It was Dr. Blalock who installed the first telephone used in the state.
He rented six instruments at twelve dollars per month each and built
and kept up his own line from the mill to the end of the flume. He was
the promoter of what is known as the Blalock Orchards, two miles west
of Walla Walla. In 1876 he purchased for two dollars and a half per
acre four hundred acres of desert land, which he leveled, irrigated and
then planted with fruit trees, including apples, pears and cherries,
and also set out many small fruits. He shipped the first two car loads
of pears from the state of Washington east of the Rocky Mountains and
made large exhibit of his fruit at the World’s Columbian Exposition
in Chicago in 1893. Since that time the Blalock Orchards have been
enlarged to sixteen hundred acres and have constituted a most important
feature of the horticultural development of the northwest. Upon the
land are now eight artesian wells, all strong and affording a supply
of water ample to irrigate the entire area with a system of pipe lines
over twenty miles in length, touching every acre of this vast tract.
The lands are being sold in five-acre tracts at from one thousand to
fifteen hundred dollars per acre. Dr. Blalock also made arrangements
for the purchase of three thousand six hundred acres of dry land six
miles south of Walla Walla, for which he was to pay ten bushels of
wheat per acre, an amount equal to five dollars per acre. The first
crop paid for the land and all expenses of raising and harvesting
and left him about three thousand dollars. This was followed by the
purchase of seven thousand acres of wheat land in Gilliam county,
Oregon, and he planted and promoted an orchard at the town of Blalock.
He was the promoter of the Blalock Islands enterprise, covering four
thousand acres in the Columbia river in Benton county, Washington.
He was associated with others in the development of three thousand
acres of desert land under the Carey act in Morrow county, Oregon. No
one labored more untiringly for the opening of the Columbia river for
navigation than Dr. Blalock, who for years devoted many hours to the
work. In appreciation of his efforts in that behalf the Columbia and
Snake River Waterways Association, meeting in Lewiston in its third
annual convention, passed the following resolution: “In these days
of the passing of the pioneer the people of the great northwest are
called upon from time to time to recognize the lifelong service of
noble men and women and to honor their names. Occasionally we take
unto ourselves the rare privilege of brightening the closing years
of one of these servants of mankind by a slight expression of our
affection and appreciation of their efforts in things worth while.
Such an occasion greets us today as we meet to honor one of God’s
emblems. In recognition of the large part Dr. N. G. Blalock has had in
effecting an organized movement to secure an open river; in grateful
acknowledgment that through his indefatigable and successful labor,
associated with Joseph N. Teal, W. J. Mariner and J. F. Smith, almost
insuperable obstacles were overcome and the Oregon Portage Railroad
was built at The Dalles; and with hearty thanks to him for the lavish
expenditure of time and money in representing his state at meetings
of the Natural Rivers and Harbor Congress and attending innumerable
other gatherings in the interest of our rivers, where he has materially
helped in securing definite results. Therefore, be it resolved, that
we, the delegates to the Columbia and Snake River Waterways Association
here assembled, express to Dr. N. G. Blalock our deep affection and our
grateful appreciation for his long life of loving service.”

A splendid characterization of Dr. Blalock is found in the memorial
address which was delivered by the Hon. Ben F. Hill before a joint
session of the state senate and the house of representatives, on which
occasion Mr. Hill said:

“Mr. President, Gentlemen of the senate and house: