The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1880-03-11

he is named, intended originally TO enter
upon q professional and political career,
but O somewhat prolonged residence In
Europe aiter be had completed his stu.
dies. diverted him, as It has so many
young Americans, from following his first
and better ambition. Hetfeturned 10 his
home "a lJe3, bringing Wllh,him a. spe.
cial bearer 81 dispatches a celebrated trea-
ty with q foreign government, since be-
came heroic, and afterwards led chiefly
the life OF u private gentleman.
MI. Blaines father was born and reared
in CaIliale, and after an extended tour to
Europe, South America and the West In
dies, returned tospendthe greater portion
OF his life in the, adjoining county Of
Washington, where he died before his
sonlswass fullyl grown He came West
about 1918, ,having the largest landed pos
sessions Of any man OF his age in'Western
Pennsylvania, owning m estate which,
had IL been preserved, would have
amounted to-day TO many millions.
AS q single item III that estate, II may
interest the present generation Of Pitts
burRhersto recall that in 1925 Mr.. Eph'
ram L. Blaine the Senator's fatherl deed
ed 10 the Economics the splendid tract
| 81 land on which their town with all us
improvements and oil It's wealth now
stands The price was $25, 900 for pro-
perry whose value o.dAy, even II unim-
proved, would be a princely fortune
ThIre were also timber tracts on the Al
lepheny, and coal tracts on the Mononga-
hela,i at that day OF no special value,
which now represent large fortunes In the
hands ot those lucky enoughto hold them.
VERY near the large tracts owned by his
father and grandfather, Senator Blaine Is
now the possessor OF one oil the most
valuable coal properties in the Moononga'
hela Valley. In area 1t 10 but o traction
OF that which he might have hoped TO IN
lherit, but In value 1t Is manifold greater
than the whole landed estate Of his father
fifty years ago. saS
| Ii Ia not o matter Of much interest in
political annals, but there ace some still
living who remember that Mr.. Blaine's
father and grandfather were especially
and widely noted rs gentlemen Of great
elegance Of manner and culture. Both
had travelled IN foreign lands in the early
Idays when, travelling abroad was rare;
Ibothwere highly educated, and both had
great deal Of that aristocracy OF bearing
and pride oflamily from which the Sena.
tor Is robustly and cheerfully free. ~
Special pains were taken by MIR. Blatne's
father To give his son thorough intellect.
ual training. He'5was under the best
tutorage in his earliest years, and at the
age Of eleven was sent to Lancaster, Ohio,
| 10 school, where he lived in the family OF
his relative, the Hon. Thomas Ewing, at
that time secretary,ofthe Treasury. Gen.
Thomas Ewing, at present in Congress,
his cousin, and Of the same age, was his
classmate under the.tuition Of an English.
man, named William Lyons, q brother Q!
| the elder Lord Lyons, and uncle OF The
late British Minister at Washington.
| In November, 1913, Mr.. Blaine entered
the Freshman class OF Washington Col
lege, and graduated in September, 1917, al
the age Of seventeen. years and eight
months. InSa class Of thirty-three men,
bers Mr.. Blaine shared the first honors
with John @. Hervey, now Superintend-
ent OF Public Instruction at Wheeling.
4 He was o diligent ambitious student.
specially excelled In mathematics and
Latin, and was marked also for his pro.
ficiency In logic and Political Economy
His college guardian was his uncle, the
Hon. John b. Ewing, atthat time Repre-
sentative in Congress from the Washing
ton District, and who still lives at an ad.
yanced age, witha very lively interest in
the fortunes Of his nephew.