Wichita eagle., 1888-03-23
BERLIN'S BROKERS.
TEMPLE OF THE GODDESS FORTUNE
IN GERMANY'S CAPITAL.

Money Kings in the Stock Exchange OF
Berlin Entrance Practically Free to
Strangers Different Glasses of Stock
Jobbers-The Reporters.
The temple of the Goddess Fortune, the
Stock Exchange, is erected on the banks of
the Spree. It is magnificent building, with
Corinthian columns, arches and statues re-
fecting their pure outlines in the shallow
waters Of the river. Thirteen doors give
access to the vestibule, whence the enormous
hall is reached, supported by eighty pillars Of
granite, and decorated with fine frescoes.
Statues OF Mercury and Vulcan appear beside
a fiery horse symbolical of Steam, and
group representing the adoption of paper
currency. On the numerous benches brass
plates record the names of the different
bankers. There does not exist any privileged
corporation answering to that Of the "Agents
de change" in the Paris bourse, who occupy
q special place called la Corbeille. The
entrance to the Berlin Stock Exchange is
practically free, if not gratuitous, and
strangers are admitted on the presentation
of q member of the craft. Business houses,
however, are obliged to pay supplementary
tax for the admission of each Of their clerks.
The state exercises no supervision over the
operations on change, especially since trans
actions on account have been recognized by
the legal tribunals. The hierarchy among
the frequenters Of the exchange is fixed by
the importance of the business they carry on.
1t consists of seven classes, the first paying
an annual tax of $500, the last of s16 only.
This tariff varies according to the expendI-
lures and receipts of the firms, but virtually
every stock jobber is at liberty to buy or sell
for his clients without further formalities,
whether he is licensed or not.
The unlicensed stock jobbers exist unde-
tho name of Maker Banker, whose directors.
representatives or agents are only response
BILE for their acts to their own particular
house. The vereidete Maker or sworn il
stock brokers, combine with the first men
toned to fix the casa cours, or average price
Of stocks. It is, moreover, permissible to buy
and sell at the Berlin boursc without employ
ing either licensed or unlicensed brokers.
Contrary to the Paris bourse, that of Berlin
has a prediction for specializing on the
fall, and in its dispatches the word ''fau,"
which in its jargon means weakness, con
stantly occurs
RAvING LUNAr1cS
At noon punctually the hall is filled by
about 4 900 men, who carry on their business
in stentorian tones, with a curious expendi-
ture of violent gestures and facial contor-
tons Bankers, brokers' jobbers appear for
q while to be raving lunatics, escaped from
the wholesome restraints of the straight
waistcoats and the surveillance Of their
keepers
Az lnvaty av1fy r-f,l I,-v ~
girls, is to be found in the building itself, but
even there affairs are discussed with una
undated energy and animation. Not far
from the restaurant is the telegraph Office.
where . fabulous number of dispatches are
flashed all over the world The whole service
of the Berlin Stock Exchange cannot be sufIi-
GENTLY commended It is well nigh perfec-
ton in all its ramifca.ions, and should serve
as . pattern to similar institutions in other
countries The magnates Of finance, the Srea,
plutocrats, are frequently seen on change
They constitute q species Of senate, OF which
the most powerful and influential ara NJ De
Bleichroder, the confidential and passionate
admirer of Prince Bismarck. Won Hause-
mann, Warschauer, Eendelssohn and others,
all or nearly all 1sraeiteS Around them
gravitate legion Of partners, Clerks and en-
ployes They are the head and apex OF the
whole society Of German bankers, and in the
midst Of the tempests let loose around them
maintain their grave and impossible serenity.
One Of them having made q slight error in
debating message, the result WAS a loss to
him of So0, 900 marks; the discovery did not
even ruffle his unconcern-
A certain number Of small speculative in
dustries live on The Stock Exchange and
tighten the tedium Of the rare inactive rao-
menta Some Makers offer to the lucky
gambler theatre tickets for special star
performance of Nilsson or Lucca, and make
considerable percentage on them Others
carry on the original business Of selling Jew
elry for premiums, so that it is often said Of
such or such an actress or dancer in Berlin
that hA- iswals ..are ct -nreminm-H Tia