Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1916-06-02
FUNERAL OF EMPIRE
BUILDER IS SIMPLE.
JAMES J. HILL, NORTHWESTS,
GREAT RAILROAD BUILDER.
LAID TO REST.


LAID TO REST.
Though great crowds thronged the
home and the grounds and nearby
streets, extreme simplicity marked
the funeral services in st. Paul
Wednesday afternoon for James ;.
Hill. the empire builler." railroader,.
capitalist and widely known North
west pioneer, who died at the family
home in that city Monday morning
from q complication of diseases from
which he had suffered for years, and
the great democratic spirit of the
empire builder" followed him to his
last resting place, private mauso-
leum at North Oaks, the Hill farm
on the outskirts of st. Paul. Mr..
Hill was 7S years old.
The services were public, attended
by relatives. close friends and en-
ployes Of the Hill interests. Rt. Rev.
Thomas J. Gibbons, vicar-general.
had charge. At the hour Of the serv-
ices, 2 p. M, every Great Northern.
Pacific and Burlington
train, and every Hill steamer at sea,
stopped for five minutes, a fve-min-
ute tribute from St. Paul to the Pa
cic in which thousands Of employees
and friends shared, while the city Of
st. Paul, at the proclamation Of its
mayor. paid a similar observance.
Thousands Pay Tribute.
All day Memorial day employees
and friends, more than i've thousand
altogether, filed through the Hill
mansion and past the bier In the
shrouded semi-darkness of the draw
ing room, where the body lay in .
plain black casket on white pedes-
tai. The first to enter was the oper-
ating vice-president of the Great
Northern, the second section hand.
And all day and through the night.
messages from all parts Of the coun-
try, from railroad presidents. finan-
ciers. civic and state organizations
and political leaders, were received
by members of the family.
Mr.. HILLS last illness began May
1S, but its serious nature did not
become known until the latter part
of last week, when the famous spe-
cialists, Mayo brothers, were called
to perform an operation. For years
he had been a sufferer from intes-
final catarrh and hemorrhoids. and
on May % an infection set in. He
was first operated on last Friday and
for a day seemed to rally. but grew
weaker Sunday and was unconscious
for ~ hours before he died. All OF
his family. except one daughter, were
at his bedside when he passed away.
Son Succeeds to Power.
The great power held by Mr.. Hill
will pass to his son Louis. who has
been closely associated with him IN
business for 10 years, and who be-
came president Of the Great North
ern nine years ago, upon his fathers
retirement. Mr.. Hills wealth 10
estimated all the way from $780,
ooo. 900 to $6o0,o0o,o00. He was
probably worth between $2oo'ooo'-
900 and $250,000,0oo.
The greatest portion Of his wealth
consisted Of the stocks and bonds OF
the Great Northern, Northern Pacino
and Chicago, Burlington & Quincy
railroads, though he had the absolute
control of the First National Bank
and the Northwestern Trust COM
nanv Of st. Paul, which have conn
b,ned capital and surplus OF $6'-
900 900. and was a large owner OF
stock in the Chase National Bank OF
New York. First National Bank OF
Chicago. the Northwestern National
Rank in Minneapolis. and OF the
Great Northern Pacific Steamship
Company.
Genius Of Railroad Era.
Mr.. Hill was called 1.-THE Empire
Builder" because he was one OF the
greatest transportation seniuses OF
an age when railroad building "as
the most important feature OF Amer
lean expansion. The history OF MS
life is the history of development IN
the northwest. Fifty years ago ne
was a dock clerk in st. Paul and
practically penniless. He died .
multi millionaire.
His parents were plain, hard work
ing Scottish and north OF Ireland
stock. Hill wanted to be a great sur
econ His fathers death when no
was Is years old blasted that hope:
Mr.. Hill was born near Guelph
ortar,a on September 16, 1888. Ed
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