The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1896-11-08
THE SAINT PAUL GLOBE. SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 8. 1soo.

to connect It with the outer world. Up to
1875 Blairstown was nowhere in particular.
except that II was eleven miles from Della
ware station. on, the Delaware. Lackawanna
and Western road.
Mr.. Blair built road to Delaware station
out OF his own funds, getting contributions OF
the right OF way from the farmers
the seboo Sn9 rosa TOR my family and for
1t Just to keep my hand In" lie sold the
road after. right OF way and ALL attaching
an agreement that two trains a day must be
run over It as long as he lived. 1t Is part Of
through route now. He contributed
toward the building of more than q hundred
churches In the towns which grew up along
his railroads.
His great pleasure Is in conversation. and
ne knows many persons. 1t Is said OF him
that II he made one trip over q railroad he
would make the acquaintance of every con-
ductor and brakeman on the road.
lie has been always as care free as he was
Tree from physical ailments. and would at
any moment throw off all thoughts of busi-
events, even IL these related only to the local
doings In Blarstown
Railroad travel has been a delight to him.
when he was close to ninety years old, he
failed on one occasion to get home for sew
erai days after he had left this city for
Blairstown. When he did return he ex-
piained that on the way he had thought of a
uttle matter which needed attention in Chi
cago' ana mad gone there to attend to it.
VAS MINI III LOVERS.
In 1883, in company with Mr. and Mrs.
John D. Vail, Mr.. Blair visited many parts
OF Europe and wrote some interesting letters
about what he saw to the Blairstown local
paper Between Mr. Blair's house and the
academy is the lovers walk OF the town.
sixty years ago. when the grist mill was
Dullt, mill race was dug along the edge OF
the academy hill. The brook follows alone
the other hill, and between them they inclose
pretty meadow, with the mill at one end
ana the mill pond at the other. Mr.. BlaiI
quilt walks along the hillside and supplied
benches and 1t is the pleasure resort of the
town. On the top of the embankment
thrown up for the mill race great trees have
grown. One, a butterwood, Is three feet
through. Fifty-seven years ago one of his
daughters, coming home from boarding
school in Philadelphia, with two of her
sehoolmates. carved the initials of all three
on one Of the trees. The marks are still
visible.
Until within the last five or six years Mr.
Blair was the savings bank for his neigh
bors. He had about $4,000 deposited with
He Is still president of the Belvidere bank,
vice president OF the Kansas City and South
ern railway, a director of the New York
Susquehanna and Western, Green Bay Wi
mona and ST. Paul, Bangor and Portland rail-
road companies, and of a number of smaller
companies. He Is also trustee Of Princeton
college.
The firm Of John I. Blair & Co. will be re-
membered in Chicago in connection with Its
financial affairs as having purchased at a
handsome premium some three years ago one
entire issue Of s5,00O,0O0 of sanitary district
long before the district needed the money and
in advance of the stipulation of the sale. II
is said the firm made handsome profit in re.
selling the bonds.