The evening times. [volume] (Grand Forks, N.D.) 1906-1914, 1906-01-11

President James ]. Hill visited the
university this morning as the guest
of President Merrifield. He addressed
the assembled students in the gym
nasium In Bulge hall at II O'Clock,
speaking for about 80 minutes.
In introducing Mr.. Hill, President
Merrifield explained how he came to
Grand Forks in an early day, walking
from Fargo and carrying grip weigh
ing 35 pounds, sleeping on the prairie
and seeing few houses enroute. Mr..
Hill said in part:
MY advent in the Red river valley
and Grand Forks antequated that of
President Merrifield several years. I
first visited Grand Forks in 1870, when
there was not a single house from
Breckenridge to the International
boundary; l walked in, driving three
dogs before me.
1T was in March and there was
snow on the ground. l camped the
night before near a lake in the vicinity
of Georgetown. After making camp
l retired from my fire some distance
and crawled into hole in the snow,
my three dogs lying about me. l had
not been asleep long when the dogs
began to stir and I awoke. I heard
voices but was not frightened, as dis
tinguished woman's voice. l was
never hurt by woman in my life.
my visitors proved to be three In
dams, or rather an Indian and two
squaws. They had seen my campfire
and had doubtless come over to see
what Indian had come to visit them.
l persuaded them to recross the river
to the mouth of the Wild Rice, where
their camp was located, but could
ant sleep any more that night and
cooked something to eat. I stirred up
the embers of my fire, melted snow
and made some tea and fried some
sausage. After eating l packed my
sleigh and started due west. 1t was
not yet IL o'clock. After going west
half an hour l turned and drove tow
ard the north star. Just as 1t was
breaking day | arrived at what we
called Elm cOulee, SO called because
of a big elm tree which stood there.
l don't know what you call it, but it
is near where the Town and Country
club buildings now stand. Such was
my arrival in Grand Forks.
The next season we built a steam
boat, and in the autumn of 1871 we
landed solitary family here, that of
Thomas Walsh, which. still resides
here, believe"
MI. Hill continued by saying that
he was glad he had come to Grand
Forks at that time, but was also glad
that he had been instrumental in
building up the city and country and
making 1t one of the finest in the
United States. The future of the state
is in the hands of the young, and
can only be built up by hard work.
1t is great responsibility and not an
easy task to build a great state.
There is always friction in any COM.
bination Of men; all cannot lead, some
must wait and serve In the dis
charge of a personal duty, whether 1t
be great or small, lies success. The
man who does his work, and does it
we'll; succeeds; he not only accom-
plishes something for the man he is
serving, but he serves himself a hun
dred fold better.
On his three great railways Mr.. Hill
from $4,000 to 10000 men,
While there are thousands of excellent
men among them, it is astonishing
how few of them can be relied upon
day or night wherever they are to do
their whole task Whenever he finds
one. he is promoted to position of
trust.
No success comes by chance. Some
men rise above the masses of men by
chance or great ability, but the great
common mass of men succeed only by
faithful and hard work Nothing Is
gained without giving something for