The Elbert County tribune., 1916-06-02
JAMES J. HILL IS DEAD
EMPIRE BUILDER DIED AT 70 IN
ST. PAUL HOME.
History Of the Development Of
Six Western States.
western Newspaper Union Now, service.

st. Paul. MINI, May 3I.-James ].
Hill. railroad builder, capitalist and
most widely known figure of the
Northwest. died at his Summit ave
nue. residence Monday morning as the
result of an infection due to bowel
trouble.
Mr.. Hill was unconscious for near
ly two hours before he died, DIR. Ger
man NJ. Biggs and DR.. 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 DR.. Mayo. with his brother,
Charles, again rushed to st. Paul on
special train. An operation was
performed Saturday afternoon, n car
buncle on the posterior of MIR Hills
thigh being drained. After the opera
ton It was stated that 1t had been
critical and the patients condition
was grave on account of his advanced
age.
The family statement made Monday
was as follows:
fully after several hours of uncon.
seriousness. All members of the i'm
mediate family were present except
one daughter, Mrs. Anson 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.
Vicar 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 2 d. IN.
Wednesday. Interment will be in pri-
vate at North Oaks, where a family
mausoleum or memorial chapel will
probably be built.
Because OF the simplicity which
he family know would be the desire
,f Mr.. Hill. the request is made that
10 flowers or floral offerings be sent
o the house. Tuesday, at p. m, at
he 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 Budo. Charles w.
Gordon, ]. NJ. Gruber, P. L. Howe, w.
P. Kenney, Charles Maitland, George
A. MACPHERSON, Theodore Schultz
and ]. ]. Toomey.'
Mr.. Hill was born in lockwood, a
Canadian hamlet. Sept. 16. 1888. 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 a small tavern.
When the future magnate was IA
years old his father died. James then
quit school and became a clerk in u
village store.
Mr.. Hill married Miss Mary Mehe-
gan. young and comely Irish lass,
who served at the hotel where Hill
boarded.
James ]. Hill discovered the bread
basket of the world" In the great
Northwest; he led In its development
from wilderness into what now
comprises six wealthy states dotteo
with 100000 farms; and he blazed a
trail for transportation which reached
eventually from Buffalo to Asia, with
total mileage of rail and steamship
facilities that would nearly girdle the
earth.
Mr.. Hills wealth is estimated all
the way from s100,O0O,00O to $500, ,O0O,-
90. He was probably worth between
s2o0,ooo,ooo and s250.0Oo,0oO.
Hill had nine children, six girls and
three boys. The eldest son, Louis
Warren Hill. who mas succeeded to a
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
s750.000. and they possess several
country places, they have lived sim
ply and quietly.