, 1889-09-19
BLAIR'S MILLIONS.
He Has Piled Them Up Until He
Gan Scarcely Count
Them.
Stout, Healthy and Vigorous,
Driving About in a Ram
shackle Wagon.


When an examining attorney In re-
cent litigation put to John l. Blair, the
sage of Blairstown, n. j., the question
as to the extent of his wealth, he
blushed, stammered, shufflcd uleasily,
evaded the inquiry and finally blurted
out: 81 believe am worth somewhere
between $4O,OO00O0 and $6O,00OOOO.
That his wealth amounts to no less than
the latter figure to-day is beyond doubt,
though he will never speak of his riches
unless absolutely forced to do SO. Born
eighty seven years ago, the son Of a
struggling farmer, 'lord of his presence
and no land beside" by his own indi-
vidual efforts he has accumulated this
enormous fortune, until he Is now one
of the foremost In Americas coterie of
financial kings. He carries his burden
of years with the ease of vigorous
man of three.score, and conducts his
business with n shrewdnoss and fore
sight that men of half his age may well
envy,
HE HAS NEVER GROWN OLD,
Throughout his entire career John /.
Blair was never in the enjoyment of
better health. nor were all his faculties
more alert than they are to-day. He
lives simply aud unpretcntiously In a
big, old fashioned frame house In the
New Jersey town of which he is sponsor.
On the brow OF low hill, a little back
,,uit, Sf innlasal in,
grounds that arc narrow and i'll kept,
stands the primitive mansion that has
given him shelter through a long period
of his life. There Is not the slightest
suggestion of elegance or display about
the structure, ard while it is comforta-
bly, furnished within, there is nothing
that approaches the ornate.
The man himself is a fitting match
for the mansion. His garments are
biness, while his plug hat belongs to the
familiar species that appear to have
been inssneed of currying ever since anti
bellum days. His scant hair IL snow
white and his entire appearance grotos-
squc, resembling rather tn up.country
was confined principally to his own
orchard and turnip patch than a money
king who every year compasscs 1900
miles OF territory in looking after his
vast railroad interests.
HE RIDES IN A TUMBLE.powS CARRIAGE.
Mr.. Blair's equipage is part of the
man. He seldom drives, generally pre-
ferring to travel afoot, and that at a rate
that leaves most middle aged men
breathless. When bound however for
a distant point, unapproachabe by rail,
he harnesses up sorry looking nag IN II
ram shackle vehicle that saw its best
days quarter of century ago. MIR.
Blair's son, ON the contrary, who is the
sole heir 10 his enormous wealth
lives in magniticence and drives steeds
of great value and beauty.
"Why is it, MIR. BLAIR" friend once
made bold to ask the old gentleman,
that your son rides in such splendid
sia.e was,cbSd whils lsvys9g y9gp jog along in this
"Ah that's easily answered" :" was the
sententious reply; my father wasn't
rich"
UP WITH THE LARK.
His habits OF industry are maryelous
Every morning at half past he may
be found at his deSk-unless, indeed, lie
Is flying away toward Nebraska, or
Iowa, or Kansas, where are located his
chief railway concerns. 1t is nothing to
him to pack his shabby gripsack and set
out for the west at moments notice,
travelling day and night until he
reaches his destination. He rarely re-
tires before 10 or IL o'clock, and his
entire day is devoted to business. Wis.
itors are always kindly received and IL
they come to ask aims he listens pa
ticntly to their tale, and gives as his
Judgment, tempered with charity, die
tatcs.
As a rule, however, he is much bet.
ter talkcr than listener. His convcrsa-
tional powers are enormous, and he Is
often voluble almost 10 garrulity. Yet
his conversation Is clear, concise and
forceful, and he displays no senile for
getfulncss or none of the tendency to
repetition. He has habit of convers-
ing indiscriminately with whomever he
meets, and lie never leaves u railroad
car without having struck up some new
acquaintanceship, be IL with man, wo-
man or child.
HE WAS BORN A BUSINESS MAN.
Blair's commercial instincts cropped
out when he was mere boy. His
parents lived on farm near Belvidcre,
on the Delaware river, near what Is
known as Foul Rift, and here he was
taught at an early age to WELD the hoe
and bind the grain. His first dollar was
earned trapping muskrats and rabbits,
the skins of which he carried to Easton
and sold. He had to walk the entire
distance, twenty miles, to his mart, but
he drove good bargain when he got
there, and II Is one of his favorite dicta
that he felt richer in those days than he
has ever done since. Soon after this he
entered store in Hope as clerk, and q
little later, while yet youth, opened a
diminutive mercantile establishment of
his own at Blairstown, which was then
known as Gravel Hill, and boasted of
but four houses. Even in those early
pigmies because of his business ability,
though his brief stature and smooth face
astonished every one. He tells q story
of how . woman trudged into his store
one day and asked for Mr.. Blair, and
being informed that he stood before her.
gazed In mingled amazement and admi-
ration at the youth, exclaiming, "Why,
what little mite Of a man you be, arter
ALL"
HE BEAT THE CAPTAIN THAT TIME.
Blair knew as we'll how to bargain In
those days as he does now. He came in
through successive prosperity, was soon
running cotton mill. One day during
this period along the New York docks
no came across a ship captain lust ar
rived from New Orleans with cargo of
cotton badly damaged by the heavy seas
he had encountered. He was eager 10
sell out cheap, but Blair appeared reluct-
ant to buy. He pulled off his coat, how
ever, and crawled into the hold where TO
his delight he discovered that the greater
part of the cargo was intact.
II don't want your cotton" he shrcwd-
iy exclaimed us he emerged. "lts too