Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1886-04-18

distsly secures green hands sod pro-
ceeds 10 break them IN. He says be
does - they do on the elevated rsil-
rosd-he gives bis assistants more pay
Is they become more proficient. HIS
young men have established repats-
ton for dazzling sbines,- 10 which
they take m artists pride. IL Is an
unexpected application Of the honely
old rule that whsiever is worth doing
ut al is worth doing we'll.
wALL-sTEEET MEN.
Wall-street business is in such .
condition that there is absolutely no
thing TO say about things. and one has
therefore TO speak about men. To re-
peat day after day and week after week
that there is neither speculative nor
legitimate activity in any kind Of busi-
ness begins 10 be tiresome, and until
much better or much worse prospects
set in it is preferable not TO speak about
business matters st all. Let them run
their own course.
As far as Wall-street men are con-
cerned, there is always something 70 be
said about them.
Although ex-President Chester A.
Arthur was never q Wall-strest man In
the proper sense Of the word. be has
enjoyed great popularity among Wall
street men ever since the days Of his
collectorship Of the port Of New York,
and the present condition Of his health
is causing great anxiety to hosts Of his
old Wall-street friends. The reticencs
in regard to the nature and progress OF
bis illness makes things only worse, for
people argue that if there had been
nothing 10 conceal the truth would haye
been plainly told. The facts that his
daughter Nellie has been called home
from school, that bis son Allan re-
mains day and night in his fathers
apartments, and that no one can getany
information from the attending physi-
clan. DR.. George Peters, in regard TO
his patients condition, are by no means
encouraging indications Of the probabil-
ity Of MIR. Arthur's recovery. There
was some intimation given that be
would probably be soon able to take 3
short afternoon drive, but be has not
yet taken it; and then we have often
seen cases where q sick man is allowed,
for his own and bis friends encourage
ment, TO take some bright afternoon a
little drive in an open carriage, and
take few days later another kind OF q
drive in a much less open vehicle.
II is curious 10 observe how prers
lent is the desire TO conceal the actual
condition Of prominent people when
thew are sick. The tendency is not Pc
culisr to America. 1t seems 10 be
universal, and it has everywhere the
same result-namely, thai when the pa
tent is dead the doctors are abused, the
relatives s1d friends Of the deceased are
n.On6unced to be either fools or knaves,
and the settlement Of the post-mortem
affairs OF the dead person very much
embarrassed. In the case Of William II.
Vanderbilt, for instance, it was known for
nearly three years that brain disease
was making alarming progress with
him. but none OF the members OF his
family or bis businiss associates would
acknowledge the fact to each other, aud
every body surrounding him was work
ing as hard as possible 10 keep the facts
out Of the newspapers. Yet it was
known that Vanderbilt was sometimes
sitting for hours at his library table,
with his mouth open and watering,
bis Jaw hanging on one side and
his eyes staring into vacancy, with
out anybody or anything being able
10 rouse him from his semi-paralytic
condition, unless it were Chauncey
u. Depew coming with some extraor-
binary statement in regard 10 the fsmi-
Tvs railroad interests. or some trotting-
horse chum calling in to say that some
body has somewhere horse which is
likely to beat Maud SIS time. OF
course, in this case, the condition OF
Vanderbilt's sudden death did not have
anv important result, for his will was
made. all business matters were pro-
yided for, and neither the family in-
ierest nor the interests Of the cor
porsuons be had control OF have
| suffered. But suppose the will had
not been made, what would have been
the result Of the death Of this man, both
for his family and for the corporation:
be WAS interested in: AS SAID above,
this tendency OF concealing the actual
condition Of prominent people who hap
pen TO be sick is universal. Quite re-
Gently, for instance, the Duchess o.
Connaught became very sick, but
Queen Victoris. her mother-in-law, or
dered the publication Of the bulletins
stopped until the Duchess began 10 in
prove. when, Of course, al anxiety OF
The part Of her friends and persons de
pendent upon her would be over.
The suicide Of Dennis c. Wilcox Will
BY the time this letter goes to press. b
discussed by number Of moralists and
preachers, and will give them brillian
opportunity TO attack Wall street as I
gambling hell and q halfway house Il
general perdition. But it so happened
that almost ST the same moment q
poor old Wilcox blew his brains out il
MS billiard-room, the Earl Of Shafts
bury. one Of the richest aristocrat
Of Great Britain, did the same thing L
hanson cab IN Regent street, Lon
don. Yet he had nothing TO do sithe
with Wall street or with the Chicag
grain market. The fact is that Wall
street people, as 3 rule, have too mucl
common sense 10 commit suicide unde
any circumstances. They know ths
the market is always there, and that j
they take 9 loss to-day they have
chance TO make 1t up tomorrow. Tn
professional gambler may be occasion
ally broken down, but he never de
spAirs it IS only the amateur VII
weakens and is capable Of foolish &C
under the pressure Of adversely. Ricl
as be was, Wilcox had no reason Z
gamble at all, and the fact that b
went into speculation so late in lie
al indication that his mind began I
give out. The writer happened by &c
cident some two years ago 10 hsy