Year: 1865




hotels Of which the city boast he may chance to
turn into of the uptown side streets Hearing in
the distance, shouts and bursts of laughter he will
doubtless proceed with his explorations. Pacing a
hundred feet onward he will find himself in front OF
marble building, from the de chousee Of which spring
two lamps while the facade is bright with the lights
streaming from score Of windows II the fdneur can
prevail upon young man who is apparently in great
haste to enter the edice to halt and his inquiry
he will ascertain that the building is known


THE EVENING STOCK EXCHANGE.


The precise necessity for institution OF the kind has
never been clearly demonstrated Many months since
gold rendered the establishment of nocturnal bour,e
most important and not very well adapted to the
purpose procured at the Of Twenty third
street and Broadway. The manager, however, dis
covered that the time bad not arrived for the
Of such an enterprise, and the Evening Exchange
deservedy anguished in the absence Of regular habue
The place was soon closed, and some months the
idea was abandoned Unfortunately a few embryo
specuators-bent upon making failure or fortune, up
town as well as down town-metamorphosed the halls
Of the Fifth Avenue Hotel into exchange, and
PEELED the proprietors Of the house TO request the
speculative to conhnc their operations to the precincts of
William street. This edict brought about a change OF
base which resulted in the erection OF the present Even
ing Stock Exchange In West Twenty street,
Broadway


THE STRUCTURE.


White marble only has been used in building the
establishment under notice few steps lead a small
door with circular head, through which entrance
be had to the interior There arc neither columns,
pillars antae the facade and the mouldings
but few, although a carving Of head comprising he
characteristic traits Of the bull and the bear frowns
down upon the behoder, being located as an ancone
the portals Of admission to this terrestrial Hadcs
Passing the visitor gances at the rules which ap
pended, in all the magnincence Of fulfaced type and
thick pastcboard TO the box Office Of the department
Then he produces the sum Of twenty-five cents, and,
placing in the hands Of the treasurer Of this play
house of the foes Of humanity receives In exchange
blue ticket which destined TO transfer HIM from the
realms Of comparative sanity 10 the estates Of well de-
fined madness Before climbing the stairs the Fdxeur
will notice the immense billiard room standing on
level with the street, and comprising unnumbered
tables whereat the exhausted gamblers from above may
recuperate their lost energies by excise whthe magic
The visitor ascends two flights VI steps and hands
his open sesame TO doorkeeper. moment later he
stands within the limits OF


THE GOLD ROOM.


What the gorgeous gaming saloons OF Homburg arc to
the vile dens Of Paris Is the gold OF the Evening
Stock Exchange to all the former places Of resort Where
once leaned against lamp posts and bartered the
gold and syer often earned at tho cost Of their honor
they throw themselves back in their chairs and
the unlntiated, appear calmly to awat the
ment Of their losses and gains The gold is large
hall, surrounded by windows with arched heads, and
roscwindow at the back Through those apeures rush
the night 10 fan the heated brows Of the
firing specuators From jets Of gas and large chsnde
lcr the light falls peary flushed and anxious faces
below. row OF arm-chairs runs along the walls,
providing seats for the irregular attendants, while
bausrade divides the room and sets apart number of
fouteuis for which members OF tho exchange pay the
moderate Of two hundred and lrty dollars per
num- this stipend giving the business the privilege
OF gambling by night as he has already gablcd by day
Beyond these balusters stands the mob--if there
be any distinction drawn between the classes OF society
that attend the specuations Of the Evening Exchange,
who look upon the operations Of their be'tcrs from
pecunery point Of view. with considerable anxiety and
uni egncd jealousy In the midst Of the reserved
is placed the tribune from which the Of the stocks
speculation are being called, while the brokers arc
responsive from below.


THE ATTENDANCE.


The attendance. which usually numbers some four or
five hundred has, on sundry occasions comprised some
twelve hundred hd,TuSs with delegates from every class
OF society The majority are young men, who have como
thher 10 act for firms Of imaginary stability which they
REPRESENT or for the purpose OF speculans for them
that look OF fatigue and exhaustion which characterzes
the professional gambler There is energy, bright
observable in the appearance or in the manners Of
any They crowd up the balusters aud obtain posses
sion of their seats then throughout Tho evening" with
fixed eyes and attentive ears they note every word fall
ing from the lips Of who might be called the faro
dealer OF this mighty bank. The business men do not
and leave throughout the evening Is positive
mits to the fascination and will remain, with glances
rivctcd the baze. Thus It is with tho Evening
Esssanse spd che as s,s one Singular s ,hs
all tho AaIifues and dttdches Of the establishment
are one Of ss% can speak
attendants hoarse the bidders are hoarse Ere long
machines will have to bo substituted for men, and the
work will be carried on by means OF an animated panto.
mime This change will no doubt greatly benefit the
neighbors Meanwhile, the inmates of the adjoining
house must submit to the inction and listen nightly TO
the unceasing shouts OF the maddened specuators


THE xopus opERANDI.


Business at the Evening Stock Exchange Is always
transacted In the same unvarying manner The doors
are thrown open at halfpast eight O'Clock, when very
scramble takes place, in which miniature battles are
fought by the parties who struggle TO obtain possession
OF their respective SEATS Some ofteen minutes OF dire
confusion csuc while the monotony OF the noise Ia 70
iieved by the banging OF tho presidential hammer and
the shouts of orderwhch might very properly be dc
manded throughout the entire evening At length mat
ters are more or less amcaby adjusted the fortune
favored members seated the rabbe crowd up
the baustrade and three persons Oh caoaverous aspect
braveiy The boarse gentleman In the middle calls Out
the name of stock moment after a bid Is made
Then there s rush down the aisle by the excited mem
bers who rise from their seats and charge, sp
parenty animated with motives OF personal hatred
upon tho individual who has nrst spoken "a





torches fare high" No sooner has the announce
ment fallen from the lips OF the party whom might
call the dealer than explosion OF unsealed proposals
One broker catches the other by the collar and ~
the excitement OF the moment shakes him as he were
vial, aud labelled with directions TO that elect The
prominent Spectator and the "lame duck" claspine
hands join 10 the general excitement The Stag, OF
outsider Is quite "a much affected as bis more aiucn
neigbbor, who on payment OF his annual dues, IS en-
titled 10 swinde directly, while his less favored ifcnd
must needs dclraud through third party wbo must Oe
sides be a member The frantic spectators, rushing
from their seats crowd down the aisle, and tue wave
surges against the tribune The madness " universal
Figures and fractions hurled at you from al s'ues
One eighth Ia responded 20 by etcnths and 40 an
mated and cacophonous dalog rs carried on WIN tne
| sole co operation OF ngurcs btel.uVo hunu.eu =,
give eighty three tenths" "take threciwenty eght al
forty six eghthsl" "Sold These are tue only varle
tons on the theme and constitute ,he evenings en-
| tcr,ainment FOR tho asscmbsge Ana from half pas
eight O'Clock to ten nightly hundreds OF human being
crowd around 6 shrine aud vie IN making OF 'he 81
change the birthplace OF misfortune ana ''suo'
the RiSo.


undevnestb a gallery 20 yet IN an up1thbed condition