The Wenatchee daily world. [volume] (Wenatchee, Wash.) 1905-1971, 1910-12-20
RAILROAD MAGNATE TALKS
ABOUT UP-R|vER BRANCH
J. j. Hill Says Line Will Be Built Up Columbia Just as
Soon the Financial Clouds Lift but Makes no Def
mite Promises-Was Met at Depot Today by Delega-
ton from Commercial Club.

'The road up the river from We
natciiee is going to be built, and it
will be built as soon as the clouds
lift" This is the statement made
by James j. Hill. president of the
beard OF directors CT the Great Nor
theTn railroad, to a committee of the
Wenatcliee Commercial Club, who
met him at the G. n. station today
at noon.
For several days it has been
known that Mr.. Hill would be back
this way at this time on his way
from the Sound to ST. Paul. The
Commercial Club sent a wire yester-
day asking for short visit with him
as he went through. Mr.. Hill &C
cepted the invitation and at 1910,
as the train rolled in, delegation,
consisting of thirty members of the
club, was at the depot. The prime
reason for calling on the great rail
road builder was to talk to him in
reference to the road between Wen
atchee and the Okanogan. DR.. King,
president OF the club, preached the
subject. Attention was called to the
fact that there are now 1900 peo-
pie in Okanogan county. and that
the needs of an early building were
great.
Mr.. Hill Talks.
In reply Mr.. Hill said3 The on
" reason -tfrrt-tffrr -ruad is not now
building is that We are short of
money. There is tightness, not
only here, but in other parts of the
world as well, but as soon as the
clouds lift, we will build and the
road from here north will be one Of
the first
Mayor Gellatly then asked him if
there was anything that could be
done in the way Of securing right
Of way that would assist the Great
Northern. "Oh. we have the right
OF way said Mr.. Hill. In my
Younger days | saw to that. so that
we are all fixed as to the right of
way"
Then we may quote you as say
ing that the road will be built from
Wenatchee to PaterOs?'
Yes, you may quote me as say
ing that the road will be built as
soon as the clouds lift. | will not
say that it will be built next year
1t depends only upon the money sit
Nuation.'
\ Mr.. Gellatly called his attention
to the fact that if the road were not
built within the next year or two,
that the people of the upper coun-
try would be seriously affected.
Yes" said Mr. HILL Il realize
that and we will be seriously affect
ed. too. You may depend on it,
however, that there will be no trou-
BILE to get the stuff out of the up
per country. The worst trouble right
now is to get the stuff to build
with
And we believe that if the money
is to be gotten anywhere, that you
can get it, Mr.. HILL" remarked one
OF the delegation. The old railroad
builder laughed and admitted that
he believed he could.
Eighteen Thousand Stockholders.
You see there are many people
who think that ] own the road. The
fact of the matter is that there are
eighteen thousand stockholders. OF
these, seven thousand are women.
The average amount of stock owned
by each one is $4,000. For each
$4,000 of stock, these stockholders
receive 500 per year as dividends.
One thing which makes it hard TO
get money in England is the fact that
our roads, while they do not cost
so much per mile to build, require
much more to operate.
Section hands in Europe cost so
or 60 cents a day and conductors
receive $1.10. The same kind of
work brings much higher wages in
this country, and it is right that it
should, but it is this difference in
cost of operating that causes the
capitalist to hesitate in putting in
money.
There is another trouble in Sc
curing capital. and that is the gen.
eral feeling all over the country at
the present time seems to be that
the railroad man is about the same
as horse thief (they all laugheD.
That does not apply to Wenatchee.
however. The Great Northern and
the people of Wenatchee have been
able to work together very nicely
and this is fact that We appreci
ate."