The Norfolk Virginian. [volume] (Norfolk, Va.) 186?-189?, 1895-05-28
SECOND JAY GOULD
Some Stories of James J. Hill a
Self-made Man.
Has just Gained Control of the
Northern Pacific. His Habit of
~ Discharging Employer. How
he Once Caught TIrtar.
a Human Dynamo.

gained control of the Northern Pacific
system.
He used to be coal dealer in st.
Paul and began his prosperous career RS
superintendent of n baby road called the
St Paul aud Pacific. This grew into tho
St Paul, Minneapolis and Manitoba,
covering the wheat country, and now, re-
named the Great Northern, the Hill sys-,
tenn extends through Montana and into
the Canadian northwest The road
through Montana was constructed COM
plete at the rate of 4 miles u day.
The Crest Northern is rich, and Mr.
Hill controls it absolutely. He is u man
Of marvellous energy and has no use for
subordinate who cannot keep up with
his high pressure gait. He has the dis
agreeable trait of cutting off official
heads without mercy, and the proverbial
salutation in the ST. Paul general offices
is, "Who is missing this morning?" In
the midst of his CHASTITY guillotiping
there is an occasional gleam of humor.
In Allen Marvel, now president Of the
Santa Fe, who was formerly general
manager Of the Great Northern, Mr..
Hill caught Tartar
Marvel found handsome young man
In his Office one morning and pleasantly
asked him his business.
"t'm Mr.. Ives, was the reply, your
new assistant.
why, certainly" said Marvel III
didn't expect you quito SO soon. Your
quarters will be arranged at once"
Ives soon became devoted to Marvel
and MARVEL to Ives.
Things went on this way several years,
when one day Ives informed his chief
that Mr.. Hill had asked for his resigna-
ton.
81 guess not, replied Marvel. "Mr.
Hill hired you without my knowing it,
but he can't discharge you unless say
so, and won't. You keep on working. 4"
And he did.
Mr.. Hill crossed the Atlantic with
MaSk Twain, whom he had not met for
many years Thirty yenrs ago Mark was
Mississippi river pilot and Jim was
the agent of a steamboat company. Mark
ran on tho lower Mississippi and Hill on
the upper Mississippi. When asked what
tile great railway magnate of the north
west and he had talked about during the
Il voyage, Twain Sald:
Mostly about the pilots of the Mis-.
Bissippi. Most Of them have gone to -
and a few to heaven, but only few Of
us are left, you know
President Hill is said to know per-
eonally every important man on his road,
and he is liable TO be found at any point
along tho limo ut any moment He has q
thorough civil service organization, pro-
motion goes by merit, and the man who
disobeys orders is discharged instanter.
AN instance Of this is told by his son in
law, Samuel Hill, president of the Mon.
tana Central
We were sitting one day." said he,
lin Mr.. Hills house in ST. Paul, when
he asked me if didn't want to go west
for little trip. 1 replied that l didn't
object and asked when he wanted to go.
he said, Right away I thereupon
telephoned to have my bag sent over
from Minneapolis, and in the course Of
an hour we We're on his special train
and going ont to the far west We stop
PED at point in the mountains in Mon
fana, got off and rode 40 miles by stage
with relays of horses We then slept and
rode 40 miles farther and stopped at n
nyern. Alr. Hill tramped around all
hat day over the country and came
back in the evening and had supper.
After supper he said, I think we could
reach the car if we took the horses to-
night. And we had them harnessed up
and cut across to the track. 1t was a
long ride and dark night, and we came
to the road Mt station above the one
which we had expected to strike Just
as we got there freight train from
Butte City was pulled in with flames
bursting out of it's side. AS it pulled up
ct the station Mr.. ELL saw it, and his
voice rang out in the darkness:
Where's the conductor Of this
train?'
Here wao the reply in g gruff
voice
What rate are you running?
About Is miles an hour said the
man, rather resenting the question.
You are not telling the truth, re-
piled Mr.. Hill You have been running
over 80 mics an hour, and your orders
are not to run more than I2. You are
discharged this instant. and will have
another conductor to take your place
When that conductor left Butte City,
Mr. Sill was sitting in his Office in st.
Paul. and it must have scared the man
almost to death to find him away out in
the heart of Montana /"
Doesn't Have Much Weight.