The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1911-04-27
NEW YORK STOCK EXCHANGE
GREATEST IN THE WORLD

The New York Stock Exchange has
a completeness not to be found in any
other stock or share mart. While
from the Outside" all appears confu-
sion, on the floor of the Board Room,
as a matter of fact, no system could
be more simple or effective in such a
turmoil as that employed. On the
floor of the Stock Exchange there are
sixteen numbered posts bearing the
names of stocks, every active security
having its own place for dealings.
These posts are arranged four in a
row, forming a square in the middle
of the Board Room. There is a 'Su-
gar" post, a Reading" philadelphia
and Reading Railroad) post, a Steel
Omitted States Steel Corporation)
having orders to buy any particular
stock, such as Reading" for instance
go to the Reading post and cry out
how much they want and the price
they will pay. The first bid or offer
that can be distinguished takes prece-
dence. If there are more offers than
bids. the market is weak and the
price declines. If the demand is
greater than the supply the price
rises. Each trading post has an indi-
Gator giving the last quotation made.
AS he buys or sells the broker rec
ords on a little pad the name Of the
security bought or sold and the name
of the broker of whom he has bought
or to whom he has sold. These pads,
supplied to the members of the Ex-
change, are Of uniform size.
Ingenious devices are installed by
which members are called from the
floor, either to the telephone or to the
entrance railing. These consist of
huge electric annunciator blackboards
mounted on the two side walls, and
made up of separate rectangular
pieces of metal about nine by twelve
inches in size, on which each mem
ber's number is painted in white. If
a member is wanted at the telephone
his number is flashed on one board,
and ff he is wanted at the entrance it
is indicated on the other board.
The securities dealt in by the Board
are divided into two classes, known
respectively as the Regular &
Free, List. No bond or stock can be
or has been enrolled in either of
these classes without scrutiny by the
committee. The Regular List, of
course. is the important class, COM
prising ali the great railway shares
and bonds, State and city securities,
bank stock, and melange of mining
shares, ETC., enumerated as "miscel-
laneous."
The Board Room. which is hun
dred and thirty-eight feet long by a
hundred and twelve feet wide and
eighty feet high, extends from Broad
street to New Street, and contains
many novelties in the way Of lighting,
heating. and ventilation, as we'll as for
the transaction Of business. 1t is the
most complete Stock Exchange in the
world, a veritable palace of specula-
ton.
In the basement of the Exchange
are long rows of great steel vaults
containing over a thousand safe de-
post boxes for the security of stocks
and bonds held by the members. Ev-
cry afternoon after three o'clock brok-
ers and their clients may be seen car
Millions upon millions of dollars
worth of securities are carried
through the streets of the financial
district every business day. This
daily moneyed procession is one of the
picturesque sights in Wall Street
From Wall Street: It's Romance and
History" in the May Strand.