The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1896-09-02
JOHN |. BLAIR, AGED "a
BORN IN 1902, HE HAS SHIFTED FOR
HIMSELF SINCE HE WAS II.
He Is Now Worth from $50, 900 to
S5O,00O,OOO, and Is Spending His
Old Age in Simplicity.

ANlACly-lOoA SCoAS . NONo NS
Blair saw the light OF the world on a farm
two miles below Belvidere, in this State.
Friends began to call on him before 10
o'clock this morning, and congratulations
were pressed upon him in person and by
messenger and post until after nightfal.
1t had been intended TO hold a public dem
onstration in Mr.. Blair's honor, but he
| would not consent. He does not so out
of the house often now, and spends most
of the time in sleeping. He is especially
interested in politics and enjoys having the
papers read to him.
Mr.. Blair, who is reputed to be worth
from $50, GOO, 600 to $50, coo, 000. was compelled
by the death of his father to shift for him.
self from the time he was fourteen, and to
contribute to the keeping of his mother,
| seven brothers and three sisters. He
worked as a boy and young man seven
years in a store kept by a kinsman. He
then removed to what is now Blairstown,
then in d half wilderness, and opened a little
general store of his own with d few hun
dred dollars he had saved and borrowed.
John L. Blair prospered then and always
since. He soon had two stores, then three.
four, five, and presently a dozen. He ac-
cumulated u capital by trading and land
dealing. This capital he used in railroad
building, chiefly in Iowa and Nebraska
His general D1an was to buiid a llne
through a partially developed section, per-
Slade the people along the line to SubSidize
it by issuing county and city bonds suffi-
cient, or nearly sufficient, to buiIG the road,
the work being done by a construction com
pany which was owned by Nh. Blair. Bonds
would be issued on the work done and
stock equal in amount to the bond would
be turned over to Mi. BAR as the COM
pany.
BROUGHT HIS BOND ALONG.
Mr.. Blair has been president of sixteen
railroads, and IN this business he made his
extraordinary fortune. 1t is chiefly ia
mines, lands, railroad shares and govern
ment bonds. An Instance of his
over immense Sums of money or things
Immediately convertible into cash occurred
in a suit of his former partner, John B.
Alley, for $1,000, 900.
Mr. Blair was not ready when the case
came to trial, and requested an adjourn
ment. The corps of lawyers on each side
argued. and in the end the judge granted
a postponement, but ordered that a bond
double the amount Of the alleged claim
should be filed.
unders and" said Mr.. Blair. Mr.. Alleys
chief a torney Immediately assured Mr..
Blair tt he had not overstated the
amount.
i supposed that something of that sort
would be required. replied Mr.. Blair, and
1 brought it along
Mr.. Blair opened q black bag and handed
the judge So, 000,0 600 in government bonds.
"IheSe Will 40, L suppose ne SAID.
Il think So" responded the judge, when
he had finished counting one hundred 500, 900
bonds. But the judee added. II shall
make you custodian of them with the dis
tinct understanding that none of them shall
be used while a part of the bond"
Your Honor need not fear that" said
Mr.. Blair. These bonds are some that l
shall have no use for while this matter is
pending"
sonable distances. When, however, he needs
a vehicle. he has harnessed up an aged
nag to a chaise that was plain when it was
new in the seventies. His only son lives in
sumptuous style at Belvidere. He has eight
horses in his stables and handsome equip
''Why is it, Mr.. Blair" a friend asked
the old gentleman, that your son rides in
a fine turnout while you jog along like
this?"
Well. you see. I never had the ad-
vantage of a rich father he said, dryly.
Mr.. Blair has taken an occasional ven
ture in politics. and in 1866 was Republican
candidate for Governor of New Jersey. a
tacit understanding seemed to exist that he
was to furnish the cash, and the politicians
would do the rest. He was badly beaten.
He took his defeat good-humoredly, and
said that it reminded hir7 of the man who
drove a lot of hogs from St. Louis, where
were high.
cago with his hogs, said MIR. Blair, the
hog market had twisted around SO that
Chicago. The man said that he didn't
make much money out of the transaction,
but he had the society of hogs.
Well added Mr.. Blair. L am like that
fellow: / haven't been elected Governor,
but l have had the society of the hogs
A KEEN BUSINESS MAN.
Mr.. Blair was never known 20 nave been
bested in a business transaction but once.
About twelve years ago he determined to
invest some money in Kansas City real
estate. In looking over the field he fell in
with a sharp, pushing real estate speculator
1900 Cl,aFcr To oil noo Clafor
was a man after the millionaire's own
heart, and so he engaged him to secure
every piece of unimproved property in and
near Kansas City that could be bought at
a reasonable figure.
Having competed his arrangements with
Shafer. Mr.. Blair returned East, and when
ever Shafer purchased a piece of real es-
tate he would write to his employer for the
amount be had agreed to pay, and Mr..
Blair would send him a draft. Things ran
along smoothly for several months, and
then one day Mr.. Blair received informa-
ton hat made him pack his valise and
in Kansas City, it did not take him long
to find out that Shafer had swindIed him
s.. 900 he would write to Mr.. Blair to send
$500. and in this way he had already
man. After learning how he had been viz
timized. Mr.. Blair lost no time in having
Shafer arrested. Then Shafer tried TO
frighten Mr.. Blair. but his threats only
made him more determined than ever.
The affair caused great excitement in
Kansas City. but Mr.. Blair stuck to his
text. and after a while Shafer became so
desperate that ne hired a desperate to kill
Mr.. Blair, but he was unsuccessful.
Shafer agreed TO restore the money he
had stolen if Mr.. Blair would withdraw
the criminal charges, but the latter de-
clined this proposition and left Kansas
City with Shafer under heavy bonds. Mr..
BIair's relatives urged him TO settle the
case, inasmuch as Shafer was repentant
and willing TO restore all he had stolen.
but his reply was:
DO you suppose / would settle with that
scoundrel now on any condition whatever?
Not by a jugful! The wretch tried TO get
a ruffian TO kill me out there, and the
wretch came plaguev near doing it, too.
and If it cost me an even million, | will
hang to Shafer till / see him behind the
bars of the State prison.
Shafer was convicted, and pending a new |
trial he forfeited his bonds and has not
been seen in Kansas City since.
MIR. Blair has handsomely endowed an
at Blairstown. which bears his