The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1906-12-28
j. HILL SOON TO
SEEK RETIREMENT.
Says He'll Shift Burden Upon
Son First Of, Next
July.
He Has Been Active In Transpor-
:. tation for Half a Cen
&: .s sz fury. aa.l J#

James J.. Hill, president of the Great
Northern railroad, probably the most
admired and respected as well as the
most picturesque and remarkable char
acter Of the railroad and financial
world today, will retire from active
business and active management of
his many mammoth enterprises July
i, 1907.5f tF<3:.7f}Fsz s., E4s.s,s5a.3-5 ~.
. :, The announcement comes from Mr..
Hill' himself. His successor will be his
Oldest son, Loliis j. Hill, first vice pres
identl of, theg Great Northern, who DOS
sesses to a great extent the remark
able genius Of his father, and who will
still have at his disposal the guiding
hand of the empire builder of the
northwest. 5..
From time to time in the past few
years there have been rumors that Mr..
Hill was planning to retire. The
definite time for the retirement has
never been announced until yesterday
when Mr., Hill = himself named July l
next as the date for getting out Of
the harness. He said: s-,..... s.
have planned to- retire as soon
as could safely do so. By that time
I shall be able to leave the work of
a lifetime, the business, here, on a
safe, sound base that will endure,
Minneapolis will lose and gain by the
retirement Of Mr.. Hill. Today the city
has no better friend or more ioyal SUP
porter and believer in the future great
ness of the city than James J. Hill.
HIS successor, however, is equally san
guine. regarding the coming greatness
and Importance of Minneapolis. Both
have, prophesied for Minneapolis a
Mr.. Hill stated emphatically his be-
lief that Minneapolis in five years will
be city of~haH million.
Mr.. Hills dominating characteristic
can be said to be combining of the
highest imagination and stern common
sense, with an untiring energy that
always follows the dream with practi-
cal accomplishment. For fifty years he
has followed steadily his dream for
the development Of new empire in
the northwest and. atathe age of So, he
will retire with his work accomplished.
Half Century in transportation.
Mr.. Hill was born in Ontario in 1888.
Naturally Of thoughtful, studious dis
position, he was given the benefit Of
all possible schooling until he reached
the age of Is, when he was thrown on
his own resources. At IS he came to
st. Paul and became agent for a packet
company operating on the river. This
was the beginning sof his connection
with the tran aertYA der se.' interests in the
northwest, IssY brA nched out, entering
the railroad busiHsNs. opening up com
munication with }Wannipeg and finally,
IN 1879 beginning tas life 70 work when,
with Others, lie lt9Lk over t1le< old st.
Paul & Pacific railroad, a sickly in
FAINT consisting Of 1.-TWO streaks of
rust' few hundred miles in length, a
bad name and a debt Of $33,OOO,OOO.
From this beginning he began with
mastery genius the recreation Of the
northwest. - r.. - -@~ .f'
Today he controls transportation ia
cilities covering almost an entire CONT
nent, steamship lines connecting with
the Orient, and hundred other enter
prises. Mr.. Hill rose from manager to
president of the. company, reorganized
as the St. Paul, Minneapolis & Mantle
ba, becoming president in 1883. Ten
years later the Great Northern was
completed to the coast and the recent
years have recorded wonderful adj
vancement. The system covers over
5000 miles Of lines today, with over a
thousand miles Of yards and sidings,
steamship lines on the lakes and the
Pacific and controlling influences on
connections. Mr.. Hill himself is re-
puted to be worth $100,O00,OOO. IL [
Today Mr.. Hill is credited with more
knowledge Of railroad affairs and man
agement than any man living. Scores
of railroad captains all over the coun-
try received, the first and best training
on the Hill roads, and gladly give ali
credit to the wizard Of the northwest.