Evening star., 1901-07-05
Transfer to James j. Hill and His
Friends.
THE GREATEST RAILWAY SYSTEM
Conducts transportation Of the
Northwest.
SEEKING ORIENTAL TRADE
Special Correspondence of The Evening Star.


ST. PAUL, Mimi, July 2, 1901.
The actual transfer of the controlling in
terest in the stock of the Burlington rail-
road will be made to ]. ]. Hill and his
friends this week. The completion of this
deal signalizes the organization Of the
greatest railroad system in the world. The
Northern Pacific, the Great Northern and
the Burlington have a total of 10000 miles
of track, employ 100000 men and conducts
the transportation business of the entire
northwestern part of the United States.
One man, Mr.. Hill, will be the head and
inspiration of this combined system as
much as he has been the head of the Great
Northern from the inception of that road.
The combination will necessitate, however,
the appointment of some one to whom
the management of all three subdivisions
of the system shall report and to whom
all matters of dispute shall be referred. j.
c. Stubbs, formerly of the Southern Pacific,
was chosen by Mr.. Hartman as the head
of the Southern Pacific-U Union Pacific COM
bination. These roads had no sooner been
put under the same management than Mr.
Hartman found himself swamped with re-
ports and applications of various kinds
Some sort of a middle man became an alb
sOlute necessity, and Mr.. Stubbs was chosen
for this important position by reason of
his successful railroad career, and his repu-
tation for shrewdness and ability. There is
some mlsconception as to the duties Mr.
Stubbs will be called upon to perform. He
is not to be a rate-maker or actual man
ager of traffic, for these things will be left
to the Individual management of the sub
divisions of the system. In brief, the new
position in the railroad world to which Mr..
Stubbs was appointed Is more that of as
sistant to the owners than general traffic
manager.
Mr.. Hill already finds himself in the same
difficulty as did Mr.. Hartman, and it is
generally believed, although not officially
announced as yet. that Darius Miller, the
present second vice president of the Great
Northern, will be appointed as the per-
sonal representative of Mr.. Hill in the man.
agement of the three great properties to
the control of which Mr.. Hill has lately
succeeded.
Contrary to general belief, Mr.. Hill has
no intention of abandoning ST. Paul as his
place of residence He believes that the
movement toward railroad consolidation
has about run its course. He is positive
that the Mississippi river will! always re-
main the dividing line between the railroad
systems of the country He is opposed to
combinations and trusts, and has no fur
ther ambition in the direction of extending
his present railroad holdings except as may
develop the same by increasing the oriental
trade.
Mr.. IIilFs Remarkable Career.
In 1879 Mr.. Hill commenced his railroad
career by buying the Sioux City and Pa
cific railroad, bankrupt concern, extend
ing from st. Paul to Canada. He then had
about 100000, which he had made In river
transportation. He is CANADIAN, and
through his Canadian connections was able
to foresee the enormous carrying traffic
which would come to the Sioux City and
Pacific through the hauling of material
for the construction of the Canadian Pa
cific railroad. At that time he had no con-
ception of a Pacific coast outlet; in fact 1t
was not until the Great Northern had be-
sofa and Dakota that Mr.. Hill realized the
possibilities of an extension to the Pacific
coast. Having determined to make this ex-
tension, he lost no time in commencing
work, much to the alarm of conservative
friends, who called it Hills folly"
Upon reaching the Pacific coast Mr.. Hill
was brought face to face with the same
problem which has confronted every trans
continental road, all of the freight was
west-bound To secure freight for the east
bound cars which were going back empty
Mr.. Hill determined to develop the oriental
trade to it's utmost. He has succeeded to a
marked degree, but he believes that he has
only made a beginning In this direction
and the Great Northern IS now building
the largest freight ships in the world for
the single purpose of furnishing traffic for
the cars which bring goods from the east
to the west across the continent
Mr.. Hnl Is now slxty-three years of age;
his fortune Is estimated, approximately, at
one hundred million dollars. His home and
lifelong associations are in ST. Paul, and
he will never leave this city for any great
length Of time. With his wife and nine
children he occupies a beautiful home, and
while not partial to society functions, en-
tertains his many friends lavishly. His
two eldest sons are already in the employ
of the Great Northern They are both
graduates of Yale and have worked in
every department of the railroad business
Their father Is apparently training them
to succeed to the management of his great
properties when he shall have passed away
There seems no reason but that Mr. Hill
may live many years yet. He Is exceed
ingly strong and active and in the best of
health. He is full Of energy and work
and when in st. Paul keeps In closest touch
with the operations of his railroad The
success or failure of his schemes is always
indicated by his manner, for his moods
respond to a marked degree to the way in
which things are going. He is partial to
young men and when he believes that an
employe is doing good work for him there
is hardly any limit to the encouragement
and assistance given, but If a man shirks
his work Mr.. Hill has no use for him
whatever. He either likes man very
existence.
Mr.. Hills Political Belief.
Mr. Hill is an expansion, gold-standard
democrat, firm believer in the principle Of
free trade, and his predictions as to the
development of the United States are op-
timistic to an extreme. He believes that
the population Of this country will double
within a very few years, and that nearly
all Of this increase will be found in the
country west of the Mississippi. Anything
which makes homes for the people, or adds
to the landed area to which immigration
may flow receives his support and hearty
Endorsement. He believes that domestic
expansion of the agricultural opportunity
in this country is the safety valve Of the
future, one to which the country must
look to escape the consequences of con-
gested social conditions.
1t can be stated upon excellent authority
that Mr.. Hill has no further thought
toward an extension Of the railroad hold
ings. He 10 content with the empire now
within his grasp. and while at all times
ready to protect himself. which with the
enormous capital at his command he can
always do, 1t Is believed that the present
arrangements and consolidation Of the
railroad facilities of the northwest mark
the completion Of his greatest ambition.
Tragedy at Columbus Barracks.