Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1891-12-26
A FORTUNE On ONE THROW.
Probably the Stitfest Game of Dice Ever
Played i'm the Oil Regions.

Played i'm the Oil Regions
From the Cincinnati Enquirer
difference of but two in the upturned dice
dots, but each dot represented So, 900 and the
winner was made that much richer by his SIM
gle throw. The details of this occurrence. re-
called In sojourning contemplation OF the fast
departing traces of other DAYS in the town
where it occurred, may be Of interest
From the time Of its first importance as an
oil town Petroleum Center in Pennsylvania was
known as famous place for gambling There
was, however. no particular place in which this
gambling was carried on. An engine house.
saloon, Office or private room-any place served
the purpose-and a rickety table, a greasy
writing desk or board laid across the head of
an oil barrel answered as well as the equip
ments of gambling palace.
In 1S8s-69 thel vicinity of Petroleum Center
was the richest in the oil region and one of the
richest in the world. The lands all about the
town were making their owners rich Among
these pieces o. property was the Woods farm,
lying upon the hill TO the west of the place Its
big production at that time war selling at from
% to IS barrel. Samuel A. Woods was the
owner Of this rich deposit of OIL and his royalty
from 1t yielded him aprincely income. He was
then about IS years of age, and was as full of
fun as he was OF business. He dressed well
$4,000, lived high, and was foremost in all the
enterprises in oil developments. In 1868 he
built the largest and first complete iron tank
10000 barrels-then along Oil creek. and into
1t his farm poured its liquid wealth. Woods hasi
a noteo fondness for throwing dice, and was
usually lucky. He was ready at any time to
throw for stakes ranging from $50 to 800 or
$1,000. 1t was seldom he would throw for less
than the first named sum.
One night in the winte- Of lS6S-69 he was
spending the evening with a party of friends
in the Rochester House at Petroleum Center.
Among the party was Col. Brady. another rich
producer and a man who had earned his title
on the battlefields Of the rebellion.
In the course OF the evening Woods said:
Colonel, III toss the dice with you for ESQ.,"
'All right" was the colonel's prompt reply.
The first throw Brady won continuing to do
SO until he had won $3.50 Of Moods money.
This trife just wetted their appetites, and the
chance contest then began in earnest
The amount of the stakes was increased from
time to time and Woods losses rapidly crept
into the thousands. Luck was against him,
but as be was perfectly sober and the friends
present knew that he would regard as little less
than insult any suggestion that it was time to
quit, feeling abundantly able to pay any
amount he lost, all they had to do was to watch
the two men with increasing interest
To pass on from the process to the result,
when one OF the morning hours was ushered in,
Woods had lost So, 600 and Brady held his
check for that sum. At this juncture Woods
said to the colonel: "Now, am willing TO
double the amount and let each of us take but
one throw and the highest take the stakes. You
already have my check for the So, 600 II
lose will write You another for the full amount
here tonight and it will be cashed at the bank
tomorrow"
.Al right" said Col. Brady. 81 accept"
The interest of tho bystanders was now
worked up to the highest notch, tho dice we're
produced and Woods had the first throw
Eleven spots turned up as his count Col
Brady then threw and but nine black dots
turned up to be counted. Woods therefore,
saved q good-szed fortune on the throw, for
had he lost that ga 900 would have been paid
with as much promptness as though il had been
part OF Q legitimate business transaction.
Woods then proposed that they start in anew
with sl0 as the amount Of the stakes The
colonel responded and soon all the cash be had
with him-about S200-was transferred to the
pockets of Woods. Here, colonel" said
Woods. els e20. I can't see . man 60 away
dead broke"
And so the greatest game Of dice on record in
the oil regions came TO q close.