Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1882-03-22
BLAINE, OF MAINE.
His Recent Visit to Pittsburgh, and
What it Means.
His Coal and Coke Investments Birth
pIace-The Western Union and the
B.& 0.-History of the Suit
The Probable Result.
THE EC0MING HANG MANS DAY.


Special Correspondence OF the Register.
PITTSBURGH, March 30.-One OF the prin
ciple topics OF conversation in this city
during the past week was the visit OF Hon.
James G. Blaine. The distinguished ex
Premier arrived Tuesday morning and re-
mained in this vicinity until Friday. Some
said his coming had something 10 do with
certain railroad schemes. others that it was
to take the first trip on new steamer
bearing his name. Others that he merely
came 10 visit the scenes OF his bOyhood
days. still others held that he came to look
after some real estate OF which he is the
owner, and others yet advanced quite dif-
fercnt theories. The following facts will
explain, circumstantially at least, the OBJ
iect of the Maine statesman's visit: Mr..
Blaine is the owner OF large tracts OF coal
lands in Fayette and Washington counties,
OF which latter he is native. While here
he was the guest of Mr.. Andrew Carnegie,
whom, it will be remembered, is one OF the
principal figures in the coke syndicate re-
Gently formed Coke is made from coal
Mr.. Blaine owns large tracts of coal lands
and why should he not engage in the coke
business? He is q friend of Mr.. Carnegie.
and why should he not
Join the Syndicate.
1t is whispered that be has, and this was
the object of his visit at the present time.
One who prctends to know says that the
| shares of stock of the coke syndicate allOt.
ed in the application for charter to Mr..
| Henry Phipps were really held for Mr..
! Blaine. and that the late Secretary advanced
| the money for them. 1t is also asserted,
! although there seems TO be no good ground
| iOr the report, that the ex.Secretary has
| been secretly engaged in operations IN
coke for number of years, and that his
| profits thercfrOm have been very large.
| BE this rs il may, it is pretty evident that
! he means 10 embark III that business.
/ Much of his Washington county property
| is not accessible at present, from lack
! OF railroad facilities, but II he can SUCCEED
| in making arrangements with the Fits
burgh and Lake Erie to run branch
| through it, shafts will be sunk and the
coal placed upon the market Since these
lands were purchased 10y their present
owner, they have advanced in value over
| 500 an acre, and were they tu be sold to-
day James q. would pocket "a profit OF
over one hundred thousand dollars, which
proves that he has an eye To- business us
| well as politics.
BIninc's birthplace.
As II have said Mr.. Blaine is 4 native Of
Washington county. aCOunty which claims
the name OF "thc birthplace OF statesmen
| The house in which he was born, near the
village OF West Elizabeth, is still stand
| ing and was visited by him
last Wednesday. Blaine remained in the
| county and State Of his nativity until after
he came TO be man, and was educated at
Washington College. There are many men
still living in that region who well remem-
Der him aN youth, and who relate many
stories concerning the now statesman. His
mother was Catholic, and James was ac-
CustOmcd to walk to church with her. but
| IL is said he could never be induced to 80
inside, alwav, leaving her at the door and
returning for her after service. Shortly
after his graduation he went to the State
| nf Maine. where he has since made his
/ ner highest hnnorS. What he might have
become in Pennsylvania is impossible to
say. His political inc!inatiOns would GER
tainly have won recognition for him,
and If events had made him
candidate, Pennsyh ania certainly has
more weight than Maine in presidential
race.
A very important case was argued brfJ r.
Judges Mckennan and Acheson, in the
United States circuit court, in this city,
FlIua! iasl; he caS' was 'iiaI ol tlic NeS'-
e.H Gi. mon lrirE!aPT NIlhP9nE against M Mthc
6aitlillore al" pi'l" u haIrod company, Tue
at'souIsh an" ,"li'tl'Sn ne i'ai'T,'iu IT. ."Ii
Pans anu nv try A"'e ei'c"h mon lctesI"P'l
c coiiPah!' me P"ih'S "t '"c Ease are as
ToiIrood Cnn,,n, @ ~" "u D.a,o
I'll, H. 49,, = f',I ''',n S',', ',
many a,v,ng Tho r.,, ,,,., T,Lo ,nIn
PanS, 5ls 5olnss -, 't'' - ';.j ,''e &c
their road from Cumberland Mi.. to Pitts
burgb and %rnn,in., Ih,n, ,I, ,.,.>.,lnsiys'
right OF way and privilege If conducting Il
general telegraph bu.iucs, ;.2ugs their line
of road between the two rp;n', named. This
contract was observed .utiI 4 few wears
since when the Baltimore ard ohio road
transgressed il and gave rac american
Union company tn. rjl@,g - conduct a
| business along their lin, Tn" American
Union being absorbed bv the Western
| Union this breach Of runt-.C. hadno effect
A little later, hrwc,cr the L. \ o. tele.
graph company was organized and an
office was opened in this city. The West
| ern | mon company demonstrated against
this breach OF contract upon the part ofthe
railroad company. the result of which was
that the latter company cut the wires Of
the telel raph company. thus fnrcbly cirrt-
ing il from their rrupprty. The Western
Union company immediately applied for a
preliminary Injunction restraining the B.
O. company from such interference
with their business. and praying
that ihe faithful n.rinrmancr of the
contract nf ISGi hr enforced The
Injunction Wa. Granted
bv 1r5rc N,To,r,u -os,,.ir,, IN tho
ciosin, of ,La orir, ,f ,hn y &. a ,.lrgronb
on,,',1',T ,,,,,tinr y,a. tGen ,n,3, hv
fP'tt%I,;. 7. r., ,onor,i ,a,to;,n- -;
ueo. SUtf ,l;tiaa,in,, -; I
the ID: .. 49,, ,n. nD'.iI., ',c M
lunC'lon' ms W"2 "'Ht'Y' !i5u'n
frlday last john Mctieve. ~: junior
counsel for The i'. ~ .. opened thG case -!
strong speech. arguing that the charter
OF 1o6i wa void mn account OF its "cx-
elusive feature. He held that a railroad
was the natural route Of telegraph line,
indeed, that II was impossible that line
could be successfully operated elsewhere.