Rock Island daily Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1886-1893, 1888-11-02
"OLD HUTCHS' DEAL.
THE TRUE tNWARDNESS OF HIS
GREAT WHEAT CORNER.
Personal Traits of the Noted Chicago Spec
ulator-How He Came to Study the Ag-
riculturaI Condition of the Two Cont
nents-The Outcome.

Personal Traits of the Noted Chicago Spec
ulatorHow He Came to Study the Ag-
riculturaI Condition of the Two Cont
nents-The Outcome.
The attention of two continents has been |
recently conferred on B. P HutchInson-"Old |
Hutch"-of Chicago, the man who has, single
handed and unaided conducted the great
wheat corner The commercial world Is ia
miliar with 'Old Hutch" as Spectator and
merchant New England claims him as her
offspring, taking eognizance of him at the
time when he began his career in North
Reading, Mass, forty-six years ago, when he
was in the employ of Edwin Foster, a coun-
try merchant, at $50 a year. When not
otherwise employed it was young Hutchin-
sons duty to mend childrens shoes in the
rear Of the store. As Ben did not receive
sufficient salary to satisfy him he obtained
permission to open boot and shoe shop in
his employers she'd. Here he first evinced
his talent for trading, always managing to
get ahead of the boys who started even with
him In 1850 he found that there was money
ia the commission business, and took a hand
in it on Pearl street in Boston. He remained
tucft lNO 1tftlS tGLipNNt W
and from there he came to Chicago. With
his commercial history from that time to the
present every Chicagoan is familiar. With
his personal characteristics, his peculiarities
and his oddities his own city is not entirely
familiar, as the subjoined stories will show;
There must be something in the character
of B. P. Hutchinson which people do not IN
derstand,n | said to a man who has enjoyed
the friendship and known the peculiarities of
Mr.. Hutchinson for quarter of q century.
''Tell me something about him if you can
that the public doesn't know; something
about him US he sees himself, for no man can
be anything either honest or knave, without
knowing in some of the hours of his existence
| his true character
---'- PERSONAL CHARACTERISTICS.
ITO be brief" said the gentleman, "the
character of Mr. Hutchinson is kaleidoscope.
| 1t is difficult to understand such a compound,
| l admit 1t requires personal acquaintance,
business acquaintance, and q cursory &C
| quaintanee to form an opinion Of such a
man.
shall not undertake TO quote all the Ian
guage of the gentleman who talked to me
about Mr.. Hutchinson. From the converse
ton make the following estimate
Mr. Hutchinson's foundation characters
tics are untiring activity, scrupulous fidelity
to men whom he trusts, fortitude and sleep
less determination He is intuitive. Somt
months ago, when he was confined TO hi,
home by an accident, he made a study of tn,
agricultural condition of the two continents
Most men in the sick room employ theil
time trying to make others about them mis-
cradle. Mr.. Hutchinson profited by his mis-
fortune That is characteristic of him. Tn
day came for him to get out of the house
He came to the Corn Exchange bank, and OIL
meeting his son Charlie" said to him
THE world is short of wheat" He is al
ways sententious, so that this created 1t
marked impression.
He went over to the Century club, So
down and sent one thumb whirling over tn
other, as he often does when he is thinking
and said: 1.-THE world is short of wheat
The remark did not create any common
there He went over on the board and me
the breathless confusion of that place In
fatherly tone, he said: Boys, the world
short of wheat"
The surging sea of speculation kept sure
ing The old mans voice had no effect upo
the storm. Let me quote the informant;
UNDERSTOOD THE SITUATION
''He had studied the situation. He knew l
was right. He had sounded the alarr,
Strange to say there were men who kne
him as well as who heard him say this, an
they knew he was no alarmist or croake
and yet they paid no attention to him. 1t
my opinion that the old man felt piqned
| e, Of
is one of the most sensitive men l ever knev
That is something which most men VI
laugh at But it is a fact | have know
him to be stung by some light allusion in Il
press to his personal appearance, habits
characteristics. Some of the pictures tn
have been made of him and printed as cal
catures have caused him pain. He was Sc
sitive, think, that his remark on the conc
ton of the worlds wheat crop did not eau
any activity. Hs rnopcd about it for two
three days and then repeated the rema
with amplifieation. He said, virtually: T
crop is short; you had better buy now; | a
going to run it up"
Strange characteristic of the human min
1t loves to take chances All men are gal
blers. They prefer TO take circuitous rout,
Mr.. Hutchinson showed these men whe
they could make fortunes and they doubt
: him because he was frank.
The informant continued: w hen the G
, gentleman saw that they didn't heed BIZ
having given them every opportunity,
went on the stage, rung up the curtain a
said, Let the play begin
The old gentleman is human like 9th
}: men He was hurt to think he was doubtt
a He didn't know why he should be, and VIII
/, the rains came and the winds blew and the
was a devil OF time he folded his arms a
u looked on from q secure observatory II
e is all there is to this wheat corner 1t is I
n alpha and omega of the whole business
n you care to look Into it you will find pier
n of filing, plenty of side shows and brancl
S. and all that sort Of thing. But you have
y start of it and the end, so far as he is CT
s. eerned"-Chicago Times.