St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1885-11-01
PEN PICTURES.
The Remarkable Career of ]. J. Hill,
the Railway King Of the
Northwest.
David Burke and his Upward Progress
From Railroad Track to
Prosperity.
Maurice Lyons and His Good
Luck and Genial Sur
roundingS.
Gustav Wf1lfus and His Bank
Harvey Oficer--Spencer and
copyrighted by T. NJ. Newson.

| ISOpyIlSutCu Wy L. NJ NOWSOd.
| JAMES J. HILL.
, Among the many men in this city who
have rapidly assembled the ladder of promi-
nence and of wealth, know of none who
deserves that position more fully, or who
has more justly earned it, than j. j. Hill,
now recognized as the railroad king of the
Northwest. Coming from humble be-
ginnings by the force of his own character
he has achieved results which astonish his
best friends and place him among the
wealthiest of our citizens, while at the same
time he is one of our most public-spirited
and valuable elements of progress. Old
settlers well remember the Jim Hip of
early days, youth of slender proportions,
but possessed of great activity, who
beat all others in the handling of
freight; they remember him as a
man of great industry; always
cool, never off his base; always busy, never
idle; always sober, never intoxicated;
steady, true, calm, quick; looking ahead of
other men into the future; comprehending
at once the situation of affairs and acting
accordingly; very reticent, yet confiding in
those in whom he had confidence. Such
were the peculiarities of the man thirty
years ago, and such are, to a large degree,
the peculiarities of the man OF to-day. A
short, solidly-built, closely-knit person,
with fresh, ford complexion, possessing
keen, black, penetrating eye, indicating
magnetic force and nervous energy, one
would not suppose that Mr.. Hill possessed
the power and push he has shown, and yet
he is one of that kind of men who never eX-
hauStS all his resources at once. but even in
the greatest emergencies he is not only
equal to the demands made upon him, but
hoe f0ra Inft f1,
any contingency. This characteristic
is clearly defined and makes him one of the
strongest men in the Northwest, capable of
even greater results than hehas already at
tanned He is broad in his ideas, and is
somewhat ahead of the age in which he
lives, but that does not weaken the correct
ness of his views or the sOundness of his
judgment, and hence find him like Alex
ander, looking for more worlds to conquer
while the great people stand back astoniShed
at the wonderful leaps he makes as he
marches on ahead of public sentiment. He
not only grasps the railroad interests of the
state, but he comprehends the Importance
of agriculture and stock-raising, and with all
this clearly discerns the ultimate destiny of
cities. AS business man he is prompt,
cleal headed and emphatic. AS citizen he
is social, pleasant, solid, and in many ways
very valuable. AS man ne is strong,
sagacious, careful. yet progressive and bold.
possessing elements of character which make
him natural leader among men.
INCIDENTS OF HIS LIFE.
Mr.. Hill was born in Guelph. Can, in
1888: received moderate education, and
came to ST. Paul in 1856. He was receiv-
ing clerk for Bronson, Lewis & White,
commission merchants on the levee, in
1861; he then became the freight agentfor
W. F. Davidson. and in 1868 erected the old
wooden warehouse where the Milwaukee
freight depot now is, and here he carried
on a forwarding and commission business
for about ten years, the river boats being
on one side of him and the cars on the other.
He then went into the wood and coal trade, !
and the firm became Hill, Griggs & Co.,
then it became Hill g. Acker. He also
helDed organize the Northwestern Fuel