The Bemidji daily pioneer. [volume] (Bemidji, Minn.) 1904-1971, 1916-05-29

the route.
Several matters in regard to the
new armory will also be taken up.
j. J. HILL DIES AT
HIS HOME IN ST. PAUL
CONTINUED from Page ~
that he was not cut out for the pull
pit. He abandoned his studies and
obtained a position as clerk in a gen.
eral store.
Goes on Trips.
Young Hill performed his duties
so conscientiously and we'll that his
employer soon placed him in sole
charge of a branch establishment in
the neighboring city of Guelph. His
ambition, however, was too great: to
be satisfied with success in such a
small way. Soon he gave up his po-
sition and started on trip of OBJ
servation through the country. First
he travelled through the eastern
states of the Union, but later he
turned toward the West and in due
time reached St. Paul, at that time
town Of only about 5000 inhab-
itants.
Had No Railroad.
At that time St. Paul had no rail
road, but it was, nevertheless, full
of life and activity, being the term
inal of number of steamship lines,
connecting the head of the river with
the prosperous towns and districts on
the middle west and lower Missis-
sippi. Young Hill soon found en-
ployment as a levee clerk with NV
Bass & Co., agents of the Dubuque &
St. Paul Packet company, at salary
of SO cents day. A year later he
transferred his services to the firm
Of Brownson, Lewis & White, with
whom he remained about three years
Next in turn he worked for Temple &
Beaupre and still later four years
for Borup & Champlin, agents of the
Galena Packet Co., and the Davidson
line of steamers.
Organized Cavalry.
When the war broke out Hill be-
came infected with the excitement
then prevalent, and, together with
E. Y. Shelley, organized company
of cavalry, which he offered to the
state. Minnesota did not want any
cavalry at the time, however, and
Capt. Shelley with the majority Of
the command crossed the line into
Iowa and entered the services of that
state. Hill returned to his regular
employment and made no further eff
forts of a warlike nature.
During the many years spent in
the employ of the river transporta-
ton companies Hill thoroughly mast
cred every detail of the important
business, which enabled him to ad-
vance a step. He obtained the St.
Paul agency of the Northwestern
Packet company and retained it until
the line was consolidated with the
Davidson line of river steamers in
1867. In the same year he became
the agent for the st. Paul & Pacific
Railway company (the nucleus of the
present great Hill system) receiving
and transferring freight to and from
steamboats,, and he built a large
warehouse on the river bank, which
stood until few years ago. In the
meantime he had also entered the
fuel business in a small way, and in
with Chauncey w. Griggs, George
Armstrong, E. N Saunders and Geo.
S. Acker, under the firm name of
Hill, Griggs & Co., in the fuel bust
ness, and this firm brought in the
first coal used in St. Paul.
$4,000 for Steamer.
His connection with the firm of
Hill, Griggs & Co., lasted until 1875.
In the meantime, in 1870, Hill en-
parked in the first of those ventures
which later made him famous, by
founding the Red River Transporta-
ton company, operating boats on the
Red River of the North, connecting
at the end of the st. Paul & Pacific,
and running to the City of Winnipeg.
It was a big undertaking for man
of no greater wealth than Hill pos
sessed at that time. He paid $780,
600 for his first steamer and other
expenses were numerous and heavy.
The result justified his judgment,
h0wouor on1 hic fret nrn.