The Effects
of the Boom


How Did the Boom
Affect Beaumont?



Spindletop brought many changes to Beaumont and its surrounding areas. Before the gusher, only about 9,000 people were living in Beaumont. Within three months after the Lucas Gusher, the population had grown to 30,000 people. What brought all these people to Beaumont? People stuffed every dollar they had in a suitcase and headed for Beaumont in hopes of buying a piece of land near Spindletop, drilling their own oil well, and becoming rich. Others rushed to Beaumont to get a job in the oil fields and learn a new trade. Still others came out of curiosity and excitement which created a carnival-like atmosphere.



Many problems occurred due to the rapid increase in the population in such a short period of time. First of all, there were not enough hotels and cafes to handle the enormous increase in population. People slept in tents, on pool tables, in barber chairs, and any other place they could find. Grocery stores and restaurants stayed open 24 hours a day in order to feed all the people. Housewives made sandwiches and sold them on the front porches of their homes. Also, fresh water was scarce. At one point, a barrel of fresh water sold for more than a barrel of oil!

Another problem that occurred was the lack of medical care. There were only a few doctors in Beaumont in 1901. They could not handle the increase of illnesses and injuries. Many people that came to Beaumont became ill because of unhealthy water, diseases caused by mosquitoes, and poor living conditions. In addition, the dangers of fire, explosion, and accident were always a major threat. Nevertheless, these poor conditions did not stop people from coming to Beaumont.

Not only people who wanted to make an honest living were drawn to Beaumont by the oil boom. Pickpockets, gamblers, and thieves also came to get their greedy hands on other people's money. Con artists were on every street corner trying to sell fake oil leases. Because of this, some people called Spindletop, "Swindletop."

The words Tracy Byrd sang in his song about Spindletop at the Centennial Celebration are so true:


"Some folks went broke;
Some folks got rich;
Poking holes in the ground;
Out here in the sticks;
That black gold was spewing way up in the sky;
Spindletop blew into town;
And Beaumont came to life!"





History
People
The Boom
Gladys City
The Effects
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