Los Angeles herald., 1905-09-17


He was born September 16, 1888, and
his sixty-seventh birthday yesterday
was made the occasion of a celebration
by the business men of Minneapolis in
recognition of the great work he has
accomplished.
Mr.. Hills big windowed offices over
look the East river, with view of the
bridge, and are admirably situated for
comfort. Room yawns into room In !
neighborly manner, to admit the army
of workers who run hither and thither. |
at the executives bidding, and a great
quiet pervades the place-the quiet that
tver hovers around momentous affairs.
A large buffalo head is mounted on
the eastern wall. 1t is a trophy from
Mr.. Hills herd at the Minnesota range. |
A painting of the old stone arch bridge
at Minneapolis hangs in conspicuous
place. There is the usual office furni- |
ture in oak, large and substantial, only
what is necessary, and not much of
that, and this is visible through the
door ajar
man to what he attributes the keynote
of his prosperity, how he did these
things, how he developed from a coun-
try boy to what he is today; but I had
heard an unpublished chapter of Mr..
Hills life and had formed my theory.
picturesque and proves that 1t is after
all the sticking fast spirit in the man
that counts, that it was the iron in his
will that made him the master builder
of the great northwest, and was there
to verify that tale.
His Last Tree
Up near Guelph, wellington county,
Ontario. where Mr.. Hill was born, there
is tree that bears placard across
its half cut body, with the inscription.
"The last tree chopped by James ].
HILL"
Back of this there is yet another
story. 1t was Mr. Hills earliest ambi-
ton to study for the medical profess
sion. He attended Rockwell academy,
Quaker school, where he was care
fully instructed in mathematics and
Latin until his fifteenth year. Then his
father died and he found employment
in the country.
One day a traveller stopped at the
house to take dinner and left his horse
at the gate. Mr.. Hill saw the animal
was tied and carried it bucket of
water. When the stranger came out
he was so pleased with the boys
thoughtfulness that he tossed him a
newspaper published in Minnesota and
called out gravely as he rode away:
go there, young man. That coun-
try needs youngsters of your spirit"
The boy read the paper carefully that
night. 1t was call for homeseekers
and settlers, and gave glowing accounts
of great opportunities. The next morn
ing he awoke with resolution. He
walked to the tree where he had left
off work the day before, and, with a
blow from his ak. exclaimed, 1--WE
chopped my last tree"
And then he started for the United
States and decided to settle in st. Paul,
where he entered a railroad system
whose growth is a chapter in the
worlds history.
Every region owes it's final develop
ment to the brains and energy of some
one man, and now any mention of the
northwest of which he has been the
master builder, is a reference to Mr..
Hills achievements.
From the first he was interested in
transportation problems, and engaged
as shipping clerk with the J. w. Bass
& Co. line of Mississippi river steam
boats, and began the study of river
transportation, especially that of fuel
His Great Foresight
Thus early in life he foresaw the
wonderful possibilities of the great
northwest, drove deep his stake and
there began his remarkable career.
The daily routine of shipping clerk was
good practice, and he educated himself
in all subjects relating to river trans
portation, but he had no intention of
remaining any company's servant. He
HdS ueNSl UullI WlIIlOuL Il plan, ne saw
the movement of events, local, national
and world developments. in detail, and
he wrought with the pains of an archi-
tect, because he had mastered his prob
lem in advance.
In reality, he began his career as a
railroad man when he became agent in
St Paul of the Pacific & ST. Paul Rail-
ROAD company. which consisted of some
patches of track with an indebtedness
of $33OO0,OOO.
Other men called this step "FIilrs
folly" but it was one that laid the
corner stone of the northwest empire,
and he did it without the gift of a
dollar or an acre of land. He refused
to be beaten by any obstacles, and
he had the ability to convince other
men OF the value of his project and to
interest capital for the working of his
prospects.