The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1891-12-27

purpose-and a rickety table, greasy
wit ing desk or . board laid across the
head OF Darrel answered. as wei as the
equipment of a gambling palace.
In leos-'69 the vicinity of Petroleum
center was the richest in the oil region
ana one OF the richest in the world. The
iahds all about the town were making
their owners rich Among these pieces of
property was the Woods farm. lying upon
the nlli to the west of the place. It's big
production at that time was selling at
rom IS TO S. a barrel. Samuel
n. woods was the owner of this
rich deposit of oil, and his royalty
from 1t yielded him a princely income He
was was then about 30 years of age and was as
iuli OF fun as he was of business He
dressed well. wearing daily diamonds
worth from 5000 to s., 900, lived high, and
was foremost IN all the enterprises in oil
developments. In 1858 he built the
largest and first complete iron tank
$1,000 barrels-then along Oil creek,
and into it his farm poured its LIQUID
wealth. Woods had q noted foadness for
throwing dice. and was usually lucky. He
was ready at any time to throw for stakes
ranging from $50 TO 800 or 81 ,00O 1t was
seldom he would throw for less than the
hrst named sum.
One night in the winter of 1S6S-69 he
trends IN the Rochester house at Petrole-
um Center. Among the party was Colonel
Brady. another rich producer, and a man
who had earned his title on the battle
fields of the rebellion.
In the course of the evening Woods
said:
Colonel, I'll toss the dice with YOU for
$50.
IAN light" was the colonel's prompt
reply.
The first throw Brady won, continuing
to do so until he had won $3.50 of Woods
money. This tribe just whetted their ap-
petltes, and the chance contest 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 he 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
10 pass on from the process to the re-
suit, when one OF the morning hours was
ushered in, Woods had lost $4,000 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 $4,000. If I lose
L will write you another for the full
amount here tonight, and it will be cashed
at the bank tomorrow"
"All right" said Colonel Brady, ~ ac-
cept."
The interest of the bystanders was now
worked up to the highest notch, the dice
were produced and Woods had the first
throw. Eleven spots turned up as his
count. Colonel Brady then threw, and
but nine black dots turned up to be counted.
Woods, therefore, saved a good-szed for
tune on the throw, for had he lost that
S64, 900 would have been paid with as much
promptness as though it had been a
part of legitimate business transaction.
Woods then proposed that they start in
anew with $40 as the amount of the stakes.
The colonel responded, and soon all the
cash he had with him-about $20O-was
transferred to the pockets of Woods.
Here, Colonel" said Woods, is $40. /
can't see man go away dead broke"
And so the greatest game of dice on
record in the oil regions came to close.