Etcetera - The Odd, Sad, Humorous, Legend, and Lore

A Dark Day in An East Texas Town

Oil City has a dual connection to one of the worst tragedies in U. S. history. It is certainly the worst school tragedy.

New London School 18-Mar-1937

On March 18, 1937, leaking natural gas that had accumulated under the school in the East Texas oil town of New London ignited, killing approximately 300 children and teachers. It was believed to have been set off by a teacher switching on an electric sander in the basement shop. Here is the link to the Wikipedia article.New London, Texas School Explosion.

Reading the details one can speculate that a similar scenario could have easily happened in OC (and fortunately did not) and other oil towns, as the local school board had elected to use raw gas, considered largely a nuisance in the oil fields and therefore free, to heat the school as a means to save money. 

Also notable about the incident:

• It was one of the first major events covered by a young Walter Cronkite.
• The devastation received attention worldwide, with even German Chancellor Adolf Hitler sending his condolences.
• Afterward a requirement that gas have an odor component added was implemented as, in its natural state, it has none and therefore the leak wasn't noticed.

The double connection is that there was a survivor from New London who later moved to Oil City; as well as former OC residents who conversely moved to New London and experienced the tragedy.

Oscar Poole (1923-2004), originally from New London, was later a long-time resident of Oil City. He was the father of Vickie, Tommy, and Johnny Poole. Per the New London Disaster website. 

Brothers Joseph P. (1920-2006), and Wellington "Bud" Watson (1922-2012), were born in Oil City and moved to New London when nine and seven years old, respectively, and both also survived the explosion. From Joseph's obituary, and Bud's: 

There are several related videos on youtube, but here is a retrospective that includes newsreel footage as well as comments from survivors and Walter Cronkite years later: 

Kool Point Green Tomato Relish

Here is an interesting find that has a sad twist. 

Here is the link to a recipe for Kool Point Relish.

For the information of friends in other parts of the country who may read this, areas of the south typically have a requisite side dish to go with their fried catfish. In Mississippi, it may be turnip greens or in Georgia, grits. But in North Caddo Parish, Louisiana, it’s green tomato relish.

For many years Kool Point Lodge was a popular, if not the most popular, area restaurant to get one’s catfish fix. Served alongside would be a bowl of the tangy mixture of pickled green tomatoes, onions, and peppers. According to the blogger (Becky ?), her grandparents got the recipe from the restaurant’s owners (I presume the Kings).

Below is a matchbook cover from the restaurant.

Now for the sad part. Becky had noted that her grandfather was town mayor, so I was going to write to find out who and invite her to join Friends of Oil City, Louisiana, a Facebook page for current and former OC residents and friends to reconnect and reminisce.

However upon studying her blog further, I discovered the last post to be an open letter to her from her husband of many years. Seems she passed away less than a year after posting the recipe due to a long illness.

Do check it out along with other recipes posted there. It’s nice that though she is gone, she left behind something to share for others to enjoy. Note I could not find a last name for her or her grandfather. Perhaps someone reading on here will have known either or both of them and can advise.

Theft Onboard the Mittie Stephens

You are likely familiar with or at least have heard of the steamboat Mittie Stephens. In February 1869 it caught fire on Caddo Lake near the Louisiana/Texas line while en route from New Orleans to Jefferson, Texas, killing 60-plus passengers and crew. Google the name and there are several websites that detail that tragedy.

Steamboat Mittie Stephens

What is shared here however is an intriguing and in part humorous (largely due to the reporter's melodramatic style) account of an event that occurred two years earlier on the vessel. Particularly amusing is the title given to the culprit in the third-to-last paragraph.

Originally from the New Orleans Republican, as published in the Sullivan (IN) Democrat 10-Oct-1867, Page 2:

A Remarkable Case of the Discovery of Guilt and the Vindication of Innocence

On the first instant the well known house of Horrell, Gayle & Co., of this city (New Orleans) shipped on board the steamer Mittie Stephens, sixteen hundred and seventy-two dollars in gold coin to a party in Shreveport. Tho money was tied up in a strong canvass bag, and properly addressed, and duly receipted for by one of the clerks of the boat, Mr. John A. Purcell. When the boat arrived at Shreveport it was not delivered, of which fact the shippers were promptly notified, and when the Mittie Stephens returned to this place, which occurred night before last, Messrs. Horrell, Gayle & Co., immediately called upon the master of the boat, Captain H. Kellogg, for an explanation. He, in turn, questioned tho clerks, two young men of this city, Messrs. John A. and Thomas Purcell, brothers, who hitherto have never had the slightest breath of suspicion cast against their character. At first both denied all knowledge of the shipment, but upon receipts being exhibited, recollected that the gold had certainly been received and stored away in their stateroom for safe keeping. They searched for it, assisted by the Captain, but only the empty bag was found.

Feeling that appearances were against them, they demanded that all on board should be searched, and in the event that no discovery was made, signified that they would be willing to be arrested and tried, all the while protesting most solemnly their innocence. The search was made, and proved fruitless, so tho young men were arrested and locked up in the Second District Station. They were brought before Recorder Gastinal yesterday morning for examination; but his honor deemed it advisable to postpone the examination till today, in the meantime admitted the accused to bail, Mr. John Douglas, tho well known engraver, who is their brother-in-law, going upon their bonds.

Now, the most singular part of this story is to be related. The chambermaid of the Millie Stephens having occasion, yesterday about noon, to go into cook’s galley for some article, demanded of the cook his keys, as it was locked up in the cupboard. The cook was at his duty over tho stove, and in a high state of perspiration. He put his hand into the pocket of his pants, which were somewhat tight, and drew out tho keys, but along with them came five twenty dollar gold pieces, which fell on tho floor and rolled off in various directions. Immediately calling the captain, the chambermaid directed his attention to this significant display of wealth on the part of the knight of pots and kettles, and that worthy was, without more ado, arrested and searched.

Only the five pieces as above mentioned were then discovered; but it was remembered that he had gone ashore early in the morning, so they at once proceeded to his residence, and upon searching his trunk the whole amount was found. It appears that he had by some means discovered that the clerks had forgotten to deliver the gold at Shreveport, and had managed to enter their stateroom and extract it on the trip down.

So much for the justice of circumstantial evidence. If the chambermaid had not accidentally called upon the cook for his keys, it is more than likely that two honest and honorable young gentlemen would have been condemned as thieves, or at least had their reputation blasted forever. [New Orleans Republican]

Titanic Thompson

Below is a fictional incident set in Oil City. But it is still fascinating in that a man, famous in his day, would use the town’s notoriety to enhance his own reputation and legend. First some background on him.

Alvin Clarence Thomas, aka Titanic Thompson (1892-1974) was a gambler, hustler, and professional golfer who:

• Traveled the country wagering at cards, dice games, golf, horseshoes and proposition bets of his own devising.
• Was an ambidextrous golfer, card player, marksman and pool shark, his skills and reputation were compared to "Merlin himself".
• Was the basis for the character Sky Masterson, the gambler-hero of the Broadway musical "Guys and Dolls". Marlon Brando played the role in the later film.
• Was involved in a 1928  high-stakes poker game that led to the shooting death of New York City crime boss Arnold "the Brain" Rothstein, then called the "crime of the century."
• Was linked romantically to actresses Myrna Loy and Jean Harlow.

The reason for his nickname was that in 1912, he won a bet by jumping over a pool table without touching it and, when someone asked his name, the loser said “It must be Titanic, because he sinks everybody.”

Comments from another article:

Titanic Thompson was not just a confidence man --he was the master con-man by the way—he was also a championship caliber athlete in a number of sports including Shooting, Horseshoes, Bowling, and most impressive of all Golf –where Thompson could rival the Masters champion playing left OR right handed! Thompson is known to have killed five men –likely more—and was married four times.

His father abandoned his family when Ti (as he was also known) was a few months old. He left school at 14 and for the following years built up his gambling skills as he roamed the south visiting saloons, gambling halls, and brothels looking for his father. (Note: Doesn’t this sound like “A Boy Named Sue”?)

Now here’s the Oil City connection. From his biography:

“Ti was desperate to look his father in the eye, and found him in Oil City, Louisiana in 1910. Ti walked into a saloon and instantly recognized the man dealing stud as his father. Rather than reveal himself, he proceeded to win $3,600. “There’s your money,” he said, ‘I’m giving it you back because you never had a chance. See, I’m your son, Alvin.” The old man laughed while pocketing the cash, and the pair spent three weeks breaking the local oilmen at poker before going their separate ways and never meeting again.”

The only thing is, this never really happened. Per his biographer, this was a story he made up as a way of reconciling his father having abandoned him, and in real life he never found his father.

Source: Titanic Thompson: The Man Who Bet on Everything by Kevin Cook

When first reading, I was disappointed that it wasn’t a true story. Later I thought though, it’s still pretty cool that someone like Titanic, a real celebrity of his time, would use Oil City even fictionally to enhance his reputation. And who knows, since he really did search for his father, perhaps he did pass through town looking for him, as it was the type of environment in which both would be at home.