Wunderry Plus subscribers can binge new seasons of American history tellers early and

ad free right now.

Join Wundery Plus in the Wundery app or on Apple Podcasts. It's midday on September 16th, 1920 on Wall Street in New York City.

17-year-old messenger James Saul steps out of the road as a motor car makes its way down the

busy street. James watches the progress of the expensive

vehicle with a hint of jealousy. The driver is probably a rich investor and James

doesn't have that kind of money. Instead he spends his days waiting outside the New York

stock exchange hoping to earn a few coins carrying messages between the banks that line

Wall Street. More than 50 years ago the New York Stock Exchange became America's biggest financial marketplace.

When rich investors first started meeting there to buy and sell stock,

banks scrambled to set up branches that were close to the action.

Now Wall Street is a bustling hub where Americans can gain and lose fortunes in a matter of

minutes, so speedy messengers like James are vital to keep a system running smoothly.

But in between jobs, messengers just have to wait around for someone to enlist their services.

A noisy group of brokers exits a stock exchange and James

looks up hopefully but none of them gives them a second glance. Instead the

brokers pause on the sidewalk as a horse-drawn wagon rolls down the street.

The wagon stops outside J.P. Morgan's bank, and the driver hops down from his seat and hustles

into a side alley. The wagon is blocking an intersection

though and traffic can't get past. James wonders if the driver's been caught

short and needs to relieve himself. That's all well and good, but his abandoned wagon is quickly

turning Wall Street into a log jam. James is just turning away, shaking his head at

...