Searching for a further connection between Blaine and the Alexandria
obelisk (which was moved to New York in the 1880s and later renamed
Cleopatra's Needle) -- so far, I find no connection.

However, I did find another interview, which is not in Scharnhorst's
collection nor his updates dated December 28, 1880 which was
published in New Haven (CT) _Register_ and appears to be a reprinting
from the New York _Sun_.  Titled "The Living Obelisk" -- it reads
like a spurious interview, but has Twain quoted as saying:

"That thing in New York is bogus....It is a Cardiff giant of an
obelisk...."

It does provide a basis for Twain's name being connected to the
Alexandria/New York obelisk and wisecracking about it to a New York
newspaper interviewer a year or so later.

Barb