The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1884-10-08
New York Evening Post. |


SHINY attention has recently been called
to statement said to have been made by the
Hen. James G.. Blaine, which substantially
gave the public to understand that he never
at any time had any interest in the Hooking
Valley coal and iron region OF Ohio.
The following was obtained by me from
the Springfield Republican of September
20, 1884.
"MR- BLAINE AND COAL MINES"
THE Republican is indebted to the Utica
Herald for reprinting and calling to our at
tention the following letter from the Repub.
hcan candidate for President in regard to his
coal interests, and which we reproduce with
pleasure. 1t Will be observed that Mr..
Blaines denial covers the ownership of c)al
mining stocks in Ohio as well as OF mines.
BAR HARBoR. Me-, July %, 1ss4
In answer to your recent favor beg to say that
1 am not and never have been the owner OF any
coal lands or iron lands, lands of any character
Ohio. Nor have at any time owned share of
stock in any coal, iron or land company in the
State OF Ohio; Eve years ago loaned sl2.60o 10
the bonds of the company as collateral / shall be
happy to transfer the bonds to any gentleman who
ambitious 1oa 70 pay me DEBT am interested in
but there has never been the slightest trouble with
lsboring men in any enterprise with which have
JAMES i. BLAINE
You will observe from thorough exam
ination of this letter that il it was intended
to mean anything at all. it was especially
forcible in its effort to convey to the public
the impression that the writer was never in
any sense, form or manner, directly or inGi-
rectly, al any time interested in the Hooking
Valley coal and iron region Of the State of
Ohio.
would state in this connection that In
the autumn of 1880 articles of association
were formed, under the title of the "Proprie-
tors of the Hope Furnace Tract" and dated
November 20, 1880, to which the subscribers
became parties thereto, and Mr.. ]. n. Deni-
son was financial agent OF the association,
| and / was the trustee in respect to the
title OF the lands purchased. The
object of said association was to purchase
of Mr.. William d. Lee. of Newark, o., an
| undivided two-thirds interest IN tract of
land consisting OF 10,S10 acres, rich in tim
Der, coal and iron ore. This land was stu
ated in VintOn and Athens Counties, Ohio,
and the purchase was made as oil November
| l, 1880.
These articles of association also provided
that this property should be represented by
thirty-three blocks, each of the value of 3d.
0CO, eleven of which blocks represented Mr..
| Lees undivided third. During the latter
| part OF November Mr.. Lee informed me that
| he was acquainted with Mr.. Blaine and that
| he would like TO have him interested, and
through Mr.. Lees solicitation Hon. James
! G. Blaine signed said articles of association,
subscribing for one block in the association.
On December 7, 1880, MI. J. y. Denison, OF
this city, wrote Mr.. Blaine as follows:
BOSTON. December 7, 1880.
Hon. j. G. Blaine:
DEAR SRI learn from M. Lee that you stand
ready to pay your subscription of share in the
II So should be glad to receive it. with interest
from November !, IN conformit! to the terms OF
| the subscription. Yours truly
(Signed) J. y, DENIsoN,
sc Sears Building
Fearing thatMr. Blaine's remittance might
| have miscarried, the following telegram was
! sent:
BOSTON December Is. 1880.
/ James g. Blaine, Washington. d. c.:
Have you received my letter OF seventh?
! ID. II. 65l) (Signed) J. N. DENlsoS,
Later on the same day letter was received
| from Mr.. Blaine (which was dated erroneous
| " December 80, which should have been dated
December 49,, the following being copy:
''SENATE CHAMBER, WASHINGTON, Dec. SO, 1880.
| DEAR SIR-Find enclosed my draft for $500
| in payment of my subscription 10 the Hope Fu--
mace enterprise.
Touching the enterprise, I have to ask that
| payment 10 be postponed until some matters be-
! tween Mr. Lee and myself are definitely adjusted
"Mr Denison." Csigned) JAMES G. BLA1NE
On receipt Of this letter Mr.. Blaine was
Immediately telegraphed as below:
'sBosToN Dec. Is, 1880.
"Hen. J. G. BLAINE, United States Senate, Wash
Your letter of the 18th received since tele-
graphing you this forenoon.
The d d,s si enclosed S Mr. B IL letter
! was upon Hon. S. B. Elkins, of No. Wall
street, New York, and when its collection
was reported through the customary bank.
iEg channels Mr.. Denison issued a voucher.
! similar TO what was given other subscribers
| when payment was made, which was as fol-
lows:
| Received from James G. Blaine, SIS, 1880, be-
ing payment in full for one share in the associa-
ton formed for the purchase of lands known as
ns HUP o @ 1e in 10 be
changed for certificate when prepared.
| "CSigned) J. N. DESIsoN Agent"
Early in 1882 the Standard Coal ana iron
Company combination was formed for the
general consolidation Of the smaller COM
| panies in the Hooking Valley.
The Hope Furnace Tract Association prop
erty, as represented by these $4,000 shares
or blocks was ultimately merged into or
consolidated with the Standard Coal aud
Iron Company. on the basis of $4,000 at par
of the consolidated company's bonds for a
SIS, 900 block in the Hope Tract.
On the 25th Of May, 1852, / handed to Mr.
s. B. Elkins in his Office at No. ? Wall street.
New York fifty of the Standard Coal and
Iron Company's bonds, to represent Mr..
Blaine's interest in the Hope Furnace Tract
Association, and received from Mr.. Elkins a
voucher, of which the following is a copy:
NEW YORK, May %, 1882
Received of J. Henry Brooks $50. 600 of the first
mortgage bonds of the Standard Coal and Iron
Company, on account of James G. Blaine, mum
bered from 35l to 400 inclusive.
"(Signed) s. B. ELKrSs."
In referring back for a moment to Mr..
Blaine's most extraordinary letter upon this
subject to Hon. H. S. Bundy. written at Bar
Harbor, Me-, under date of July %, 1884, it
will be immediately noticed that either the
original letter or the copy is in error where it
alludes to the Standard Oil Company, as this
should read the Standard Coal and Iron Com
pany.
In closing this statement would beg to
say that when the subscription was made Mr..
Blaine became party thereto. The enclos
ure of the money for payment, the voucher
issued in lieu thereof, all substantiate the
position that the investment was made with
q complete knowledge of its conditions, and
Mr.. Blaine has never to this day made any
statement either to Mr.. Denison or myself
that would permit any other Interpretation
of the case. J. HENRY Brooks.
1877 Sears Building, Boston, Mass, Sep
TENDER %.
| The follouinc conies of the teleleora mo