoroughly
wearied out "Bulis," you know, in the
menagerie parlance of the Stock Exchange,
are the fellows that run stocks up; Bear"
those that run stocks down, for purpose
not the most philanthropIc; but that is the
way the money is made by the great "Op
perators" as they are called; Vanderbilt,
GOuld et al
SOME oI the animals are very play full al
times. | saw gentlemen to-day peltiDg
each other with paper wads in the most
ooyish way, but these sports are only ia
dulged In Dy those who have nothing par
ucuizr ON hand at the time. Every man
carries in his hand a mem. book Of particu-
lar pattern, we'll known ION Change" The
fragments Of pages out Of these books, torn
out when the mem. is no longer needed, GOV
er the whole floor OF the room, and the i'm
mensity OF the litter thus made is one OF
the first things that attracts the strangers
eyes. E"ery now and then the tide OF bat
tie surges towards this post or that, as the
exciting game goes on. Alb, me ! wha'
winning and losing posts are THESE six in
the New York Stock Exchange How
many millions have changed hands righi
around every one Of these posts since first
erected. A side apartment, called the
Governors room" believe, holds a quiz
eter crowd, presided over also and deep in
something or other. But TO this the gener-
al public has not access, and We could on
ly look through the glass doors and guess
what was going on. And day by day this
Commercial Bedlam goes on with its fran
tic yell and wild ways, and will until the
Millennium dawns and makes men unself
ish aud ungrasping. Thisgreat Faro Bank.
where men lay down and take up millions
per diem, will never be "pulled" by police
men OF earth, and will never be broken,
until the angels who sever the evil from
the good do their solemn work. There il
simple appropriateness in the beastly names
given to these gambling stock Operations"
and He Who finally DEGREES that none shall
"buy or sell" without "his mark" on "fore