I would also check this which discusses how the bubble inflated and much more (parts of which seem to stem from the over printing of green backs during the Civil War and more). Apparently there is a strong connection between Civil War, 1873, and 1893 depressions thus why this time period is called “Long Depression”:
Also the scandals, including Railroad Bubble, involved State bribery and federal subsidies in what is called “Credit Mobilier of America Scandal” (I didn’t read the whole site but saw it mentioned the involvement of bribery):
That, I’m thinking, in the last post and this post is plenty to help you focus in on the aggressor’s of free market. [:D]
Thanks for your help. I read a great book that deals with the Panic of 1873 very well, and whats all the better is it is a mainstream book done by a fairly known author : The Tycoons:
It talks a good deal about the so called “six year” depression and how most of this was growth and prosperity for the American people.The book is mainly about the American economy after the Civil War to the beginning of the 20th century as well as how Rockefeller, Morgan, Carnegie, and Gould perfected it. I found it by reading one of his editorials