Manchester Democrat. [volume] (Manchester, Iowa) 1875-1930, 1908-12-30
yassed tho county, promising the pse.

pie If they would favor the building
OF Court House, the structure would,
be completed and paid for without
the levy of a special tax. That prom
Use was large factor in the contest
which resulted in favor of the build
ing the Court House, and that
promise was Loyalty Kept.
Mr.. Blair practiced law in Man
chester from 1858 until 1895, when
he was elected judge of this district,
position which he held for twelve
years.
During his 81 years practice as a
lawyer in this county, Judge Blair
took leading part in many notable
trials. In the case of Wood against
the Chicago, Milwaukee & ST. Paul
Railway company, he succeeded in
settling the law for all time in this
state in reference to failure on
the part of a railway company to
furnish cars for future shipments CT
| property when ordered by shipper
from the agent of the company at
the initial point of shipment. This
decision not alone settled the law
on that subject in Iowa, but also in
several 4other states, whose supreme
Courts have cited and followed the
Wood case.
The most important and far reach.
ing Ease however, in which Judge
| Blair, or any other lawyer in this
part of the state ever engaged, was
the case in the United Safes Circuit
court brought by the Barbed Wire
combine-the Washburn & Moen
| Manufacturing company and Isaac L.
Elwood against the Beat En- All
BarL.d Wire company and others
In that case, Judge Blair was the
principal attorney for the defendants
and they won over the Barbed Wire
Combine in the Circuit Court, which
was the Combines first defeat il
this state, and we think its first de
feat anywhere.
At the time this Beat En- Al
Barb Wire case was being ried there
were number of similar cases pend
ing in this and other states, ant
the decision brought the Combine Il
its knees. 1t proposed terms of set
tlement in all pending cases, and on
Of the terms was rduction in royal
lty on wire made under its patent
from 20 cents to 5 cents per hundre
pounds. This favorable offer was az
ceped by the defendants everywher
and its immediate effect was a redut
, ton of at least Is cts on every hun
= bred pounds wire used in this cour
try This reduction alone meant
saving of millions to the consumer
, of barbed Wire in the United State:
between the time when these settle
, mants were made and the expiratio
of the Glidden patent, under whic
, all of these cases were brought.
In everything of beneficial natur
Judge Blair can be relied upon I
do more than his share. He took
leading part in starting the movamel
which resulted in the constructlo
OF the Manchester & Oneida railwa
' ard has been director in the comps
Ivy and one of is loyal supporter
ever since the line was built.
fl We feel justified in saying of Judg
Blair that no lawyer Of this count
! ever enjoyed the confidence of HI
> clients in niger degree than he ha
f general satisfaction than he did an
no man tries harder than he does
+ be of use to the community in whic
he lives. And we feel assured thu
: he has fully merited the magnificer
: and costly loving cup presented
him by the Aetna Insurance compan
d The cup is sterling silver, artisticall
e designed with three large handles al
J. holds five and one-quarter pints.