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PITTS3URG PHIL AND HIS CAREER. The story of Pittsburg Phil George E. Smith and his eventful career has been rehearsed over ami over again, yet the relating of his wonderful luck never loses interest. He was employed by the Armstrong Cork Company, located on the banks of the Allegheny River at the foot of Twenty-third street, this city. He was a frequenter of Prices poolroom, then in operation on Fifth avenue, a few doors below the Grand Opera House, where he made only moderate wagers for a long time. He seemed to have excellent judgment and much luck iu picking the winners almost from the start. He did not try to "beat" every race, but would wait until what he felt sure was a "good thing," and then play for what lie could stand. Many days he would not make a wager. After ho had got on his feet, as the saying is when we get the money, lie made the purchase of King Cadmus, the son of Kingfisher and Carlta, with a view of entering racing as an owner himself. Smith, it is said, made a "killing" of between , 000 and 00,000 in one race with this horse. He was not very fortunate iu winning with his own horses, but did so on other peoples. Smith was slender, sniooth-shaveii, and about thirty years old when lie began his racing career, and looked mare like a young clergyman than a race horse backer and owner. He had so much luck and won so much money that he found Pittsburg too small a town for him to operate in although at that time Pittsburg had some high rollers along that lino, so he went to New York, where he could be in closer touch with the horses themselves, as well as be able to get larger bets down than he could here, and get better odds for his money at the same time. Luck followed him, and soon he became known as one of the great plungers of the turf. Some one dubbed him "Pittsburg Phil," and the name stuck to him always. For a long time lie was considered one of the best judges of "form" In the east. Ho gave "touts" a wide berth, and depended mostl- on his eyesight and judgment. He would sit in the grandstand, watch the horses warm up in the exercise just before coining to the post, and then he bet on what he liked. In one season he is credited with having won 40.-000. Then he branched out, bought horses and ran them in his own name. Then his luck turned, and several times he was reported as ruined, but up he would bob again. In the early part of the season of 1S91 he had a run of ill luck, and lost, it is said. 25,000. The winnings of most plungers are much exaggerated, but Phil won dn King Cadmus all that is claimed. He bought the colt at the Belmont sale in 1S00 for ,000, and told his friends that he had secured a bargain, and when he would tell anything his people knew he was not far wrong. He did not hurry the youngster, and sent the colt to Saratoga in charge of bis brother AVill, who trained Phils horses. At the Spi nigs he ran twice, lieing third once and unplaced the other time. When he went down state to Morris Park, King Cadmus showed speed in lias races, but failed to win right off. King Cadmus, however, managed to catch the judges eye once, and then he paid up for losing times. Not many days after that, if 1 remember aright, Phil made a bet of 0,000 with a man in the Hoffman House. New York, on a race to be run the next day or a few days later, each taking a certain horse, and Phil won. It is said his estate was worth over ,000,000, the majority of which was in gilt-edged stocks and property; the bulk of this went to his mother, but his brother AAilliam. it seems, got a. goodly portion, with the stipulation lie must not bet on the horses. Pittsburgh Dispatch.
