Lights and Shadows of New York Life: or, the Sights and Sensations of the Great CityMcCabe, James Dabney
History
Lights and Shadows of New York Life: or, the Sights and Sensations of the Great City
McCabe, James Dabney
New York (N.Y.) -- Description and travel; New York (N.Y.) -- Social life and customs -- 19th century
The Stock Exchange is located on the west side of Broad street, just out
of Wall street. It is a fine white marble edifice, with a portico of
iron, painted flashily in black and gold. It extends back to New street,
with an entrance on that street. There is also an entrance on Wall
street. It contains the "New York Stock Exchange," "The Mining Board,"
and the "Government Board."
During the spring and summer of 1871 the internal arrangements of the
building were very much improved. The refitting cost the brokers
$60,000, but they now have the handsomest establishment of its kind in
the world.
The main entrance is on Broad street, and from this the visitor passes
into a room, the larger portion of which is separated from the Broad
street end by an iron railing. This is "The Long Room," and during the
day it is almost always filled with a noisy and not over-nice crowd. It
is the scene of the irregular sales of stocks. Any one who can raise $50
can purchase a season ticket to this hall, and once admitted can sell and
purchase stocks without being a member of the Regular Board. This
arrangement has nearly put an end to the sales of stocks on the side
walks, and has given a tinge of respectability to the class known as
"Curb-stone Brokers." A dozen or more different stocks may be sold here
at once, and the sale may be continued as long as the seller sees fit.
There is no regular organization of the brokers operating here, though
these men control the bulk of the sales made in the street. They are
noisy and seem half demented in their frantic efforts to make sales.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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