Pullman herald. [volume] (Pullman, W.T. [Wash.]) 1888-1989, 1916-06-30

| wv lVF idilldllS vi the uGGD were the
largest freight carriers and the larg-
est steamships flying the American
flag in the world. California and
Honolulu were connected up with
the Great Northern and Northern
Pacific railroad last year by the in
| auguration of regular service from
the mouth of the Columbia river by
the palatial liners, Great Northern"
and Northern Pacific"
Time will not permit of my enum-
Grating other omplishments, of
which there were many.
Mr.. Hill's works were always con
structiye and never destructive. He
was never a Spectator or an eX-
ploiter. His road weathered the
panlcs that swept so many other
roads into reCeiyerships. 1t was al
ways MIR. Hills pride that the Great
/ Northern never received a cent of
| governmental subsidy or a govern
ment land grant. The stockholders
/ nave regularly received seven per
cent on their investment ond divi-
dend has never been passed. His
/ whole life was wrapped up in the
/ success of his railroad and often
! times when he had opportunities to
! take advantage of conditions for his
own personal gain, in which he could
not be accused in any way of self
! seeking, he deliberately forebore
using 1t to his personal advantage
and used ii to the advantage of his
! stockholders and the communities
/ which his line served. For example,
/ when he purchased the iron ore prop
critics in northern Minnesota in 1900,
s1f
/ have retained them to enlarge his
own personal wealth and that of his
/ family, but instead of doing so he
turned it over to the stockholders of
the Great Northern railway He es-
timated at one time the value of the
ore contained in those properties at
$3.50, 100000. While he was presi-
dent and afterwards chairman of the
board of directors of the Great
Northern railway he never drew
cent of salary.
From the day he acquired control
Of the old st. Paul & Pacific railway
to the day of his death he realized
that the permanent prosperity and
development of the territory along
the lines OF the railway controlled
by him were dependent upon a con-
success. not only to the railroad com
pany, but to the communities which
ii served.
In the early days he aided ire
mendously in the development of the
Northwest by establishing rates on
forest products which enabled lum-
Der and shingles to find an eastern
market and which has resulted in
the upbuilding of the numbering in
dustry to the point where it is the
largest single industry in this state.
In his policies involving the agri-
cultural development of the terri
tory particularly in North Dakota
and Montana, he caused agricultural
experiments, soil surveys and re-
searches to precede the work of &C
lively securing settlers. The result
mas been that no agricultural terri
tory along the line of the Great
Northern railway has been prema-
turely settled. Success was assured
before the settlers went upon the
land
l.. w. Hill, supplementing the
work of his father since the settle
ment of the farm lands in the dry
farm areas of North Dakota and
Montana and other states along the
line, has established an agricultural
department whose one and only OBJ
Ject is to aid the settlers to increase
their output by adopting the most
up-to-date and scientific methods of
agriculture.
In addition to considering the well
fare OF every settler and every in
dustry that located along his rail
/ way. James j. Hill also considered
/ the interest of the stockholders who,
by their confidence and investments,
enabled him to carry on the great
work which he completed in such
/ mastery fashion. In no case did he
! ever consider his own personal in
/ terest first.
- There existed a close bond of SYM
pathy between James j. Hill and his
/ son, l.. w. Hill. The young man al
ways entered whOle-heartedly into
! his fathers plans and policies, and
since 1912, when he became chair
man of the board in addition to presi-
dent of the road he has relieved his
father of the responsibilities connect
ed with the administration of the
Great Northern railway and for the
past four years has been the active
directing head of the organization
carrying out his fathers policies
with breadth of view and an under
standing of the needs of the territory
served by the Great Northern rail
way which was born of an intimate
/ knowledge of the Northwest. ac-
CURED through life of service in
the Northwest. l.. w. Hill, who sue
ceeds his father, is a Northwestern
man. He was born and raised in the
Z Northwest When he takes a yaca-
ton, he spends it in the Northwest
He makes frequent trips to the
Northwest and has his finger con-
stantly on the pulse of business con-
ditions. James J. Hill was known as
the Empire Builder Louis W. Hill
has been known for several years
past as the Empire Developer. To
my mind there is no greater example
of James J. Hills foresight, for
which he was SO justly famed than
his course in making his plans for
the day when he would be no longer
here. He could see into the future
as few, if any, other men could do.
Continued on page four)