The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1896-11-08

was in many troubles. He took the ex-
tension off the company's hands and
determined to build it himself
Before winter he had forty miles
done and trains running over it.
When his engineers got to Boonesboro,
on the Des Moines river, they found a
great obstacle. The bluff was 275 feet
high above the river, the river was
1000 feet wide, and 1t would take an
eighty-foot-to-the-m grade to get a
bridge across from the top of the bluff
besides costing 81 900 for bridgs
There was no gully known that would
give them a better approach.
That winter, Mr.. Blair, accompanied
only by a friend, W. w. Walker, start
ed out to find a suitable crossing. The
thermometer stood at 10 below zero
when they began their tramp. For
nearly a week they pushed along,
though the heavy timber and over
rough ground, examining every foot Of
the rivers bank, until finally they found
a ravine forty feet wide, where Honey
creek runs to the river, and this ravine
led to the open country.
7F"E UNION PACIFIC ROUTE.
In 1862 Mr.. Blair, his son, De Witt
Clinton Blair, and Cakes Ames went
West from the terminus of the road to
examine route for the proposed Union
Pacific They determined upon the
route following up the Platte river.
! There was strong influence at work
! for a ST. Louis route, but when the
! matter finally came up, Mr.. Blair, back
| ed by the Pennsylvania Central and
| Pittsburg and Fort Wayne interests.
and the men already mentioned, elected
officers favorable to the Omaha route.
When the building Of the road be-
gan 1t was discovered that freight char
ges for material over existing routes
were enormous. The first freight bill
for 1900 tons Of rails was 1886, 900. Mr.
Blair was appealed to to finish the
Cedar Rapids road, SO that 1t could
| carry this freight. He put 5000 men al
/ work between the end Of that line and
! Omaha, and in nine months the cars
were running over the route. Besides
the big profits which he made in
freights on the material for the Union
Pacific road, Mr.. Blair got 100000
acres Of land in Iowa as premium fol
finishing his own road.
He next took up the finishing Of the
Iowa Falls and Sioux City road, which
was in financial difficulties. He got q
land grant of 100000 acres as premium
for that work Then followed the build
| ing Of the Sioux City and Pacific road
from Sioux City to Omaha, striking
the Cedar Rapids road but little
way from Council Bluffs, and the build
ing of the Blair cutoff, which crosses
the river from Missouri Valley junction
on the Chicago and Northwestern. anc
runs to Blair, Neb. and strikes the
Union Pacific at Fremont. He got GAO,
600 acres more of land for building thi:
road.
SYSTEMATIC Development.
The state Of Nebraska had offered
premium of 100000 acres Of land in the
Niobrara valley to anyone who Woule
build a railroad up to that valley. Mr.
Blair got that land by building hnt
ten miles long from Fremont. He added
to the line at his leisure afterward
His general system in building an(
operating railroads was to build TO
cash. get all the land premiums, Shel
lease them for about a third of thei
earnings, and afterward sell them Whel
he got ready. A few years ago he sol'
out 81, 900, 900 worth Of Northwestern
stock, packed the money in couple o
gripsacks, just as Hetty Green does
and brought it in person to the Parl
bank to save the cost of exchange.
An instance of Mr.. Blair's immediat
command over large sums of money
or that which could be readily convert
ed into money, occurred in suit OF hi
former partner, John B. Alley, TO
So, 100000. Mr.. Blair was not read.
when the case came TO lTlal anu IL
requested an adjournment. The law
yers on each side argued, and in tn
end the judge granted an adjournment
but ordered that a bond double tn
amount of the alleged claim should b
filed
1.-THE bond required will be s5,0o0.00C
I understand said Mr.. Blair. MI
, | Alleys chief attorney assured MI
Blair that he had not overestimate'
the amount.
81 supposed that something OF tina
. sort would be required and brough
1t along" said Mr.. Blair.
He opened black bag and handle
the judge s5,ooO,OO0 in government
bonds.
: These will do, suppose" he sal
!, to the judge.
II think So" responded the judge
when he had finished counting 10
$50. 600 bonds But" the judge added
s'I shall make you custodian Of then
with the distinct understanding tina
none of them shall be used while
part of the bond"
, your honor need not fear that,
said Mr.. Blair These bonds are som
, that / shall have no use for while thi
matter LIS pending"
! A TASTE OF POLITICS.
Mr.. Blair has taken an occasions
J venture in politics, and in 1866 was Re
publican candidate for governor O
New Jersey. A tacit understandin