Keowee courier. [volume] (Pickens Court House, S.C.) 1849-current, 1916-05-31
JAMES JEROME HILL DEAD.
Great Railway Magnate Left Estate Of
About $3.50, 100000.

Northwest, died at his Summit ave-
nue. residence at $50 o'clock this
morning as the result of an affection
due to bowel trouble. An operation
was performed Friday, from which
he failed to rally.
The family physician announced
that Mr.. Hill died of blood poisoning.
Left Great Fortune.
Mr.. Hills wealth is estimated at
from s1oo,ooo,O00 to $500, 900, 900.
He probably was worth between
$200,0oo.oo0 and s250,000,00O.
Mr.. Hill had the absolute control
of the First National Bank and the
Northwestern Trust Company, which
have combined capital and surplus
OF $6,5O0,0O0. He was a large hold
er OF stock In the Chase National
Bank, of New York; First National
Bank of Chicago, and the Northwest
ern National Bank, in Minneapolis.
Fie was a large owner Of the Great
Northern Pacific Steamship Com
pany.
The greatest portion of Mr.. Hills
wealth, however, was in the stocks
and bonds Of the Great Northern,
Northern Pacific, and Chicago, Bur-
lngton and Quincy railroads.
Discovered Worlds Bread Basket.
James J. Hill discovered "the
bread basket Of the world In the
great Northwest. He led in its de-
velopment from wilderness into
what now comprises six wealthy
States dotted with 100000 farms,
and he blazed trail for transporta-
tion which reached eventually from
Bualo to Asia, with total mileage
of rail and steamship facilities that
would nearly girdle the earth.
That but roughly spans the story
OF his achievement.
Near Guelph, in Ontario, where
James J(erome) Hill was born in
1888, the son Of an Irit ,.-Canadian
farmer who died when the boy was
15, stands tree stump labeled:
<The last tree chopped by James J.
Hill"
1t marked the lads resolution to
go to the United States. He had
been prompted by an odd incident.
According to the story that Is told, a
strange traveller had stopped at the
Hill farm to take dinner, and left his
horse at the gate. Young Hill saw
the animal was tired and he carried
1t pail of water. The stranger was
pleased with the lads thoughtfulness
and as he drove off he tossed him a
newspaper from the United States
and called out gravely: go there,
young man. That country needs
youngsters Of your spirit"
Hill read the paper carefully. 1t
contained glowing accounts Of oppor-
tunities in the States. He resolved
to investigate for himself. 1t was
the next morning that he chopped his
last tree.
AS mere roustabout lad of 1S he |
toured from Maine to Minnesota.
When, in 1856, he disembarked from
a mississippi river packet at st. Paul
that place was a frontier town of |
about 5000 Inhabitants. At the sign |
of w. j. Bass & Co., agents for the |
Dubuque and ST. Paul Packet Com
pany, he found a job as both steve
dore and clerk.
In the. Is years that followed he |
seized every opportunity to study the |
whole problem. of river transporta-
ton. lie gathered no end Of expert
e.ice and little capital with which |
he launched his own firm Of Hill, |
Griss & Co., which promptly display
ed its initiative by bringing the first |
load Of coal that had ever been seen
in that section into st. Paul. Two
years later. with a nat-bOttOmed |
steamer, he established the first reg
ular communication with st. Paul !
and the Manitoba ports Of the fertile |
Red River Valley.
Turned Empire Builder.
With the line OF Puget Sound once |
laid, he turned empire builder. He |
introduced the live stock industry |
into vast areas Of bunch-grass plains,
and developed them by importing |
bloOded stock; he sent demonstra-
ton trains through the country with |
men who showed the people how |
to raise more wheat to the alcre; he |
made an outlet for the grain by es-
tablishing cheap rate by rail and |