Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1884-10-25

| interest IN the spencer rIfe, winch rlne ne
vainly tried to get the government to purchase
Failing in this he induced Mr.. Blaine to go to
Washington and lay it before the War De-
partmeut. Mr.. Blaine succeeded, and was
paid by Mr.. Fisher 900 in money and
s2O. 900 in stock of the Spencer Rifle Co.. to
be paid out of the profits. Mr.. Fisher made
lots of money out of the contracts. This
was before Mr.. Blaine wac in Congress.
THE LITTLE Rock ENTERPRISE.
Years afterward the State of Arkansas gave
q magnificent land grant to the Little Rock &
Fort Smith railroad, and the road appeared
in Congress for certain legislation. Their
bill went through the Senate by unanimous
| vote and came down to the House. When
| there some one tackled on as an amendment
some other scheme. which would have defeat
ed the bill. The man who had charge of the
Little Rock bill vas in great distress, and
asked Mr.. Blaine what he should do to save
his bill Mr.. Blaine told him to raise point
of order that the amendment was not ger
name to the bill The point of order was
raised and Mr.. Blaine, as Speaker, sustained
| it Everybody says Mr.. Blaine did the right
thing; no one criticises the ruling. Mr..
Blaine at the time had no interest in the bill,
nor did he ever expect to; neither did any of
his friends.
Some months after Mr.. Warren Fisher
took a contract TO build the road on most
favorable terms. He was backed up by strong
list of subscribers--one of the strongest
ever seen in Boston-and Mr.. Blaine took an
interest on precisely the same terms as the
other subscribers, as his letters to Mr.. Fisher
show. 1t also appears that Mr.. Blaine
undertook to place some of the securities
among his friends in Maine on private terms.
- Dlns- tnI alra
profit for himself 1t also appears that he
loaned S25, 900 of his borrowed money to the
promoters of the enterprise Suddenly,
without notice to his friends. Mr.. Fisher
sold out this contract to JOSIAH Caldwell, and
the enterprise was ruined. Mr.. Blaine now,
like the honest man that he is, went to his
Maine friends and took back the securities
he had sold them. and paid them back their
money. No man who traded with Mr. Blaine
has ever found fault with him; it is only the
truly good outsiders, who can't appreciate
honest dealing, that complain. The result
to Mr.. Blaine was modification. and the loss
of over 500, 900 This was the financial result
of his Fort Smith investment.
In 1872 Thomas A. Scott of Pennsylvania
became president of the Union Pacific rail
road when it was in great financial distresss
He claimed to have been of great service to
the company. The company paid no salary
at that time to its president. Mr.. Scott pre-
vailed on the executive committee to pur-
chase of him lot of Little Rock bonds at a
price above their market valne, as a reward
for his extraordinary services. Some time
afterwards, Mr.. j. S. C. Harrison, govern
ment director of the Union Pacific, was
looking over the affairs of the company, and
his attention was called to these Little Rock
nv hot
theV thought these might have been Mr..
Blane's bonds Mr.. Harrison was a great
friend of Governor o p. Morton, of Indiana,
who was an aspirant for the Presidency.
Mr.. Blaine at this time was the leading
candidate and the most popular republican in
the country. There was no chance for Mr..
Morton unless Mr.. Blaine could be retired.
Mr.. Morton, through his friends, instigated
the investigation of 1876.
Now WAS MULLIGANs OPPORTUNITY.
He gathered the letters of Mr.. Blaine, and
those written bv Mr.. Fisher at his instigation
and started for Washington. He said before
he started that Jim Blaine should never be
Presid, mt of the United States if he could
help it, Mr.. Elisha Atkins was present at
the interview between Mr.. Blaine, Mr. Fisher
and Mr.. Mulligan, in Mr.. Fishers rom,
when the matter of the letters was discussed.
He saws that Mr. Rlaine was very calm and
Mr Mulligan was very angry, He says that
Mr. Blaine went from Mr., Fishers room to
Mr. Mulligans rooms, and shortly came back
with the letters MIR Rlaine was very calm
and showed no signs of excitement. Mr..
Blaine said to Mr.. Fisher. These letters be-
long to vou or me Mr. MuIlioan mas M
right TO Them. and propose TO keen them +"
Mr. Fisher made no objection Then Mr.
Blaine handed them to MIR. Atkins and re-
ouested him to read them. TO see if tbev were
bad Mr. Atkins declined tn receive them or
resd them. and Mr. Rlainp took them awav
Afterwards Mr. Blai,e read them in the
House of R,pres.ntstiyes
MIR Fisher ia known To many of Won
am told nv those who knew him whom be had
ia M, tho man no onco ,bat ha - hroior