Newark evening star and Newark advertiser., 1910-10-03
RUFUS BLODGE7T
SUCCUMBS AFTER
A GALLANT FIGHT
Former u. S. Senator Passes
Away at His Long Branch
Home.
ILL TWO MONTHS, BUT
WOULD NOT GIVE UP
State Loses One of Its Most
Useful and Universally
Respected Citizens.
lspeclal 10 the Newark star.l

Especial to the Newark star.1
LONG BRANCH, Oct. 3.--Ex-
Senator Rufus Blodgett, for many years
one of the States foremost political Iig-
ures, and for the pas. 26 years head
of the New York and Long Branch rail
road, died today at a. M, following an
illness at his home of over two months.
The cause of death was general do
bility complicated with severe attacks
of rheumatism.
For many nights past the senator mas
refused to undress and go to bed, fear-
ing that should he do so he might not
be allowed to rise again. So great was
his determination and Vigor that he re-
mained in a chair most of the time.
almost up to his dying moment, taking
only occasional maps on couch
For days his death has been momen-
tarily looked Cor, and preparations are
now making to take up the political
and commercial work which he has
carried upon his aged shoulders for
years. His death closed life of "A
years, most of which were intensely
active.
senator BIodgett's Career.
Rufus Blodgett was born at Dorches-
Ter, N. H., Oh 4NONtlnpcl y LOOT, tthN 'S>H
therefore within seven weeks of IS
years old After going to "deestrict
school" several winters and mastering
his three RS" he was apprenticed to
machinist, and after serving DIS time,
he worked as journeyman in the ma
chine shop of a New Hampshire rail-
road until he was made master me-
chanic of the road.
ta CIxril
ended Mr.. Blodgett came to New Jersey,
settled In Manchester, Ocean county,
and became master mechanic of the
New Jersey Southern railroad, and
formed an intimate friendship with the
late United States Senator William
Joyce Sewell, who was the Republican
boss of New Jersey, and an experienced
railroad manager representing the
Pennsylvania Railroad Company,
which. by agreement with the New Jer
sey Southern Railroad Company ran
trains over the line of that company
becomes Superintendent.
1t was while Mr. Blodgett was master
mechanic of the New Jersey Southern
that Jay Gould and Colonel James
Fiske, wrested the Erie railroad
from the English stockholders and
bondholders by bold. clever and ques
tionable work through the Legislature
of New York State, which gave them
authority to issue an immense number
of shares of new stock. There was a
big strike of the employees of the New
Jersey Southern Railroad Company,
which the then superintendent was un-
able to handle, but Mr.. Blodgett settled
| 1t and was made superintendent of the
road.
Before moving to Long Branch an
active part was taken by Mr.. Blodgett in
Democratic politics in Ocean county,
where he was elected to the New Jersey
Assembly in 1S7S when Ephraim p,
| Emson, who had been Republican,
was elected as a Democrat to the State
| Senate from that strong Republican
county. Mr.. Blodgett was reelected as
semblyman in 1879 and 1880. In the As
sembly he took an active part in legis
laton. and he was instrumental in haN
! ing the 6 per cent. interest law passed
| He was a candidate for State senate
| in 1880. but was defeated by Abraham
c. b. Havens, the Republican candi-
date. by a plurality of only eighty
! votes.
| In 1884 Mr.. Blodgett was chairman of
/ the Democratic State Committee dur
| ing the Cleveland campaign, and ren-
4 dered effective service for his party.
He had been candidate before the
Democratic State convention in 1889
for the nomination for governor but
was defeated by Robert S. Green, OF
Elizabeth, who was elected governor.
When the late Governor Leon Albeit
was candidate for United States sem
ator in 1887. ard his friends We're very
confident of his election, because the
| Democrats had a majority of the legis-
lature on joint ballot four Democrats
refused to support Albeit and voted
! for former State Senator Emson.
Enough of the Republican members OF
the legislature voted for Mr. Blodgett
to elect him United States senator to
succeed Senator Sewel, who, when he
knew he could not be returned to the
! Senate that year, advocated the cleo
ton of his friend Blodgett In the
Senate the latter did not figure in de-
bates, but he was a worker on COM
mittees.
Elected to u. s. senate.
After he became resident of Long
Branch, Mr. Blodgett became very ac-
tive in Monmouth county politics, and
some years after he served full term
of six years in the United States
Senate and, retiring on March 4, 1898,
he was elected mayor of Long Branch.
He served the people so well that he
was elected a second time. In recent
years he was not very active in Mon
mouth county and State politics. he
was alyays a staunch Democrat, like
his father and grandfather in New
! Hampshire, and he believed with Presi-
/ dent Andrew jackson that where the
4 Democratic party in a municipal.
county, State or national election was
successful the party workers should be
given the offices. He was not an active
church member. He was superintene-
ent of the New York and Long Branch
! division of the Central Railroad of New
| Jersey which had made the old New
Jersey Southern road part of it's sys-
tenn and was very popular with all
the employees. He was an able rail-
road man and shrewd politician.
Mr.. Blodgett was married twice, the
first time in New Hampshire and some
years after his wife's death he mar
ried in New Jersey. He is survived by
one son.