Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1886-10-28
POKER IN THE OIL REGIONS.
The Struggle that Wound Up the
Career OF Town.
From the Neto Yorh sun

From the NetO York Sun.
The topic was draw poker, and it had
been suggested to a group of half dozen
New Workers in the Astor House rotunda
by newspaper paragraph which said
that the little town OF State Line was the
greatest place for poker playing in all the
oil regions.
''Well, that's saying a good deal" said
a man in the group, ''fOr considering the
size OF their average pile, the oil fields
poker sharps will stick to a pair Of aces
az faithfully as anybody that ever took
cards."
"But knew of an oil town that in the
summer of 1882 had about $4,000 inhabit-
ants" the same man went on, land by
November of that year the sole industry
OF the town was draw poker. 1t was the
town Of Garfield, in Warren county. In
the early part of the summer the first
wild cat well in the Cherry Groove dis
trict blew tue drill out of the hole and be-
gan flooding the region with oil. Within
a few weeks a railroad was running ever
logs through the hemlock forest, a city of
shanties and tents had sprung up, and
the drilling wells were so thick that the
bull wheels almost rubbed against one
another 1t was estimated that 15 900
persons were on the top of that barren
hill; there were theatres, dance hous 8,
pool rooms. and gambling bells; all the
noted fighters of the oil region were
there. and the boom was the biggest
thing of its kind ever seen in this coun-
try.
"But the oil came out like water from
blister after half dozen wells had been
sunk, ana by the time snow fell every well
was dry hole. About the only persons
left there when Visited the town, just be-
fore the holidays, were the keeper OF what
had been the principal hotel, Hebrew
clothier. and a Chimes laundry man. The
hotel man had a big house on his hands,
and was waiting for chance to sell it
for old lumber. The Hebrew clOthier's
REGULARITY was that he came there in his
shirt sleeves. and no man ever had seen
him nave a coat on. The Chinaman was
so fascinated by jack pots that he couldn't
get away. These three residents had set
tied down to poker playing, evidently TO
see which of the three should have what
money they had left. They played in a
room thai had been occupied by the sun
day school OF the First Methodist church.
Every morning, after late breakfast, the
hotel keeper buttoned up his great coat
and walked lesurely 10 the poker room,
the clOthiers white shirt sleeves flashed
around the corner, and the flowing toy
0erV OF the Cninhman HuIlereu IN Lne
blast as be Joined the TWO other men. They
kept up the game till late at night.
was there three days, and saw no other
industry.
''The next spring was in Warren for a
dav, and inquired how the game came out
The Chinamap's weakness for jack pots
ruined him, they said, and he was last
seen striking out 'cross lots for OH City.
The Hebrew clothier hung on better, but
his caution in the matter OF hlufng en-
ahled the hotel man gradually to break
him by taking an ante out Of him every
time be had the age or drew cards. He
wentaway in his shirt sleeves IN a blust.
erlng snow storm about March l. The
hotel keeper had pipe of natural gas
running into his barroOm stove, and he
sat by the fire till warm weather, and
then opened another house up in the New
York oil field"