The Nevada County picayune. (Prescott, Ark.) 190?-current, 1908-01-09
Author of
"Frenzied Finance"
Copyright, 1907, Doubleday. Page & Coz
CHAPTER TX.

The governing committee was hold
ing meeting in its room. Bob rushed
in unceremoniously
Zone word, gentlemen" he called.
81 have more trades outstanding. both
buys and sells, than any other mem
Der or house. Before deciding whether
to adjourn in an attempt TO save the
Street. ask your consideration OF
this proposition: If the exchange will
suspend operations for 30 minutes,
and allow me to address the mem
bers on the floor, | will agree to buy
stocks all around the room. until they
have regained at least half their drop
all of it, II possible. | will buy I'M
Gil ] have exhausted to the last hun
dred my fortune of billion dollars.
This should make an adjournment I'M
necessary | know that this is a most
extraordinary request, but you are
confronted with most extraordinary
situation, the most remarkable in the
history OF the stock exchange. Al
ready, If what they say on the floor
is correct, over 200 banks and trust
companies throughout the country
have gone under and new failures
are being announced every minute.
Half the members of this and the
Boston and Philadelphia exchanges
are insolyent and have closed their
doors, or will close them before three
O'Clock, and the shrinkage in values
SO far reported runs over fifteen bill
lions Unless something is done be-
fore the close. there will be a similar
panic in every exchange and bourse
1n Europe tomorrow"
The committee instantly voted to
lay the proposition before the full
board. In another minute the presi
dents gavel sounded and the floor
was sim as a tomb. All eyes were
fixed on the president. Every man
in that great throng knew that upon
the announcement they were about to
hear. might depend. at least tenn
porarily, the welfare, not only OF
Wall street but of the nation, per
haps even of the civilized world The
president spoke:
Members of the New York Stock
Exchange;
THE governing committee instructs
me to say that Mr.. Robert BROMLEY
has asked that operations be suspend
ed for 80 minutes, in order that he be
allowed to address you Mr.. Brown
ley has agreed. II this request be
granted. he will upon resumption OF
operations purchase sufficient
amount Of stock to raise the average
price OF all active shares at least one
half their total drop-all OF it, II pos
sibie. He agrees to buy to the limit
of his fortune of a billion dollars.
now put Mr.. Brownley's request to a
vote. All those in favor of granting
II will signify the same by saying
Yes
A mighty roof-lifting yes" sound
ed through the room.
IAN those opposed. No"
There was n deathly hush.
Mr.. BROMLEY will please speak
from this platform. and remember. in
80 minutes to the second. | will sound
the gavsl for the resumption OF bust
ness"
Bob Brownley strobe TO the place
Just vacated by the president. The
crowd was growing larger every min
ute. The ticker was already kissing
a tape biograph of this extraordinary
situation in brokerage shops. hotels.
and banks throughout the country,
and in few minutes the news OF II
would be in the capitals OF Europe.
Never before in history did man have
such an audience-the whole civilized
world. Already arose from Wall.
Broad and New streets, which sur
round the exchange. the hoarse bel
low of the gathering hordes. Before
the ticker should announce the re-
sumption OF business these would
number hundreds OF thousands. for
the financial district for more than an
hour had been surging mob.
For once at least the much-abused
phrase, He looked the part" could
be used in all truthfulness. AS Rob
ert Brownley threw back his head
and shoulders and faced that crowd
of men. some of whom he had hurt.
many of whom he had beggared. and
al of whom he had tortured, he pre-.
scented picture such as royal lion
recently from the jungles and just
freed from his cage might have made
Defiance. Difference. contempt and
pity all blended in his nien. but over
all was an I-am-the-one- you are the !
many atmosphere OF confidence that |
txz-.S my spinal column into a mer- |
curry tube. He began to speak:
Men of Wall street:
You have just witnessed a record |
breaking slaughter, l have asked