New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1894-12-30

YARD 4ipl sES III NNlNf bLhiNb
THEIR EXPENSES
No one who was accustomed 10 frequent Wall
Stree, before the panic car fail to notice the
marked difference in ~ app arancc between that
time and now When brokers were making lots Of
money the streets were often fun OF people mes
scngers hurried hack and forth 20 the stock EN-
change. and a feeling OF prosperity was noticeable.
Mon I'm the Street are inclined TO Differ rs 20
which was tho most prosperous year or years 10
brokers' Some OF them say that ls'2 Immediately
before the depression hogan. WAS the most pros
porous year the street has ever known. In tho
early part OF that year the sales the Exchange
sometimes ran ny 10 over 10000 shares a day.
That was undoubtedly the banner year In some
respects Never before since have the sales
amounted much In one day. other men say
that In 1919. 80 and ~ the brokers made more
money These men are inclined 10 think that
those were the banner years for brokers In the
Street 1t IS possible that brokers made more
money then than In 1892. but II must be remem-
bored that there fewer brokers doing business
on the Exchange then. and they often had more
than they could attend TO. At that time also the
public was more Interested in stocks. and dealt
largely I'm them. Sometimes New and Broad SITS
would be crowded with spectators. the brokers'
Offices would also be n.led. and the scene would
be a lively There were more active stocks
In those days and the brokers all the year
around were probably more busy than later on.
but the transactions connected with the KeaninB
deal caused the sales to run UP to a large amount
IN 1897
In the old days. when brokers made lots OF
money there many interesting sights on the
Exchange When a member came on he
hazed numerically. His hat was smashed. and
oftentimes his clothing ruined II was a favorite
pastime OF the brokers to play football with
new members high hat and then sometimes they
would 1T him ont again When money made
as easily as some OF the brokers got II then. they
did not hesitate much about spending 1t freely.
Champagne lunches were INDUCED In by men who
had made "A good deal. without much stint. while
the men who had not been successful lunched
then, as they do now. mt "A cheap counter.
1T is LIKE a COUNTRY GRAVEYARD
Compared to what the Street In years OF
prosperity II IS now country graveyard. Men
move around slowly. II they In Florida.
There Is no hustle and no excitement around the
Exchange. The floor presents a very different APP
pcarancc from the old days. II used 10 look as II
"A gigantic football game WAS going on, but now
you might think 1t church fair everything
Is so comparatively orderly ana quiet. IT IS
fact that many Of the houses In the street have
year or so. Some experienced Wall street
figured the other day that not more than 10 per
were all running behind and eating into their CAPT
even been able to pay their rent or the landlords
have been forced-to reduce 1T to some extent, and
many offices where formerly good business was
carried are now empty and deserted
wall Street men are generally rather loath to
porter asked 4. g. Siedman to tell him something
about conditions formerly as compared with to-
Them much lie said things were quiet now. to be
forward 20 "A revival OF business soon lie was OF
tho opinion that II Mr. Carlisle would stop tinker
rest from all legislation OF disturbing nature
things would soon pick up again. While the
dcnce in what they would do and preferred to
hold on to their money rather than invest H.. Peo-
power more for return OF confidence. He
acknowledged that the market was duer now
limit had been reached; they had cleared away
the wounded and were looking now Tor the calm
delayed
HE BLAMEs IT ON CONGRESS.
Henry Clews, when asked to say something about
the comparative conditions between and few
years ago, also declined to talk much about them.
He had to acknowledge that the market
tremely quiet quicer than II had been for years.
but he thought conditions would soon change II
Congress would stop monkeying' with things. He
genious plan for reformation OF the currency
was having much to 40 with the delay In the re-
people have thought that the country needed
absolute rest from any and every kind Of agitation
brighter again. He was OF the opinion that 1892
was the banner year In Wall Street He said how
ever that there Is just as much money In the
Street there vas formerly. but fewer men
Other Wall Street men who were seen expressed
practically the same opinions the ones given
They all look for of prosperity soon; but
some put IL of late 1896, when they declared
that the Republicans would be In full control In all
branches Of the Government.
One OF the marked differences which was OBJ
served By every In the Street this Christmas
and last the difference In the manner OF cele-
brafng the feast by the brokers. Formerly on
Christmas Eve there were lively scenes on the
EXCHANGE ana feeling OF gOod-felowshlp was
everywhere displayed. There were Christmas trees
In many offices. presents were made. lots OF cham
payne drunk. and there were very merry times. In
deed Sometime IN orean-grinder would be brought
on the noor ana the stock brokers would join In
the songs he ground ont Az this was changed at
tnc Last Two celebrations Of Christmas, and Instead
OF an air OF joity being evident all about the Ex-
change there atmosphere OF sadness and
rlnnu which WAS certainly most depresslng The