The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1898-02-05
SELLING CATTLE BY SIGNALS.
Quick Methods Employed at the Chi
ca2o StOckynrdN.
From the Chicago Post.

Nep s'AOtA
From the Chicago Post.
The Chicago stock yards are unique
among the great marts of the world. In
no other place, say those who are most
familiar with their daily routine. is so
large an aggregate OF business transact
cd in the language of gestures and without
the scratch of a pen" as in the noisy pens
of the stock yards. A whip is held high
in air, across a sea of chattering horns
the signal is answered by the momentary
uplifting OF hand, and a bunch" of ca -
tie worth thousands Of dollars is sold
There is something spiendidly pictur-
esque ana even spectacular In these word
less transactions. They ignore the ar
tlnciahtles OF the complex system upon
winch modern business relationships are
almost universally maintained. Trade. in
the cattle pens gets boldly back TO print
tive simplicity. Ii is done on honor. not
ON paper. And the uDdlsputed transfer Of
millions of dollars worth of the property
here dealt in proves that a bargaiu seated
with the wave Of the whip and an assent
ing gesture of the hand IL quite as safe
and sacred as If the whole transaction
were recorded I'm black and white"
= Fhe trader In the wheat pit Is armed
with his tally card. upon which he pauses
10 note the names of those with whom he
deals and the amount nature and price
of the commodities bought and sod. The
broker upon the floor Of the Stock Ex-
change places equal reliance upon the
quickly penciled memoranda made at the
moment when the details Of each transac-
ton were upon the lips Of those concerned
in its fulfllment. But the buyer and seller
Of the yards carry whips, not pencils and
their deals are recorded 10 memory in
stead Of written upon trading cards AS
Al -. l..
ing laborious written memoranda Of their
challenges as 40 think Of the rough and
ready traders Of the cattle yards pausng
in their saddles TO jot down uopn paper
their purchases and sales. Such a
procedure would bid defiance to the very
nature OF rthings and do violence to the
magnificent unconvontionality Of every en-
vironmcnt.
rs there never any throuble in this
kind of dea.ing?" "A leading commission
man was asked.
IF you mean do the men go back on
their bargains made by whip and hand2
] can answer, never" was the traders
answer. as he brought his trim black
horse 20 a halt in the cattle alley and
leaned forward in his saddle. There
isn't another place in America
or the whole world, for that matter, where
so much business IS done on the basis
of personal integrity, without d written
word to show for the transaction, az right
here" he continued. "And the methods
beats all the bonds on earth. The days
business In these pens will run about
million and half And how is il done?
Little talk, considerable waving OF whips
and hands and no exchange Of written
documents between buyers and sellers.
Here Is a bunch of cattle that will fig
ure up about $4,000. over there in the
other alley is a buyer who this morning
% q N
thought / could do better, but the mar
ket has been a little off, and / have de-
cided 10 let the bunch go al his offer Up
to the present moment we have exchanged