The Barre daily times. (Barre, Vt.) 1897-1959, 1916-05-29
James J. Hill, the Railroad
Builder and Capitalist,
Succumbed To-day
WAS DISCOVERER OF
WORLD BREADBASKET
Helped to Develop Territory
Now Comprising Six
Wealthy States

St Paul, May 29.--James J. Hill, rail
road builder, capitalist and the mos
widely known figure of the Northwest
died at his residence at 9:30 o'clock to
day as the result of an infection due to
bowel trouble
He was unconscious for nearly II hour
before he died. Drs. Herman Biggs anc
Stanley Seager, together with members
of his immediate family, were at his bed
side at the end Mr.. Brown, Hills per
sonal secretary, announced his employ
er's death to the waiting newspaper mer
at the Hill home. He said that no ar.
rangements regarding the funeral date
had been discussed.
James j. Hill discovered "the bread
basket of the world" in the great North
west; he led in its development from a
wilderness into what now comprises six
wealthy states dotted with 100000
farms; and he blazed trail for trans
portaion which reached eventually from
Buffalo to Asia, with total mileage of
rail and steamship facilities that would
nearly girdle the earth.
While Mr.. Hill built up for himself
and his associates an immense fortune,
he also helped to create for the settlers
along his lines a wealth Of over s5,000,-
100000 in real property, which is repre-
sented by the value OF the 100000 farms
and their 65,Oo0,O00 acres of improved
land.
Upon his retirement at 50, the streak
of rust" he had bought 80 years before,
had expanded to more than 5000 miles
and it was earning gross profits OF more
than S66,000,00o year, and carrying
l5,000,000 tons of freight annually. He
stiii retained hand in the Great North.
ern's policy az chairman of the board of
directors, while his son, Louis, who had
worked up from the humblest position of
his fathers railroad, became president.
The secret Of the Hill success was no
secret at all, according to Mr.. Hill, and
he had no new recipes to offer. "The !
nan with the big opportunity to-day"
re said, SIS the man in the ranks" But |
he secret OF failure he frequently de-
Jared to be extravagance. He regarded
his as national tendency against |
which he strongly set himself, particular
y as concerned the natural resources
During his active supervision of the
treat Northern system, Mr.. Hill overssw
lmost every detail, to the wonder Of all
mployes with whom he came in contact.
fugitive instance of his recognition in
is own country is the story of tourist,
gho declares that there are aHoat in the
wedish section of the Northwest up
5srds of 10000 different stories in Swed.
III dialect with "Yem He'll" as the cen
erpiece Patrons of his lines have liked
nd disliked him in rapid alienation, for
was his point to have his way, not
My where his road should run, but
here his patrons should settle. This
as part of his economic policy. He
irried out singular regularity in the
'cation of branch lines, giving a mini
rum of short lines on which light trains
ere unavoidable The principal text of
is railway gospel was low grades, heavy
over, large capacity cars. and big train !
ads on his main lines. and he began to J
reach this at time when these things r
ere held as visionary by most railway n
en-.