South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1916-05-30

International News Service:
ST. PAUL, Nina, May 29.-James
J. Hill. eminent railroad builder and
financier, died at his home here to-
day at $3.50 o'clock
Mr.. Hill had been i'll for about 10
days Unprecedented efforts to save
his life had been made by u large
coterie of specialists rushed here
several days ago from several cities.
Announcement of Mr.. Hills death
was made at his residence. Just a
half hour before the end came, Or.
Hermann Biggs of New York an
nounced TO newspapermen that his
death was momentarily expected.
Practically all of the members of
the financier's immediate family
were at the bedside when he ex-
pired.
Abscess Immediate Cause.
The immediate cause of Mr.. Hills
death was an abscess, which formed
on the posterior part Of his thigh
some time ago, and despite treat
ment of famous SPECIALISTS steadily
became worse. The infection, it is
said, had spread to below his knee
before death came He suffered in
tensely and has had periods of un-
consciousness during the. last few
days
Physicians practically gave up
hope for his recovery when he fall
ed to rally after the operation. His
advanced age. rs. and the intense
pain which he suffered from the alb
scess on his thigh had so weakened
his general constitution that he was
not able to withstand the strain Of
the operation.
Created Billions in Value.
James Jerome Hill, who opened
the great northwest to development
created billions in values, did a vast
amount to improve railroad methods,
and himself amassed an enormous
fortune, came of poor Irish and
Scotch farmer stock.
BY his own genius he rose to the
ton of the ladder, became one of the
mentors of the new world, inspired
tens of thousands of others to lives
of usefulness. and well deserved his
title of The Empire Builder"
Mr.. Hill was born near Guelph,
wellington county. Ontario, Canada,
OIL Sept. Is, 1888. He was the son
OF James and Anne Dunbar Hill.
His childhood was spent in Can
ada. From his seventh 10 his fif-
teonth year he attended the Rock
wood academy, a Quaker school.
He intended to study medicine.
But his father died in 1853 and the
young man took a job in a country
store.
After surveying the field of the
whole United States he selected st.
Paul. MINI, as the best place for
his start in life. in 1865 he secured
work there as a shipping clerk
He was a man who thought a
great deal about his work. He studied
transportation and fuel problems
carefully.
Sets Up in Business.
Within a year he set up in bust
ness for himself He became "
steamboat and railway agent. In
1870. with a partner, he built a
steamboat for use on the Red river
% the north.
This brought him into competition
with the powerful Hudson Bay COM
pany. The great corporation soon
found the struggle too hard and took
Mr.. Hill into its own service. putting
hum in charge of the cOmpany's IN
terests in that district
He was the first 10 take coal into
St Paul. and he opened the first
communication between st. Paul and
Winnipeg. then Fort Garry. in 1872
His great opportunity came in
1873 and he seized il eagerly. The
discredited st. Louis and Pacific rail-
way went into a receivership. Ii
vas S33.000,O0 in debt.
Mr.. Hill took charge of this sick
ratient and nursed it back 10 rudy
health In 1878 with Donald A.
Smith. George stephen and Norman
Kittson. he secured complete con-
troll and the line was recognized in
$50 as the - PAM NTfDuaauolfs "a Ii u