The Portland daily press., 1884-10-14
THE HOOKING VALLEY MAT
TER.


Letter from Lieutenant Governor Ames
of Hlassachusetts Sustaining Mr. Blaine.
Boston, Oct 1.-THE following letter has
been furnished for publication by Lieutenant
Governor Ames:
TO the Editor Of the Boston Daily Advertiser:
Several days ago you published communlcs tion
from j. Henry Brooks, giving copy of letter
written by Mr.. Blaine to NJ Bundy, stating that he
never owned any coal or iron lands in the Hooking
Valley Of Ohio. Mr.. Brooks also gave copy of
receipt given by Mr.. Dennlson as agent, for $780,
0U0 paid by Mr.. Blaine, in subscription for block
in the Hope Furnace tract enterprise, and also
COPY of receipt given by Mr.. Ekins, account of
Mr.. Blaine, for fifty bonds of the Standard Coal
aud Iron Company, in settlement of his subscrip-
tton.
over the country in the press and published as evil
deuce that Mr.. Blaine lied. have no doubt that
MIR. Blaine wrote the letters, and paid
in the $50, 900, and that Mr.. kins receipted for
the bonas. lust as you published tS,a the story:
row and modification. |, as well a. Mr.. Blaine,
a victim of the projectors of this apparently
fore me in glowing colors. The Hope Furnace tract
said to contain about IL OJu acres of the rich
est coal and iron lands in the state of OHIO. A
geological report was made by j. Herry Hunt Civ
ing tine most ose-colored accouRts of the mineral
richness of the tract, and the evidence practical
iron who had visited the section laid before
The protector who brought the matter to nay atten-
tion the grandson of one of the best men ever
knew-a son of one of the most distinguished rail-
was supposed to be successful in all his undertak
inas Aztec consulting with two members of my
tamily agreed to subscribe for s25, ,Ooo block
une-third OF the money did subscribe as agi eed.
Thus, while appeared on the subscription list
an owner of $25,Uu0 really o~ ned but one-third
of it, and furnished but one-third of the money.
Mr. Blaine's letter shows that, although his name
was the list for S25.O0o he only furnished S12-
800 OF the money.
When paid in the money, received receipts
from Mr. Dennison. the agent OF the projected asso
cati n. At the time subscribed, several blocks
had not been TAKEN and to the best of my knowi-
edge they never were taken and paid for. inQuir-
ed several times in regard to it afterwards, and
told that the blocks were not taken and the pur-
chase WAS not completed. Nearly two years elaps-
ed and all had ever received was Mr.. DE nisOn's
sses a iof s Bonds Of be GOA
Iron Company Al par at the rate of Two dollars for
every dollar paid in: This was all could get,
pied it, as understood all the other subscrib
ers had agreed to do.
Ibis is an exact statement Of the transaction as
knew it. The documents published by Mr.. Brooks
show that MIR. Biaine's position was the same as
mite.
These being the facts. 1 say that Mr.. Blaine told
the exact truth when he said he never owned auy
lands in the Hooking Valley. Notwithstanding his
payment OF S25, 600 to Mr.. Dennison he never be-
came the owner of foot Of land in consequence
first, the receipt of MIR. Dennison, and later a
lot of fifty bonds. which, as events have proved
in this matter again reminds of the parable that
b gins. "A certain man journeyed from Jerusalem
to Jericho and fell among thieves" l got stripped
aud so did MIR. Blaine. The receipt for the money
paid in was no certificate of ownership in the lands
Of the Hope Furnace tract. The bonds received
proved not to be valid FIRST mortgage on the prop
erty of the Standard Goal and Iron Company as al
legged, and today have no market value. What Mr.
Blaine actually received for his money was unse
cured and worthless notes Of bankrupt corpora
ton.
have seen it alleged by Mr.. Blaine's defamers
that he also lied about tho ownership of Union Pa
cihc stock. They say he said he never owned Union
Pacific stock, when it proved that hedd own six
Union racifc land grant bonds, and that therefore
he lied VIII any sensible business man say that,
because happen to own bond or nste Of a corpo,
ration, l, therefore, become stockholder in that
corporation? At the risk Of being called s'mental
and moral imbecile,' ] declare that both in the
Hooking Valley matter, and in the matter Of the
Union Pacific stock, Mr.. Blaine told the absolute
truth. Yours truly, OLIVER AMEs