, 1890-01-16
STORY OF A WOMAN
She Still Speculates in
Oil.
TOYING WITH THE OILY TIGER.
The Strange History Of u Wo'
man Who Fell Under
the Spell,

OIL city (Pa. Letter In the 81
Louis Globe Democrat: There have
been some pretty big plungcrs In
the oil market at one time and
another. There are still women
spectators III most of the oil ex-
changes in the region, but there are
few, If any, of the "high rollers'
left. oil City had more women
spectators In petroleum than any
other town, although at one time
Bradford had "A fair quota. Tho
GlObe.Democrat correspondent
learned to-day that there are but
three women who still visit the oil
exchange daily and make a regular
business of toying with the oily
tiger These ladies have been IA
miliar figures about the exchange
forscveral years, aud are all that are
left out OF several women specula-
toN. These ladies do not come
ON the floor of the exchange,
and are not, In fact, MEM
ber-, but are In their seats In the la
dies gallery as soon as tho exchange
opens aud remain tolerably regularly
until the close at 8o'clock in the after
noon. They deal, or course, entire
ly through brokers, u nod being II
sufficient order for broker to buy
or sell 1000, 5000 or 10000 barrels Of
oil, a> the case may be. II " not
often that they 20 beyond II deal Of
1000 barrels, ~ tine ladies who are
left In the exchange, to put IL IN the
phmseology of a broker, are "hying
light" With a few exceptions, the
ladies who have entered the jungles
of the oily tiger have got the worst
of 1t. The three who still cling to
the exchange are content to deal In
lOOO-barrel lots, and II is not always
they can do this,
a number Of ladies prominent in
the charitable organizations and In
society here have been successful
Spectators in oil and two or three
of them have been Interested in
some large deals. They were not
regular habitues of the exchange
and We're frequcn visitors To the gal
lcry, which Is open TO the public. All
their deals in the market have been
made through brokers. When there
was more activity in the market
than there Is at present 1t 1t was u
universal theme of flresldc gossip.
Everybody speculated In oil, from
the minister down TO the porter in
the hotel, and iti Is no wonder the
ladies fell under he fascinating spell
Of the "bull ring IA the pen.like
place whore the deals are made ON
change Is called, During exciting
times in the market II has been dis
cusSed quite ~ much in the draw.
mg'roOn as in the counting-room.
In the system Of EpCculatlng In oil
the PERSONS of small capital and no
capital at all have not been over
looked, and the servunt-girl i given
an opportunity To- take Il flyer In
oii'' If she Is So inclined. During
one hig whirl In the market, follow
ing the collapse of the Cherry Grove
field, 1t was well known that "A
mrge m huinU[ OF servant girls lst
IheIr httle Dutlilc along with the
plH 'elloWs. lnis was the most dis
astrous panic the. Gil country ever
knew, ana IL mar kcd To a great cN-
tent the end OF speCulating by
women. - many of them LOST all
!helr money that only IA linn
lt"d number OF them have had
the courage To venture back
INTO lhe speculative whirlpool.
Inc history OF one wOman's speCu.
Iallohs III the oll city exchange Is
curious litr husband had been In
business IN lhc, oi country for soy
'Iu years ana hAd accumulated con.
Hiu'fAplc property, In all worth
anou sl6,WO. lie concluded tu go
W est, ana went 10 several Of the
Western cltles to look around for an
Investment. lie had effected "a sale
~ ms properly peIofo leaving Oil
'ItN, ana MS wiic remained hcnInd
10 settle up some "details, collect pay.
nieitS not set due, and join him In
the west, where they Were to make
ihcr lutnre nome. The woman col
lccted the money, and, duubt lcga
WISHING TO carry "a pleasant surprise
70 lcr husband, she put the money
INTO ne oil ma rket to make a
turh." lhe turn went the wrong
way ana she lost In the hope OF
pcttlhg IL back she made other in
Eesllilehts, with lllc usual result.
~ WIS l'ot IoIg before she had lost
every uollar ol thG, money that she
was 10 carry To her lusban1 II