Omaha daily bee., 1899-06-25

gospel of work as persstently as he breaches
it. His friends say he is never idle except
when asleep. My call upon him was made
late on Saturday afternoon. Nearly every
part OF the big Great Northern building
was deserted except the presidents Offices.
II was occupied by the president and the
clerks who work under his personal direc-
tion. All We're as busy as bees. In spite
Of their generally longer hours and their
infrequent half holidays compared with
the other clerks, all Great Northern en-
ployes court places close to the president.
When he takes young man into his office
it means that he has some faith in that
young man, and If the faith is justified BY
his works promotion is as sure as the sun
rise after the night.
Some years ago a rather diftident serious
faced young St. Paul lad, named Frank E.
Ward, went to work for Hill as his personal
stenographer. Times had never been easy
with the boy and this led him TO approach
his duties with terrible earnesness. From
the first Hlf was interested. He noticed
in particular that the boy always had a
book handy, which he pred over whenever
there was a minute respite. One day the
president picked up the book II was not
a work Of fiction but an algebra and no
objection was made 10 its continued study.
1t is Hills custom whenever travelling over
his road 10 sit at the rear OF the train and
make flying inspection of the tracks and
the right Of way Till Frank f. Ward S
time Hill had always insisted that whoever
was with him on a trip of inspection should
also watch the tracks. but he made an ex-
ception in the ease Of the young stenog-
rapher He was allowed and encouraged TO
study when making trips All the same, the
boy kept a pretty close watch on everything
pertaining to the road and its operation,
as Hill found out from time 10 time by
talks with him. One day the stenographer
was promoted TO the presidents assistant
Later, when Hill saw that the lad, now
grown TO be a man, was competent 70 Work
alone, he was promoted again, and ne now
writes general superintendent after MS
signature. The story that Great Northern
clerks have taken up the study OF algebra
extensively since Wards promotion Is prop
ably not true but it is certain that his rise
has been an excellent object lesson all along
the line.
Though circumst ances 1a-e ~r-atimes
been against Hin, il l. true that luck mas
generally been with him. Thus while the
81. Paul Pacific, the link Of the Great
Northern chain did little business the year
before he acquired its control, its business
increased several fold the year afterward
This increase was a piece OF luck and not
OF management, due TO the first big Mani
toba boom. The business il eDgendered had
to go over HlTs road, for there was no
other thoroughfare for It. Six months be-
fore Hill got the road one or two trains
day were counted good business; six months
afterward the line was choked with trains
from terminus to terminus and big gang@
OF men were kept busy building sidings over
which the trains might pass one another.
shorter Ways of Doing Things.
From the beginning Of his active life Hi
has constantly sought for shorter ways OF
doing things for schemes TO save labor and
50 make transportation rates cheaper. HIS
first warehouse, built on the Ct Paul leyee
more than thirty years ago, long before
he owned an inch OF rail, Is case in point.
All previously built warehouses in 81. Paul
stood so far back from the river that goods
unloaded from the steamers had to be de-
posted on the wharyes in the open air til
they could be carried into the warehouse,
thus being handled twice. Hill's warehouse
was built al the waters edge, 80 that goods
could be unlOaded into IL directly from the
steamers. Men laughed at tfe warehouse
while IT vas being built, exactly they did
at Hills announcement later that he was
going into the railroad business. Eventually
they stopped laughing ana took to Initiating
him. Confidence IN the country, push, per
severance aud the sort OF common sense