The Donaldsonville chief. [volume] (Donaldsonville, La.) 1871-current, 1884-05-17

people. They claim no peculiar eIemp-
ton from human frailty, but no honest maj
or woman who has known them can den.
that in every virtue that distinguishes ant
honors humanity they are fully up to th
standard of any profession in the world
not excepting preaching.
Our usually staid old brokers ON the Pro
duce Exchange let themselves loose on ths
occasion Of their opening reception at theil
new exchange on Monday last. Old codgert
of sixty and seventy, with no more hair OF
top of their heads than there is on billiard
ball, appeared i'm all the glory of swallow
tail and white choker, flaming buttonaires
as big as young cabbage, their handker-
chiefs scented with new mown hay, and
other extravagancies too numerous te
mention. They were all over the floor, the
gayest of the gay, kicking up their heels
like young colts in a field of green clover.
There is no getting over it, u broker is q
broker and there isnothing like him. There
may be some chance for change of hear
for an ordinary sinner, but-a broker isa
broker till yon plant him beneath the
daises. Their new building is certainly
magnificent; there in nothing thatkurpasses
it in the metropolis; but when You consider
that the millions of dollars it cost represent
the extra price added to the poor mans
loaf, it is not quite SO lovely. The wheat
came from the farms of Illinois, Indiana,
Iowa and Minnesota, and the grain sharks
of Chicago had hack at it; then New York
got it, and she got her pull. All sorts OF
deals were made in various ways; somehow
! the people through whose hands it passed
have continued to make it more costly every
time; and while the men who raise the
| wheat and the men who eat it have all they
can do get along, the middle men, who sell
it over and over, wax fat, drink Widow
Cliquot with deviied crabs at night, and
Saratoga water with repentance in the
morning. They live in fine houses and
and wear fine clothes, ride in fine carriages
and have good time generally. 1t seems
as it we must now have exchanges for every
thing; for butter and eggs, for oieomarge-
rine, rs understand they are going to run
oleomargerine on an independent pipe line.
An exchange for petroleum, one for leather,
another for coal, an iron exchange, etc, etc.,
the woods are full of 'em-and from the
appearance of the exchanges, / imagine they
must be must excellent affairs.
But speaking ID chnfges, one of the
liveiiest times We have had on change in
three days was on Tuesday, when the whole
city was wild at the reported defeat
OF the tariff bill another cyclone struck US
in the failure of the Marine Bank and the
financial shipwreck of General Grant. The
General has dropped a'quarter of million;
but his friends have another quarter of
q million safely tucked away for him, whore
the moth doth not consume, nor thieves
break in and steal. The is beyond his con-
troll and safe from the chances of business
failure. So the Genearl will have his beef
steak and onions as usual for breakfast,
and drop of something wholesome to wash
down his huckleberry pie. There is no
fear of his suffering. Wall Street would
put up another quarter of million in two
hours if they thought he needed it. So
while his loss is serious and annoying, it is
not near as bad as Jim Keene's. General
Grant still has comfortable sum of money,
and a proud record and an nntarnished
character, while Jim Keene goes out of the
street simply ruined gambler who tried
to ruin other gamblers and got ruined him
self. The downfall of this person should
be lesson to menof little means to keep
out of the whirlpool of Wall Street. No
mans judgment is worth bunch of jack
straws. Willard goes down, and Keene
goes down just in the same whirlpool with
the bank cashier and the merchants book
keeper, who stole his employers funds to
take flyer in stocks.
Just aross the river from New York, and
almost under the shadow of Blackwell's
Island, where New York keeps large
number Of her thieves, sluggers, drunkards
and other disreputable characters, is a
place called Long Island City. It's chiefly
remarkable at the present time as the home
of Alderman Fitzgerald, the hero of the
late walking match. There is no viler spot
within fifty miles of New York. It is a
noxious plague spot, morally and physically.
The air is heavy with all sorts of foul and
unsavory odors. Scattered about are the
high tanks of the Standard Oil Company;
cream of tartar factories and other abomin-
ations abound. Law is practically unknown.
The Mayor is now confined in prison under
q charge of felony. The Chief of Police is
under indictment, and many of the public
officers are chosen from the criminal classes.
This is the place that made Fitzgerald an
Alderman, and if they had the power they
would alter the constitution and make him
President of the United States. The recep-
ton given to the champion at his home will
be remembered for many day. The
whole town got drunk, and it may be con-
sidered fortunate that I am not called upon
to record dozen Coroner's inquests as a
sequel to the great walking match.
Col. Mapleson's pitiable plight has earned
him nothing but contempt. If he ever had
any reputation he has succeeded in getting
rid of it. He escaped from our shores fol-
lowed by the curses of fiddlers and the
anathemas of choristers and ballet girls.
Arrogant. self sufficient and overbearing, he
leaves behind him only his debts, and a
name dishonored and disgraeed. Let us
hope that we have seen the last of Col.
Mapieson of Her Maiesty's Opera and his
crew.
Yours truly, BR0ADRRIM.
Ayers Hair Figor restores the color and stim-