Jamestown weekly alert. [volume] (Jamestown, Stutsman County, D.T. [N.D.]) 1882-1925, 1916-06-01

way builder reached even beyond the
coast lines of the Western United
States. He had long made study OF
American commercial relations with
China and Japan and personal inves-
tigation had convinced him that an
eager market for American wares lay
over there in the region of the rising
sun.
The next step was the organization
of the steamship lines directly con-
Meeting the Great Northern and North
ern Pacific railways with Japan and
China, via Seattle, by means of the
biggest merchant ships ever launched
on the Pacific.
In 1901 the Company decided to
open negotiations for the joint pur-
chase of the Chicago, Burlington and
Quincy system by the Great Northern
and Northern Pacific, and the deal
was carried through successfully.
Holding Company illegal.
It was planned, through the forma-
ton Of the National Securities COM
pany, to form holding concern for the
control of these three great properties
This was declared Illegal, under the
Sherman antitrust Law, by . divided
court, upon suit by the United States
government, and the Northern Securi-
ties company was dissolved.
In 1907 the subsidiary companies
controlled by the Great Northern. in
cluding fourteen railway companies
operated as a part of it, were pur-
chased and Incorporated into the Great
Northern system. In the same year
Mr. Hill resigned the presidency OF
the system and became chairman OF
the board of directors, an ofice he
held until July /, 1912, when he re-
saxnsd. -
Along with Mr.. Htlfs.srailroad &C.
tivities he also branched into the bank
ing business.
The greatest svent in the history Of
the First National bank in st. Paul
was its merger with the Second Ma
tional on Jan. /. 1918, after J. ]. Hill
and his associates had acquired sub
stantial interest in both institutions.
When Mr.. Hill acquired his inter-
ests in the two banks and merged
them he at the same time got control
of the Northwestern Trust company
with a view to providing the means
in St. Paul for handling large finan-
cial transactions and operations that
had previously been made through the
great banking institutions of New
York and other large cities.
Urged Scientific Farming.
A deep student of economics and So
ciology Mr.. Hill believed that the SCI
entific development of the farm was
the solution of many vexing problems.
1.-THE balance Of population and in
dustry," he said, has been disturbed
and must be restored. The progress
sive decline of the percentage of our
people engaged in agriculture and the
steady drift of the population from
the country to cities and towns are
the proof. For half century we
have been building up every other ma
tional interest at the cost Of the farm.
We should reverse this policy
Actuated by his deep personal faith
in this doctrine he lost no opportunity
of putting helps toward successful cul-
tivation of the soil into the hands Of
farmers throughout the West. Him
self an expert in the science Of agri-
culture and stock raising, he put ma
terial for experiment at the disposal
of others who had ambition without
means.
Mr.. Hill also did much to develop
stock raising in the Northwest and to
further this idea he spent large sums
of money for the importation Of blood
ed stock for the improvement Of the
herds along his lines of railroad.
1equests for:Edueation.
Mr.. Hill many times demonstrated
in q practical way his belief in the
necessity for higher education. These
demonstrations have taken the form,
generally, of bequests to colleges and
universities. The st. Paul Catholic
Theological seminary he built and en-
dowed at q cost Of 100000. and the
breadth of his views is illustrated In
the fact that he has likewise given
large benefactions to Manchester col
lege and Hamlines university, the one
q Presbyterian and the other q Meth
odist institution. Numerous smaller
schools throughout the West have
been tided over financial difficulties by
his generosity.
One Of the last great achievements
Of Mr.. Hill was the erection Of the
Railroad building in st. Paul. costing
q, 100000 and covering nearly an on
tire book. Il 10 nearly twico % large
as any other st. Paul building and
double the sire OF 6ny other railroad
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