Bonners Ferry herald. [volume] (Bonners Ferry, Idaho) 1904-current, 1916-06-02
JAMES ]. HILL DIES
AT HOME IN PAUL
RAILROAD BUILDER, CAPITALIST
AND FRIEND OF THE GREAT
NORTHWEST SUccUMBS.
DEATH ENDS BUSY CAREER
Started as Poor Boy and Worked His
Way to Top of the Ladder-FuneraI
Last of the Week-A Short Story
of his Career.

St. Paul, Mimi, May 29.-James j.
Hill, railroad builder, capitalist and
most widely known figure of the north
west, died at his Summit avenue resi-
dence at $3.50 this morning as the re-
suit of an infection due to bowel trou-
BILE.
Mr.. Hill was unconscious for nearly
IL hours before he died. The doctor,
together with members of the immedi-
ate Hill family, were at the bedside
when the end came.
Fails Through Night.
Following a relapse late yesterday,
Mr.. Hill failed rapidly through the
night.
All the members of his family were
at the bedside with the exception of
Mrs. M. Beard of New York, daugh-
ter. She is expected to arrive tonight.
James N. Hill of New York and Mrs.
Samuel Hill of Washington arrived
early today.
Flags at Half Mast.
Governor ]. A. A. Burnquist ordered
all flags at half-mast on the capitol
and other state buildings in honor of
Mr.. Hill.
Mr.. Hills last public requests were
gifts for the advancement of education,
in which he was deeply interested
throughout the latter years of his life
Eekfr 90 ~ Nuaalfh
Mr.. Hills wealth is estimated all
the way from s1O0,O0O,OOO to 100000,
900. He was probably worth between
$500, 100000 and $3.50, 100000.
Mr.. Hills funeral probably will be
held Thursday from the st. Paul ca
thedral and Archbishop John Ireland Is
expected to deliver the funeral sermon
Burial will take place here. No Off
cial announcement of funeral plans
have been made.
Made Six Wealthy States.
James ], Hill discovered "the bread
basket Of the world" in the great
northwest; he led in its development
from a wilderness into what now com
prises six wealthy states dotted with
400, 900 farms, and he blazed a trai
for transportation which reached even
tually from Buffalo to Asia, with to
tai mileage of rail and steamship facil
tiles that would nearly girdle the earth
That but roughly spans the story Of
his achievements.
Near Guelph, in Ontario, where Jas
Jerome Hill was born in 1888, the sol
of an Irish-Canadian farmer, who dice
when the boy was Is, there stands {
tree stump labeled "The last tree
chopped by James ]. HILL"
It marked the lads resolution to e
to the United States. He had beer
prompted by an odd incident. Accord
ing to the story that is told, a strangt
traveller had stopped at the Hill farm
to take dinner, and left his horse a
the gate. Young Hill saw the ANNA
was tied and he carried it pail o
water The stranger was pleased will
the lads thoughtfulness and as h
drove off he tossed him a newspape
fro mthe United States and called on
gravely:
go there, young man. That countr.
needs youngsters of your spirit"
Hill read the paper carefully. 1t con
tanned glowing accounts of opportu
mites in the states. He resolved to in
vestigate for himself. 1t was the mex
morning that he chopped his last tree
Gets Job as Clerk.
AS a mere roustabout lad of IS h
toured from Maine to Minnesota. Whel
in 1856 he disembarked from Missi:
sippi river packet at st. Paul tina
place was a frontier town of 5000 il
habitants At the sign of w. ]. Bias
& Co., agents for the Dubuque & s.
Paul Packet company, he found 10
as both stevedore and clerk. From tina
time on he rose to the to round of tn