Forest City press. (Forest City, Potter County, D.T. [S.D.]) 1883-19??, 1907-04-11
Railway Magnate Succeeded by
Son as Great Northern Pres
ident, Remains Active.
DUTIES TO BE THE SAME
He Will Direct the Roads Policy and
Finances, but Not the Direct
Operation of tho Prop
erty.

resignation of James j. Hill as presi-
dent OF the Great Northern railroad
and his election as chairman of the
board of directors. r.. T. Nichols, one
Of the vice presidents of the Great
Northern. says II is in no sense u re-
ti1ement.
Hills duties as chairman will be
practically identical with The duties he
has been performing in recent years.
These have TO do with the general
direction of the roads policies and
finances. rather Than directly With the
operation of the property.
Louis w. Hin WAS elected president
of the Great Northern at the st. Paul
meeting of the directors.
T.. ii. McGuigan, formerly fourth vice
president of the Grand Trunk. was
made vice president OF the road. in
charge of operation.
The changes will take effect immedi-
ately. In MS new capacity j. j.. iftft-
vii: look after his various interests on
The Great Northern. Northern Pacific
and Burlington roads and complete his
merger.
Hill! and His Career.
Agree with Jim Hill or kill him.
AS a one line estimate of this master
builder of the new northwest in Amer
lea it is doubtful if its verbiage might
be improved. 1t is "A sentence biog-
raphy which is applicable to many
men OF self-inade type every
where. but it is peculiarly fit
ting to the character of james
Jerome Hill. n graduate stu
dent in human nature would lind the
index in the mans face. The most ig-
norart of the Sc~andinavians delvinc IL
road system in the new country of his
founding have been quick to see the
same spirit dominating the man who
has made their digging possible.
NY tank when Vim Hill COON 'roun'
laughin' dere bees di deeVil to pay:
4Ay lax lleem when hees aim; laughin'."
To be a diplomatic master of all men
in the field of material endeavor "A man
either must not know too much or he
must refrain from seeing too much.
Jim" Hill violates both canons of the
philosophy. He knows and sees too
much OF the ~'navNy' and his work
with pick and spade. just as he knows
too much and sees too much of his
Titan competitors in railroading II
of the iugslers on the bourse of Wall
street. Thus naturally it has come to
the crisp. Kill him If YOU cant agree
with him." Especially when IA Scotch
1rishman. knowing that he knows. has
made a hundred million dollars out of
mat knowing. there is no room for ar
guinent of amy kind from anybody.
Peers Far Into Future.
II is too much to suggest to anyone
that in such n character the search for
Sweetness and light has promise of re-
ward. They are qualities which empire
builders consistently mus disavow to
ali men until they are atrophied. or
else these qualities must have persisted
early of hamilton. To be able to re-
prove out of his accurate knowledge
the purchase of a ton Of cotton waste
at Il sixteenth part of "a cent above the
market price: to meet as a master the
hard. sharp conditions of competing
railroad systems and the shrewd meth
DDS of their tacticians. while at the
same time peering far ahead into the
future of empires and republics and
building IN anticipation of those fu-
tureS-here is II work to leave impos-
sible the social. softer side of human
nature.
Here are insights into the evolution
Of d MAJ who in i'll considered dress
Is careless of tobacco ash in his Ian
and of where his cigar stub is thrown,
while yet in his $500. 900 residence hangs
NfllotfS b,in.lrSS ''Tin f,la.j,e..'' ., II
wall.
Here are reasons. II need be. for the
fact that Britain's royal head may hold
stock In his great railroad. drawing
dividends in just the proportion thai
the occasional conductor. brakeman,
and divi.io" superintendent of the line
draw theirs from a privileged purchase
Here is the man who. years ago find
Ing that Il solitary wagon track in the
great Red liver valley of the north
was ark by grass twice as tall rs
the grass of the unbroken plain. saw
Gods promise of n fertile empire" IN
the mere rut of a wagon wheel. Yet il
Is the same man who in The millionaire
marts of New York today has armed
the reputation of being 'shifty' in big
dealings with competitors of thor
oughiy discussing Il possible trade from
q certain one point of view and thei
as suddenly breaking off and turning
'oiits upon MS associates TO his OWL
wholly unexpected point of vantage.
Genius in Railroad Building.
But however the man and his meth
DDS. i; IL doubtful if America aver ha.
seen "A greater genius In railroad build
ing. To build Il great railroad bet weeY
two points of developed ommercia
magnitude which are clamoring TO,
trade intercourse is q mere bushes.
enterprise to command right Of way
grading. tracklaying. and the equip
ment OF the line for service. But II
starting A road from nowhere. to direc
1t through a tract Of COZ trY where tn,