Evening journal. [volume] (Wilmington, Del.) 1888-1932, 1888-11-14
"0LD IIUTCH'S' DEAL.
THE TRUE iNWARDNESS OF His
GREAT WHEAT CORNER.

Personal Traits of the Noted Chicago Spec
uiator-uow Ho camo to study the Ag-
riculturaI Conditloo OF tho Two Cont
nents--The Outcoms.
The attention Of two continents has boon
recently conferred on 81 r Hutchinson-"O
Hutchn-of Chicago, the man who has, single
handed and unaided, conducted the great
wheat corner. The commercial world l. IA
miliar with "Old Hutchn as speculator and
merchant. New England claims him as her
offspring, taking cognizance OF him at the
time when he began his career ia North
Reading, Mass, forty-siI years ago, when he
was in the employ Of Edwin Foster, coun-
try merchant, at SO a year. When not
otherwise employed it was young Hutehin-
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
mis- employers shed. Here lie first evinced
his talent for trading always managing to
get ahead of the boys who started even with
him la 1850 he found that thore wax money
ia the commission business, and took a hand
III it on Pearl street in Boston. lie remained
J
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 I'M
dorstandn / said to q man who has enjoyed
the friendship and known the peculinrities Of
MIR. Hutchinson for q quarter OF a century.
Tell me something about him il you can
that the public doesn't know; something
about him as 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 cHAnACTERIsIIcs.
'To be brief,n said the gentleman, ''tho
character Of Mr. Hutchinson is Kaleidoscope.
1t is difficult to understand such a compound,
| admit 1t requires personal acquaintance,
a business acquaintance, and a cursory ac-
quaintance to form an opinion OF such a
man.
/ shall not undertake to quote ali the Ian
guage of the gentleman who talked to me
about Mr. Hutchinson. From the converse
ton l make the following estimate:
Mr.. Hutchinsons foundation characters
tics arc untiring activity, scrupulous fidelity
to men whom he trusts, fortitudo and sleep
less determination. Ho is intuitivo Some
months ago, when he was confined to his
home by an accident he mad0 study Of the
agricultural condition Of the two continents.
Most men in the sick room employ their
time trying to make others about them mis-
orahle Mr.. Hutchinson prohted by his mis-
fortune. That is characteristic Of him. The
day came for him to get ont Of the house.
He came to the Corn Exchange bank, and on
meeting his son "Charlie,n said to him;
1.-THE world is short OF wheat He is oil
ways sententious, so that this created no
marked impression.
He went over 30 tho Century club, sat
down and sent one thumb whirling over the
other, as he often does when he Is thinking.
and said: 1.-THE world is short OF wheat
The remark did not create any comment
there. He went over on the board and met
the breathless confusion OF that place In
fatherly tone, be said: Boys, the world is
short Of wheat
The surging sea Of speculation kept surg
ing. The old mans voice had no effect upon
the storm. Let me quote tho informant:
UNDERSTOOD THE SITUATION.
"He had studied the situation. He knew be
was right. He had sounded the alarm.
Strange to say, there were men who knew
him as well as ] who beard him say this, and
they knew he was no alarmist or croaker,
and yet they paid no attention to him. 10 is
my opinion that the old man felt piqned at
this apparent disregard Of his forecast He
Is one OF the most sensitive men ever knew.
That is something which most men will
laugh at But it is a fact have known
him 10 be stung by some light allusion In the
press to his personal appearance, habits or
characteristics. Some OF the pictures that
have been mado OF him and printed as carl
catures have caused him pain. He was sen
sitive, think, that his remark on the condi-
ton Of the worlds wheat crop did not cause
any activity He moped about il for two or
three days and then repeated the remark
with application. He said, virtually: The
crop is short; you had better buy now; am
going to run it up
Strange characteristic Of the human mind !
Il loves to take chances. All men are gam
blers. They prefer to take circuitous routes. /
Mr.. Hutchinson showed these men where |
they could make fortunes, and they doubted |
him because be was frank
Tho informant continued: "When the old |
gentleman saw that they didn't heed him, |
having gwen them every opportunity, he /
went on the stage, rung up tho curtain ard |
said, Let the play begin
The old gentleman is human like other |
men. He was hurt to think he was doubted. !
He didn't know why he should be, and when /
tho rains came and the winds blew and there
was q devil Of a time he folded his arms and /
looked on from secure observatory. That |
Is Al there is TO this wheat corner. II is the |
alpha and omega Of the whole business ii |
you care to look Into 1t you will find plenty
OF filing, plenty of side shows and branches |
and all that sort Of thing. Bat you haYs the
start Of il and the and, 30 far as he Is CON
oernad n-Chicago Tirnaa