The Colorado statesman., 1916-06-03
JAMES ]. HILL is DEAD
EMPIRE BUILDER DIED AT 7s IN
ST. PAUL HOME.
Life of Railroad Magnate Was the
History of the Development of
Six Western States.
Western Newspaper Union News Service.

st. Paul, Mimi, May 31.-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, DIR. Ger
man NJ. Biggs and DR.. Stanley Sea
ger, together with members of the
immediate Hill family, were 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
special train. An operation was
performed Saturday afternoon, car
buncle on the posterior of Mr. Hills
thigh being drained. After the opera
ton it was stated that it 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.
sciousness. All members of the i'm
mediate family were present except
one daughter, Mrs. Anson Beard, who
will arrive tonight, and one grandson,
James ~ 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 he at the res
idence, 240 Summit avenue, at 2 D. m.
Wednesday. nterment will be in pri-
vate at North Oaks, where family
mausoleum or memorial chapel will
probably be built
Because of the simplicity which
he family know would be the desire
II Mr.. HILL the request is made that
10 flowers or floral offerings be sent
o the house. Tuesday, at D. m, at
he residence, an opportunity will be
given the veteran employees of the
Great Northern Railway Company to
farewell of their old employer.
The active pallbearers will be M.
r. Brown, Ralph Budu. Charles w.
Gordon, j. M. 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 a 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
village store.
Mr.. Hill married Miss Mary Mehe-
gan, 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 a wilderness into what now
comprises six wealthy states dotted
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 $10O,0OO,O0O to $500 ,O0O,-
90. He was probably worth between
$200000,0O0 and $25O,OOU,0OO.
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 trained nurse in
Minnesota. The Hills have never gone
in for social affairs, and although
their residence in st. Paul cost over
S75O,000, and they possess several
country places, they have lived sim
ply and quietly