Press and daily Dakotaian. (Yankton, Dakota Territory [S.D.]) 1880-1889, 1888-10-17
A DAY ON 'CHANGE.

my trip from the far east and thought
you would like to know what saw. The
building is one of the finest of the kind
on the continent, with great tower
in the center, which looms up from afai
like the peak of mountain. AS you
enter the first floor, you find 1T occupied
by offices. You go up STAIRS TO the sec
ond entry and there you find one great
hall with asmall vestibule and grea,
open doors. Out of them come success
sion OF rcars, as il OF multitude OF mer
In life and death conflict. at the dool
is sergeant at aims. III you have the
pass OF member you can enter. AS you
enter you see too large circular pits
the cIrcumfersncss raised about two feet
from the floor, with steps up ON the out
side and in the circles teps down to the
center Of the pit. These are the wheat
and pork pits.
Farther on are two emaller pits. These
are the corn and other grain pits2 AS
we go in the wheat pit is filed with
men, center and circumference. They
are shouting, yelling, gesticulating like
mad. From it come great yells, ct inter.
vals. But all the time loud. constant
hubbub and tumoil OF voices.
This is the central wheat market oi
the world. Every minute hundreds oI
thousands of bushels are bought and
sold. AT the farther end of the hall, high
upon the wall, is dial plate, like the
face Of clock. On il are two hands.
One points to the last figure in tens at
which wheat has sold. The ether gives
the changes in units or fractions of
cents. For instance, if wheat has sold
last at $1.1e, the small hand, which
answers to the hour hand OF clock
stands at 10-the minute hand at 8.
Watch that minute hand. Up it climbs
to 81, 824, 8, 915 and then back to 81,
8, 724, then forward again.
Now some big operator wko walks or
sits outside Of the pit. on the floor, whls-
pers an order to broker. He walks to
the pit. A roar breaks forth as of a
thousand angry demons. The minute
hand jumps up or down perhaps three
figures.
Then comes another order. Look she
jumps like lightning and another roar
rolls out from the pit. Hundreds OF
thousands OF dollars are made and lost
in that few minutes.
As you turn from the divining hands
on the wheat clock, to look around on the
men who fill the floor you see them IN
all possible titudeH--altting from
point to point. carrying on whispered
conference, receiving kilograms. laugh
ing andjoking, or pacing slowly up and
down,or seated in schairs. But ali are
watching intently the great game going
on.
b Now turn and look to the level OF
chairs near the doorway. You see there
q large, long, muscular, tall man of about
6fty-six, dressed in black. He is sitting
carelessly and at ease in one OF the
chairs. His face is quiet. with care
less smile. Every now aud then he says
a curt void OK two to a broker, who
comes mp and stands by him for mo.
ment. Most always he finishes with q
smile or laugh, as il amused. Then
his features are still again, but always
calm and self possesse d. Study his face.
massive face, betokening power and will
A Roman beak of unusual prominence
and curve, like Ceaaar's. Black eyes
that his large face at first causes to seen
small, but which are really quite large
They are full OF light when open, which
they rarely ere, for his lids droop hal
over them habitually. But now ant
then they flash fire. Hair black, fac,
smooth, over six feet tall and large al
Overland you have the great wheat KIM
of Chicago, B. P. Hutchinson. He i
credited with having made over So ,000, ].
600 in his last deal, and is denounced
for it as a robher BY many. What ar
the factsP He was confined to his roon
by sickness Just before that deal. Instea
OF moping, or reading novels, he send
for all the last statistics OF crops, studie
them thoroughly, complies the result.
and comes ont of his sick chamber wit
the knowledge that the wheat crop @
the world is short. He says 50, tells hi
son, tells others. But the rest have nc
been .hinking-afe just rushing alon
from day to day in what they ses aroun
them. They pay no attention. The
are selling wheat. THIS mans buslne.
is to buy wheat, actual wheat, not OF
tions. He simply sees that the rest al
all wrong and he buys all the wheat
can, knowing that he. oan sell at
profit, because wheat is shor
actually. Then brokers q
on selling millions OF bushels that the
have not got. Mr. Hutchinson bus
largely real wheat, all in sight.
Then comes delivery day. I'll
brokers rush madiy about to find whe,
to deliver on their saleg, and 10 and bt
hold! one man owns ell the wheat i
,, sight: They must buy from him. Whe
, il is known, that there is no wheat
j buy, shen theirs fl mad rush fer n