New-York tribune., 1910-12-24
CHANGE CHRISTMAS RIOT
Brokers' Band "Renders' Things
While Spirits Bubble Over.
SANTA HANDS OUT HOBBIES
Business Mislaid as High Jinks
Get Under Way-Employes'
Purse Filled to Brim.


Christmas was celebrated on the New
York Stock Exchange yesterday with an
enthusiasm that has not been seen there IN
years This despite the fact that 1t mas
been dull year in the stock market, ana
very few of the traders have made as
much money as usual 1t was an Old
time jollification. in which fun ran riot ana
formality was thrown to the winds
According to the programme. the cele-
bration was to begin at O'CLOCK. when
the stroke of the gong announcing the
close of the market was to be the signal
for the millionaire band of bulls and
bears, told about in yesterdays Tribune
to march on the floor, headed by Charies
E Knoblauch as bandmaster and escorted
by a traffic squad of brokers mounted on
hobby horses The bubbling spirits OF some
of the brokers however, would not let them
wait for the set programme to begin Con-
fetti throwing began early. and about
o'clock half a dozen footballs were thrown
on the floor at once and hurdy-gurdy
was wheeled in from the street by two
| brokers. who proceeded to grind out OF II
more or less tuneful melodies
Band "Rendered" Selections.
There was very little trading after that.
and when the gong finally sounded the
end of the session the Christmas spirit
among the members was already rampant.
The band. led by Knoblauch attlred IN an
Old Guard uniform marched on the Hoor
playing nobody knows what. but making
plenty OF noise Every member of the
hand had on a different colored UNIFORM
and their appearance was greeted with
>lrn
thunder of applause from visitors IN the
galleries and the members On the floor
The band. with its escort, marched three
! times around the big room playing any oio
tune that struck the bandmaster taney
and then took it's stand on the bond pat
form. on the east side of the floor. where IL
continued TO render selections for the rest
OF the afternoon. with occasional stops 1or
breath. The band made hit with the
audience. and its performance was received
with far greater enthusiasm than ever
greeted the 7th Regiment Band in the years
when it furnished the music for the Stock
Exchange Christmas entertainments AS
a final selection Knoblauch. pointing with
his baton toward the corner of Wall and
Broad streets, announced that the band
would play II Don't Care If He Never
Comes Back and play it they did with
a vengeance.
While the band was in full action Santa
Claus, in the person Of w {. van ANT
werp. appeared on the floor with huge
pack on his back filed with gifts for all
the members of the exchange who have
a hobby and this seemed to include ABOUT
all the active floor members. Each gift
bore a tag on which was written the
name of the broker for whom it was in
tIa
Claus called out the names through
mega phone Some of the brokers who
were of modest and retiring disposition
and did not like TO see their hobbies pub
lfcIy exposed tried to escape when they
heard their names called. but they We're
promptly seized by some of their fellow
brokers and dragged before Santa, VINO
handed them the gift with a few appropri-
ate remarks.
Some Presents from Santa.
The first name called was that of Ran
som H Thomas, president of the ex-
change Mr. Thomas. who is something OF
a cattle fancier. received q Noah's Ark
full of cows horses and sheep and also
few lambs.
Other we'll known brokers who received
what their fellow members considered ap-
propriate gifts were: J. Hegenlan Foster, a
piece of bear meat. Mr. Foster, needless to
say. is a consistent bear. James A Tay-
lor. doll baby. Mr.. Taylor has large
family Edward Wasserman. a piece OF
rare pottery Bernard NJ. Baruch, toy
automobile with four extra tires Mr.
Baruch has recently purchased tire COM
pany o. J. Brand, brand new wig. He
already had an old one Walter c. Taylor,
a. train Of cars. Mr.. Taylor has been
heavy trader in railroad stocks recently
Sailing w Baruch, little china hand
Mr.. Baruch always has the glad hand
for everybody. his friends say. And so it
went until Santa's pack was exhausted
In the meantime the brokers who were
not busy receiving gifts were indulging in
all kinds of high jinks on different parts
of the floor and the shouts and the sing
ing almost drowned out the band, some of
the members of which were almost on the
verge of collapse from their exertions-
The employees of the Stock Exchange
were not forgotten in the general celebration.
and while the Christmas fund subscribed
nv the members fell far below last year s
collection of $1,000. enough was drawn
from the surplus fund of the exchange to
make I'D the difference and the total dis
+rib,1ted was therefore the same as year
ago.
>$