Idaho semi-weekly world. [volume] (Idaho City, Idaho Territory) 1875-1908, 1888-02-14
AN ECCENTRIC NAso1.
How John I. Blair Manufactured Money
When Ho Needed It.

How John I. Blair Manufactured None
. When He Need ed It.
Soon after the Delaware, Lackawann
& Western railroad was extended owe
the Pocono mountains into the Lacka
wanna valley, John l. Blair, the ecccn
trio millionaire OF Blairstown. N. j.
came to Scranton every month to pa,
portion of the railroad men. TIL,
vehicle from which he distributed casl
was lumber wagon, which was draw
from one part of the road to anothe
by team of old plugs. Mr.. Blai
liked to circulate the bills of his Blairs
town bank as far away from home a.
possible, and the most of his payment.
were made in his own bank notes
Whenever he ran out of money he put
a board across the deep wagon box,
hauled lot OF sheets of unsigned bank
notes out of his iron trunk, sat down
on the bottom of the wagon, and be-
| gan to make more money by placing
his peculiar autograph on the crisp
notes.
Moses Taylor. who was one of the
heaviest stockholders in the road, came
to Scranton frequently. Nothing about
the road and the shops and mines
escaped his eagle eye. and one day he
noticed Mr.. Blair making money on
the board. He watched the process for
a while. and then he stepped up to the
wagon and said to Mr.. Blair:
John l.. have you any idea how
large circulation your bank has gotp"
'Guess we amt got cent more in
circulation than we kin redeem in spe-
Gle. Your bank dom have to ask more
than once for gold for our bills, does
itP We amt turnin' out any more n
we've got the metal to back up, are
wcp" squeaked Mr.. Blair, continuing
to sign.
Several years ago each freight train
on the road had a crew Of conductor
and three brakemen. Mr.. Blair saw
chance to economic by taking one
brakeman from each freight train, and
he caused an order to be issued to that
effect In consequence OF this the con-
dnctors were obliged to assist in switch
shS Vol y, anu Dtiolo lne tHu vi tut YEAR
number OF them had been injured
Sne shockingly profanc conductor had
Goth legs cut off while he was making
up his train in the Scranton yard one
day. He laid the accident to Mr.. Blair
after he became conscious, and he swore
fearfully about Mr.. Blair's penulious-
ness up to within few minutes of his
death.
At his church in Blairstown one Sun
day Mr.. Blair placed his old-fashioned
silk hat in the end Of paw next to
the aisle and went to another part Of
the church to seat people. While he
was away a very fat old woman. who
was not n regular attendant, waddlcd
In and helped herself to seat without
looking to see whether there was any
thing in the pew or not She sat right
down on the millionaire's hat. but she
WHOLLY unconscious of the fact, and she
continued to sit there until Mr.. Blair
had finished his duties. Then he be-
gan to search for his plug, and when
he got to the fat woman he looked dis
couraged. He peercd into several
pews in front of her. and then he went
back and asked her to rise. She did
SO, and there was the hat rs fiat ns a
hapjack. Mr.. Blair struggled with his
emotions ms he held up the ruined tile.
and the fat woman was so embarrassed
she couldn't utter word. Looking
her straight in tho face and holding the
hat at arms length, Mr.. Blair said:
'God bless you, my good woman. -
~ y Sun