The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1896-02-22
TO START THE WORK
President Hill. of the Great
Northern, in the City.
NOT MEDDLING WITH THE N. p.
The Railroad Magnafe and His Cabinet
Ready TO Build a pepot-A
Character sketch.

that ne had come 10 look over the ground
with view 10 pushing work on the Great
Northern tracks and e.enat in this city 70
prompt completion. He denied the report
that ne had eoTne with any intention OF
booking into the affairs Of the Lake Shore.
and pleaded net guilty to the charge OF
metdiing n Northern Pacific matters,
Though ne said that when thar road got
into shape he MAS ready TO listen 70
proposition from H.
The special train bearing President Hill
and his party took yesterday for the trip
from Le2veaw0rth 10 Seattle, tourneying
in the same easy fashion that has marked
the entire trip from St Paul. Promptly
al o'clock yesterday evening. just as the
lights were beginning to gllmner along
the water front. the train pulled up in
front Of the Great Northern station. No
great crowd hal gathered 10 welcome The
railroa3 magnates but a few iniallible in
dicacons pointed 70 the great Importance
OF the visitors. Half a dozen messenger
boys were waiting with teiegrams. and
here and there along the wharf some
Great Northern employs cast reverentsal
eyes toward the coach windows as II hop
ing 10 catch sight of the great head of
the road. Inside the train which consists
Of but three cars and is by no means
SNOWY affa.r, men were busting TO and
fro in token Of the fact that they had
reached their destination after long
Journey.
Several members Of the party immedi-
ately came up to.n. though all returned
to the dining car in time for dinner. Gem
eral Traffic Manager Shute and Francis Il.
Clarke spent the night at tie Rainier
Grand hotel. all the others remaining in
their comfortable quarters on the train
Iii and His Cabine'.
President HIN on such trip as the pres
ent is study such as would afford a his
Photographer or character writer ample
and rich material for a sketch. His strong
personality and prominent position natu-
rally make him the center about which all
things connected with the journey. direct
ly or indirectly. appear TO revolve. Sur
rounded by his department officers. he
wears all the dignity Of civil magistrate
accompanied by the members of his cahi-
net. and his guests might easily stand in
such picture OF comparison as ministers
CT state from some other court.
Yet he is approachable: and to none OF
the numerous visitors who sought him last
night did he deny himself. Railroad men
came to see him for Just few words. and
he gracefully eontrived TO excuse himself
from his sitting room 10 see them. Mer-
chants came to confer with him about
freights traffic and other commercial mat
tiers, and they. too, were given easy audi
ence.
Nor to the newspaper men was Mr.. Hill
less kind. II might easily be supposed that
the newspaper rumors that have recently
thickened about his pathway would make
him reserved and wary in an interview.
But he talked last night with the freedom
and ease of a hospitable host toward his
guest. But he is not garrulous. He knows
precisely what he wishes to say, in gross
or in detail He says IL In his own ner-
81 hs~ Uric eNFT
verbal shrewdness and foresight into
every converse tional utterance. Even his
parentheses are fun of meat, and he has
almost habit of dismissing in ''oy the
way" aside some scheme of such startling
and stupendous proportions as 10 make his
listener marvel.
) sketch.
Mr.. Hilfs appearance has been too often
described 10 need further portraiture, and
there was nothing unusual about him as
he sat i'm a coy chair In his car last night,
his weIl-knit frame dressed in plain bust
ness suit of gray. his soft black hat now
damned vigorously down over his eyes,
now crumpled in one hand and tossed aside
as II brushed hurriedly 10 a siding TO make
way for an express train OF thought TO
pass: his keen eyes moving quickly from
one 10 another of his guests, with trick
of fastening themselves Unexpectedly on
fancied himself till then unnoticed: his
grayish beard giving a sort of radiance to
his face under the strong light from over
head and his lips parted again and again
In smile that showed his sharp set teeth.
The public Mr.. Hill, wishes TO know
Just what brings you TO Seattle" said the
reporter. venturing TO interrupt a general
conversation.
why. we have some things that must
be looked after here you know" said Mr..
Hill. we must have some buildings, and
we are about ready now to so ahead with
them | believe the ordinances have all
been put in proper shape, haven't they,
iudge7' turning 20 Judge Burke, who gave
a courteous affirmative.
Then there are our tracks which must
be- filled in And we must have some rock
TO put on the outside OF that I'LL slope 10
protect it," Here some member or the
party ventured TO suggest that the portion
% the track beyond Yesier way would
hardly need such protection, bat Mr.. Hill
rather insisted that IL would. and that
rock must he placed all along in order To
save the emhankment from the ravages OF
the high tide. Those who are suspicious
of Mr.. Hnrs words and skeptical Of his
good faith viii think that he WAS Just say
ing these things perhaps In random ef-
fort 20 hoodwink the reporter, and
through him the public; bat those who
were present last night didn't think so.
Mr. Hin was giving a plain business taiA-
Further than this" he continued. our
visit Just row possesses no special slgnin-
canoe. It is in fact only postponed visit
have heen intending for two months TO
get out here. and planning 20 spend sew
eral DAVIS here when ! came. various
things interfercd % prevent my coming.
unfU fast after the holidays, when con-
tractsi cold from which ! suffered Sc
vsrelv try 10 get out over the road
twice q year and this visit IS Just simply
the following ont 81 that method
Then once more Mt Hill gave an earnest
assurance that work on the tracks and the
revv depot would go right forward. and
bfntaa vaguely that as the business CT the
CITY increased largely, as he believed II
would SIN other arrangements mighf he
necessary Concerning the rumoFs Win
which his name has recently seen con-
nected. MIR Hill spoke definitely and posi-
lively
vour visit Just at this tnncture might have
other ends in view" said the reporter,
tentatively.
yes replied Mr.. Hin, I see they say
have come out 20 see about the Seattle,
lake shore & Eastern Wei, l an per
sactiv willing 10 leave thai 10 others Just
now"
And the Northern FaciUcE
WHY. the affairs % that road are not IN
condition for any one 20 take hold Of st.
The bonded Indebtedness OF the road -
100 great 10 admit Of its being hsd Tor its
value when those who are no~ interest
I'd in 1t have been able 10 bring about q
reorganization, then II they have any
proposition TO make 10 me am wiling 10
listen 70 IL.
Many other things Nfr. Hin talked Of,
Y.,t o,-a~ ~assf Of them the veil OF con-