The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1909-04-25
A RAILROAD CAR.

Many remarkable stories have been
told of James J. Hill and his rough
and-ready methods in dealing with
the thousands of men on his railroads
before he retired from active service.
often cyclonic in the vigor and sud
denness with which he discharged men
from important positions, he was also
almost equally swift in showing his
favor. A writer in the Saturday
Evening Post gives two graphic in
stances of these traits. We read:
One cold winter night a short, heav-
lily built man, wrapt in a huge, fur
lined overcoat, dropt off freight-train
at a little waystation in Montana. His
cap was pulled down about his face,
the lower part of which was covered
with a bushy and grizzled beard. He
looked the part of a burly and prosper
Gus ranch-owner The visitor walked
about the little frame station, his keen
eyes surveying through the windows
the alert, young agent busy about the
telegra ph-key. Presently he entered
the waiting-room and. as the agent
looked up, peremptorily turned the
knob of the door leading into the
agents private quarters. The door
was locked
II want to come in,' he said grufhy
"it's too cold out here
Against the rules to allow outsiders
inside" the agent answered.
But I'm cold, I say"
wait a minute
The agent came out into the wait
ing-room, bringing with him COM
Portable armchair which he placed
close to the castiron stove. "Sit down
here he said. I'll poke up the fire -
In the midst of this process the agent
suddenly dropt the poker and darted
back into his private reserve.
Whats the matter?" growled the
surly man in the fur coat
My CALI snapt back the agent.
Presently, the fire roaring, the agent
/ picked up the coal-scuttle and went
! out, leaving the door open behind
! him. The man in the fur coat prompt
! ly rose and closed it. Instantly it
| was thrown open by the agent. LET
/ it alone,'' he said, with a suspicious
! glance; cant hear the call if it's
shut Once more inside his little
coop the agent looked up as the old
man asked: 45sas
Flows business?n
Rotten. Mostly castbound empties
/ through here
whats the matter?''
"Ranchers around here can get g
better rate by driving thirty mile:
across country
The men who run this road mus
BE set of chumps.''
They are. If we had a forty-cen
rate we could get ten carloads weel
out of this station in the season.
Must be pretty lonesome for ;
young fellow. Any pretty girls clos
bye"
Excuse me-" said the agent, sittinl
down; I've got to make out my re
port
The east-bound passenger cam
along shortly and the man in the flu
coat boarded it. When the next pay
. day came around the young agent go
an entirely unexpected ten-dollar raise
. With it came notice from the ger
eral freight department that a forty
, cent rate on beef cattle, effectiv
April /, was established. Then som
d one told him that his unidentifie
visitor had been YIN Hill'-as tn
. Norwegian settlers call him-creatc
Z of the Great Northern Railroad syi
tenn and uncrowned emperor of til
4 Northwest. And within two years til
. agent was called in to the gener;
q office at st. Paul and became one
. the officials of the general freight d'