The National tribune., 1906-08-09
TWO GRAND
MINNESOTANS.
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MI LOOl AlNp.
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When the mood is right there could be
no more delightssi companion. His
memory is wonderful, his command of
statistics and facts accurate and unfail-
ing. his mind is bright. his converSa-
ton sprightly. He is short and broad
with a frame quare-set and powerful.
Once he worked on the docks and was
HEAVIER of heavy freight. He is In
every sense a large man.
How many millions or hundreds OF
millions James ]. Hill possesses few of
his friends here care TO estimate. Fewer
still question his title to those millions
or begrudge them. 1t is not universally
admitted that all his methods have been
free from reproach; but his record as
compared with that of most other kings
of finance has been 50 clean, his policies
have been so broad and constructive,
his transactions so honest. his credit so
fiawless. that he stands highest where
he Is best known. and has fewest critics
in his own immediate environment.
HIS Romance and Marriage.
Mr.. Hills marriage to Miss Mary
Michigan after he had begun to tread
his upward way with something of as
surance was a genuine romance of the
heart. Miss Michigan was employed at
the old Merchants Hotel in st. Paul
when Hill was a day-boarder there. He
saw her, fell in love with her and pro-
posed marriage to her.
But in this matter, as throughout his
career, he spiced the romantic with the
practical. He was planning to be a
rich man. The wife of such a man as
he proposed Il be should be handsome,
self-poised, br oad- minded and capable
no OF RI hn oil 4
ties. But she should also have the
training, the taste, the cultivation that
is given by the schools. and he pro-
posed to her that before their marriage
she should take a course at a conven,
school at his expense. She consented
and when after her graduation she re-
turned to St Paul a graceful, dignified
accomplished woman they were mar.
ried
This marriage has turned out we'll
Hill was himself of Protestant ances-
try. but Mary Michigan was Catholic
and as Mrs. Hill she has remained a
Catholic. Nine chfldren-six daughters
and three sons-have been born to the
couple. The three older daughters
Mary. Ruth and Charlotte-are now re-
spectively. Mrs. Samuel Hill. of Wash.
ington; Mrs. A. C. McC. Beard, of New
York. and Mrs. George C. Slade. of ST
Paul. The Misses Clara. Rachel anG
Gertrude are still unmarried.
His three sons are all in the railroad
business with their father. Each haJ
to serve severe apprenticeship, work
Ing in one department after the other
as hard and as systematically as II they
had to toll to live. and thus becoming
familiar with railroading from the
ground up. James n. Hill. the eldest
was identified with one of the Grea
Northern branches. Louis W., the sec
ond son, is Vice President of the Grea
Northern and his fathers chief assist.
ant, handling much of the President!
executive work. 1t Is understood tha
Louis w. will wear Elijah's mantle BY
and by, since he shows great breadth
combined with a capacity for detail
second only to that of his father. Wal.
ter, the youngest son, is still clerk il
the big Great Northern Building.
James ]. Hill. like many another who
has carved his way from obscurity Il
the limelight of success, is not averst
to talking over the old days-when HI
has time-and he doesn't object to see
ing stories OF his struggles In print. Bu
he is greatly opposed to publicity con-
cerning his family affairs, and photo.
graphs of Mrs. Hill and her daughter,
are not given out for publication.
band is powerful if not supreme. She
has never shown any signs of undue
elation over the family's rise; she f.
kind and charitable in a thoroughly
sensible and therefore never ostenta
tiouS manner. There was probably a
first some aloofness manifested toward
her by women whose early surrounds
ings had been more gracious than hers
This aloofness has long since disap
peared, but she has neither encouraged
nor discouraged those who displayed j
in the selection of her circle of persona
acquaintances.
A Story.
There Is a story repeated often in st
Paul that two women with whom she
barely had a speaking acquaintance
once called upon Mrs. Hill, soon after
the completion of the costly and beauti.
full Hill mansion on Summit Ave. They
had heard that Mrs. Hill possessed q
superb collection Of emeralds. Hardly
had they seated themselves before they
asked to see the stones. Certainly
said Mrs. Hill, and withdrew in hel
quiet and dignified way. In a few min
utes In came a servant with tray oi
gems, which the visitors inspected, bu
Mrs. Hill didn't appear again. nor die
the ladies become regular callers.
When Mr.. Hill presented the half.
million dollar endowment to ST. Paul:
Seminary. in Mrs. HIPS name, his deli.
cate, considerate. beautiful tribute tc
his wife was easily the crowning Incl.
dent of a notable ceremony.
James j. Hill Is plentifully endowed
with that rich element of common
sense. rounded. intensified, crystalized
which is the safest, if not the highest
manifestation Of genius. He has broad
receptive powers, keen perceptive pow
ers, an infieXible will. He has alway.
been a close. omniverous student o.
books, of affairs, of men. In a com.
pany of dozen gentlemen, eminent in
various walks of life. he can. during 1C
minutes. of conversation with each, un-
ostentatiously tell him something new
and valuable about his own specially
snme thing he would daaln Ii q loss no