The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1916-05-30


Hill family; J. J. Toonsy. ofaciai OF
the Great Northern Railway and First
National Bank. and Charles Maitland
for twenty-five years . coachman In
the Fill family.
AL afternoon telegrAms continued
to pour in from all parts OF the coun-
try with expressions Of coincidence for
the family. Constant streams OF
family friends called at tho home and
at the residence Of Louis w. Hill. next
door. Few entered. most OF them
leaving words of sympathy for the
elder Mrs. Hill and her children.
Worth Over 800, 0oo, 900.
Mr.. Hills wealth 10 estimated ali
the way from $1oo,ooo.0o0 to $780,
100000. 1t probably is nearer the
former figure than the latter.
The best estimate was had when
the European war broke out in July,
1914. At that time Mr.. Hill called
bankers together from the First Ma
tional Bank and Northwestern Trust
Company. He assembled a mass OF
his securities.
More than 800, 900. 900 wss said
to be In the boxes that Mr.. Hill laid
before the bankers.
There should be no trouble" said
Mr.. Hill. "but II there Is this amount
is at your disposal"
The First National Bank then hor-
rowed from Mr.. Hill 5000. 900
worth OF Great Northern bonds These
were placed with tho Treasury De-
partment in Washington, and $4,000
600 worth OF emergency currency I'M
der the Aldrich act was shipped at
once to the First National Bank. II
was found necessary to place only
4 x nT hAG IN, St~ tafl T.,
a few weeks the entire amount was
returned to Washington.
Large Banking Tnterests.
Mr., Hill had absolute control Of
the First National Bank and the
Northwestern Trust Company, which
have a combined capital and surplus
of 100000. Mr.. Hill was a large
owner of stock in the ChaGe National
Bank OF New York, the First National
Bank. and illinois Trust and Savings
Bank OF Chicago. and the Northwest
ern National Bank In Minneapolis.
He was large owner Of the Great
The greatest portion u Mr.. Hills
wealth, however. lay in the stock and
bonds Of the Great Northern. North
ern Pacific and Burlington roads.
The executors of Mr.. Hilrs estate
probably will be Louis w. Hill, his
son, and The Northwestern Trust
Company.
The great power held by Mr.. Hill
will pass TO L, w. Hill, who has been
closely associated with him in bust
ness for ten years.
James Y. Hill oldest son. IL a.
rector of the Texas OIL Company.
Walter. his youngest son, has big farm
holdings in K1ttson County, Mime
sofa. where he snends most of his
time. It IL believed Mr. Hills vast
estate will he held intact through the
Northwestern Trust Company and that
the various heirs will he given life
interests.
Career of !. T. Hill.
James Jerome Hi. who opened the
great Northwest 10 developm ent. crea-
ted Billions in values did a vast
amount to Improve railroad methods.
and himself aFnassed an enormous
fortune, came Of poor Irish and Scotch
stock.
BY his own genius ne rose 20 the
top OF the ladder, became one OF the
mentors OF the New World. inspired
tens OF thousands OF others to lives Of
usefulness and well deserved his title
OF THE Empire Builder"
Mr.. Hill was born near Guelph.
yelling County. Ontario. Canada. on
Of James and Anne fDunhar) Hill.
His childhood was spent In Canada.
From his seventh to hts fifteenth year
he attended lockwood Academy, a
Quaker School
He intended TO study medicine But
his father died 3n 1883 and the young
man took a Job IN a country store.
After surveying the field of the
a4easa United Statas he saiaetaA- ST
Dn al ~ An~ ~, - ts
start In life. In 1885 he secured work
there "a a shipping clerk.
He Was man who thought a great
deal about his work. He studied
transportation and fuel problems care
fully.
within a year he set up in business
for himself He became stea nboat
and railway agent In 1870. with a
partner. he built a steamboat for use
on rhe Red River OF the North
This brought him into competition
pany. The great corporation soon
found the struggle too hard and took
Mr.. Hin into its own service, putting
him IN charge NJ the company's inter
ests in that district
He was the first to take coal from
ST. Paul and he opened tho f,rst COM
munication between st. Paul and Win
ntpeg. then Fort Garry. in 1872
His great opportunity came in 1879
and he seized 1t eagerly. The dis
credited ST. Louis and Pacific Rail-
way went into a receivership. 1t was
sss,o0o.oo 300 in debt.
Nurses q Sick Patient.
Mr.. Hill took charge OF this sick
patient and nursed II back TO rudy
health In 1873. with Donald A
Smith. George Stephen and Norman
kittson. he secured complete control
and the line was reorganiSed in 1879
as the st. Paul. Minneapolis and
Min!toba Railway Company. with Mr.
Hill as general manager. He became
president In 1898.
Mr.. Hill now proposed a railway
from the Great Lakes to the Pacific
Many thought him visionary. He
paralleled the Northern Pacific
which had been assisted by tho United
States government, and the Canadian
Pacific. which had received vast grants
from Canada
without one cent Of State or gov
eminent money, the Great Northern
system was constructed. From 1880
to 1898 SIX thousand miles of track
were huiIf and a0lfinpad