Rocky Ford enterprise., 1916-06-09
JAMES ]. HILL IS DEAD
EMPIRE BUILDER DIED AT 7s IN
ST. PAUL HOME.
Life of Railroad Masnate Was the
History OF the Development Of
Six Western States.
western Newspaper Union News Service.


st. Paul, Mimi. May S1.-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, DR.. Ger
man NJ. Biggs and DR.. Stanley Sea-
ger. together with members of the
immediate Hill family, we're 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
a special train. An operation was
performed Saturday afternoon, car
buncle on the posterior of Mr. Hills
thigh being drained. After the opera
tion 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:
Mr.. Hill passed away very peace
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 p. m.
| Wednesday. Interment will be in pri-
vate at North Oaks, where family
mausoleum or memorial chapel will
probably be built.
Because of the simplicity which
the family know would be the desire
of Mr.. Hill, the request is made that
no flowers or floral offerings be sent
to the house. Tuesday, at p. m, at
the 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 NJ.
r. Brown, Ralph Budd. 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, 1898. His
father and mother had emigrated
from Ireland with their parents years
before; took out Canadian claim"
and settled on a farm. For 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 a
village store.
Mr.. Hill married Miss Mary Mehe-
gan. a 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 dotteu
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 s1Oo.OOo.oO0 to 100000
GO. He was probably worth between
$500. 100000 and $25O.oO0,o0O.
Hill had nine children, six girls and
three boys. The eldest son, Louis
Warren Hill, who has succeeded to
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.