The Idaho Springs siftings-news. (Idaho Springs, Colo.) 1905-19??, 1916-06-02
JAMES J. HILL IS DEAD
EMPIRE BUILDER DIED AT 70 IN
ST. PAUL HOME.
Lire o. Railroad Masnate Was the
History of the Development Of
Six Western States.

western Newspaper Union News Service.
81 Paul, Mimi. May 3l.-James ].
Hill, railroad builder, capitalist and
most widely known figure of the
NorthWrst. died at his Summit ave-
nue. residence Monday morning as the
result OF an infection due to bowel
trouble
Mr. Hin was unconscious for near
ly two hours before he died. DR.. Ger
man NJ Biggs and DIR. Stanley Sea-
ger, together with members of the
immediate Hill family, were at the
bedside when the end came.
Saturday Mr. Hill became much
worse and DIR. Mayo, with his brother,
Charles, again rushed to St Paul on
special train. An operation was
performed Saturday afternoon, car
buncle on the posterior of Mr. Hills
thigh being drained After the opera
ton it was stated that it had been
critical and the patients condition
was grave on account of his advanced
age.
The family statement made Monday
was as follows:
Mr., Hill passed away very peace
fully after several hours OF uncon-
seriousness. All members of the i'm
mediate family were present except
one daughter, Mrs. Arson Beard. who
will arrive tonight, and one grandson,
James N. B. Hill. son of Mr. and Mrs.
Samuel Hill, who will arrive from
Cambridge Tuesday.
"Nicar General Gibbons attended
Mr.. Hill during his last hours, and
will officiate at the funeral services
at the house and also at the grave
The public services will be at the res
idence, 240 Summit avenue, at p. IN.
Wednesday. Interment will be in pri-
vate at North Oaks, where a family
mausoeum or memorial chapel will
probably be built
Because of the simplicity which
the family know would be the desire
Of Mr., Hill, the request is made that
no flowers or floral offerings be sent
to the house. Tuesday, at p. M, at
the residence, an opportunity will be
given the veteran employees of the
Great Northern Railway Company to
pay their respects and take a last
farewell of their old employer.
The active pallbearers will be M.
r. Brown, Ralph Budd; Charles w.
Gordon, j. M. Gruber, P. L. Howe, w.
P. Kenney, Charles Maitland, George
A. MACPHERSON, Theodore Schultz
and J. ]. Toomey.
Mr.. Hill was born in lockwood, a
Canadian hamlet, Sept 1G, 1898. His
father and mother had emigrated
from Ireland with their parents years
before; took out a Canadian claim"
and settled on farm. For a time
Hills father kept small tavern.
When the future magnate was II
years old his father died. James then
quit school and became a clerk in a
village store.
Mr.. Hill married Miss Mary Niche
gan, young and comely Irish lass,
who served at the hotel where Hill
boarded.
James J. Hill discovered the bread
basket of the world" IN the great
Northwest; he led in its development
from a wilderness into what now
comprises six wealthy states dotted
with 400, 900 farms; and he blazed
trail for transportation which reached
eventually from Buffalo to Asia, with
a total mileage of rail and steamship
facilities that would nearly girdle the
earth
Mr. Hills wealth is estimated all
the way from $100,000,000 to $500, 000,-
90. He was probably worth between
100000, 900 and $250,00O,000.
Hill had nine children, six girls and
three boys. The eldest son, Louis
Warren Hill, who has succeeded to
large portion of his fathers respon-
sibilities, married a trained nurse in
Minnesota. The Hills have never gone
in for social affairs, and although
their residence in st. Paul cost over
s750,O0O, and they possess several
country places. they have lived sim
ply and quietly.