Knoxville daily chronicle. [volume] (Knoxville, Tenn.) 1870-1882, 1881-03-30

The Ups aud Downs of Life In VI
City, Broker wives In the
Ushanges.

City Broker wives In the ~
Wshanges.
Philadelphia Times.
Speculation on the price OF OIL mas
nrominenee to-day Magnificent Oil e1-
nbsnoas were erected in Oil City, Titusville
and Bradford. Here speculation is indus
gsd in on the price of OIL the oil certificates
baino the basis One instance of how men
become rich in this speculation oe>
cured in Oil City. Two brothers by the
name of Goethe, in 1867, were bootblacks
around the streets of the oil towns. They
made "a good deal of money for
boys, and saved it. When they had few
hundreds saved they took flyer on the
market. They were successful and doubled
success still followed them, and to-day they
are among the wealthiest and most success
full spectators in the reg on. The magnlh-
cent generosity OF oil men Is we'll known;
| A poor and seedy woman has often had
thousands of dollars raised for her
among crowd Of oil men, and In q few
| minutes she was raised from poverty TO
opule1 CO. They spend money like water,
| and no towns in the country Will snow
| better dressed men and women than these.
| Thew almost universally wear diamonds
upon their shirt bosoms. which In many
| cases they are forced TO pawn for necessi>
ties before they have become ever accus-
toned to them. Speculation Is the NE
blood of Oil City. When the market Is
dull. inactive for q few days, it is noticeable
in every place Business stagnates, men get
the blues" and the town is dull indeed
But let the market be variable, fortunes are
being made and lost, men are excited, Inc
streets are alive with oil brokers rushing
back and forth between banks and ex-
change with certificates, drafts. checks, anG
even money in their hands. The wives o
the brokers crowd to the exchange, and
filing the visitors gallery watch the oper
ations oftheir husbands
| Some time ago, in one oftbese exchange
the gallery was filled to overlooking. IN
marke3 was leaping up at the rate OF L
cents an hour. One of the heaviest buyer
was on the wrong side. He saw his forum
: disappearing like mist at the rate of SIS
900 an hour. For six hours this continued
and he was forced to "lay down." as 1t
! called, to be announced a bankrupt. i
other words. His wife was witness of tn
whole scene. An hour before the wor:
= came she left the exchange, walked lnto
dry good store, took off her seal ski
sacque, and sold it. From that place 81
went to the jewelers. and disposed OF N
diamonds and ell her silver. When 81
husband returned home. disconsolate an
QOWnchSt, she met Hiu dt tuo wv os'~
j. in neat calico wrapper. He had been
clerk before foatune had smiled upon nh
7, and she modest school teacher. She II
: formed him that she had discharged all tt
J servants, and that they would live as 70
"a merly, she doing the work. She hand'
him S., 500 as 1.-THE result of selling her jewe
n ~, and told him to use it. Joy and hol
beamed in his eyes, end found place
l. his heart again. He went again to. t
n business. In one month he had regain
Is thing his wife had pledged. and was livi
as formerly. Three times within six yes
ID was this man saved in this manner by
~ wife. To- day he is one of the most dari
J and successful of our operators.