, 1889-09-19

money back by hook or crook. In less
than two mouths he had gone into n
coal pool and cleared exactly 10000
Blair then announced himself satisfied
but vowed he would never again run for
office. He, however, succumbed so far
mittee, which position he has held for
some years. Not one of his committee
men display half tho rigid economy IN
managing the towns affairs that charac-
terizes his conduct.
STORY OF THE HOGS.
Blair served as delegate to the last
republican national convention at
Chicago, and while there told II clever
story apropos to his candidacy for tho
governorship, "You see," said lie, ~
was loft pretty much in tho position of
the man who drove his hogs afoot TO
market In order to save freight. He had
when he reached his destination the
porkers had grown so thin from the wear
and tear of travel that they sold for less
than hall. their original worth. He saw
his mistake, but there was a rift in the
cloud, for he could console himself by
saying: %, we'll lost my money, but
then l had tho company of the hogs
That just about the way felt aft,r my
defeat, for through II all had the COM
pany of the hogs.'
HE MAKES ILLEGIBLE HEN TRACKS.
If chirography indicates character, as
Is alleged, 1t would require true seer to
determine from Mr. Blair's chiroglyphics
what manner OF man he Is. To the
average man " is entirely indecipher-
able, and good story Is told OF how the
penman himself was once unequal to the
task of fathoniing its meaning. 1t was
long ago, when Mr.. Blair was playing
the role of merchant in his native town.
one day he sent an order for merchandise
to New York; but, as his scraw was per.
fectly illegible, 1t was returned to him
some days later for an explanation,
Blair, failing TO recognize the order,
puckcd his brow. turned it this way and
that, sidewiso and upside down, in an
effort to determine what is meant, and
then in despair exclaimed, "What is all
this about? can't make II out"
When reminded il was II bit of his own
penmanship he glanced over II again,
and exclaimed, hastily, tut, tut: 80
the New Workers couldn't read 1t, hey2
It's as plain US the nose on your facc.''
BLAIR AS A PUBLIC BENEfACToR.
A big share of MIR. Blair's wealth has
been literally dispensed. Princeton and
Lafayette colleges have each received
$4,000 from his iicence, and over
S2Oo; 900 has been expended upon Blair
Hall, large boarding school which he
founded near his home, where improve
mcnts are now being made that will
wife died u year ago, and he has one
child, ID. q. Blair of Belviderc. His
fellow townsmen are very proud Of him,
and on. August %, his s7th birthday,
rendered him rousing ovation.
HE ORGANIZES \ BIG RAILROAD.
AT the age OF 30 MIR. Blair was deemed
a wealthy man. AT the age Of 30 his
wealth had increased q hundred fold
largely through has great railroad inter.
csts. His first achievement was the
opening of the Delaware, Lackawannu
x Western railroad, which required some
Of the shrewdest work OF his life, The
Morris * Essex company fought bitterly
against him, bpt they were outwittcd
neatly. Blair had surveyed the route,
bought the right of way and filed his
survey mt Trenton just one hour in ad-
vance of his rivals, He is the only origi.
nal director OF this company living. and
at each annual election his name heads
the list. Nu
WHERE HE MADE BIG MONEY.
In later years Blair has been engaged
| extensively I'M Western railroad opera
tions, and the great bulk of his wealth
uttIl bulltN III lOWd, NiltIt tlltTt
are now more miles of railroad laid than
in any other state of the Union, except
one. In 1864 the Sioux City Il Pacific
railroad was organized by Morris X.
| Jcssup, Platt Smith and 9th.
ers, with Mr.. Blair as its presi-
dent and largest stockholdor. The
prominence OF Iowa as an agricultural
district, and her peculiar need of rail
roads for settling the almost uninhabited
tract gave the work great boom, and
| the business was SO shrewdly manipu-
lated that for 81 expended the incOrpora-
tors received back $5 IN securities. The
profits from this road have been cnor
| nous, and won Blair fame as well as for.
tune. The great Blair bridge across the
Missouri river, erected at II cost OF
81, 800, 600 is one of his achievements
and the town OF Blair, III Nebraska, is
another Iamesakcg
| BCTIDs RAtLRONps JUST FOR FUN.
Mr.. Blur's latest railroad enterprise
was his building and equipping from his
own purse hity,mile railroad In Mis-
souri,, with Kansas City as its terminus
In 1876, solely for his own convenience
in travelling during the centennial MIR.
Blair built an cleyen-mile road from
Blairstown to Delaware, n. j., which is
still In occasional use.
His wealth is principally invested in
railroad and bank stock, iron mines
slate quarrics and Western real estate.