The circle banner. [volume] (Circle, Mont.) 1914-1939, 1920-03-05

great tranScontlnental transportation
system within the next few months
/, was of unusual interest to Montana
because of the fact that all three
railroads traverse this state.
1t is of interest to recall, too, tha
, this merger was actually completed
once before by James j. Hill wheI
!, he was in control of the three roads
but it was dissolved because the fed
eral government regarded the com.
bination as illegal. 1t is claimed
now that legislation before congress
and the present government attitude
would not prohibit the merger. Re-
ports from well-informed circles are
to the effect that the consolidation
of the three great systems has been
made necessary to take care of the
$500, 100000 in Burlington bonds
that fall due next year, but that
there are also many advantages. to
be gained along the line of better
service and more economical opera
ton by merging the lines under a
single management.
The three roads have a combined
mileage of $4,000 miles, or enough
track to form line of railroad COM
pletely around the eartn.
Dream of Empire Builder
! Four years after his death the gil
gantic transportation system that
was conceived in the mind of James
j. Hill promises to come into being,
and it has been given out that the
consolidation has been planned along
the lines which the empire builder
laid down. In the minds of railroad
men and of the public the vast con-
solidated system will live as a mem
orial to his genius.
Astor and his contemporaries were
the first giants of commerce who
saw the unlimited possibilities that
lay in the development of the great
west and opened highway of travel
to Montana by the use of steamboats,
and the Missouri river. 1t was at
the time when the great northwest
ern fur industry was beginning to
reach its greatest development that
James ]. Hill was born at the village
of Rockford, on September 16, 1898.
He first saw the light of day in a
log cabin of the kind that is familiar
in the biographies of great Ameri-
cans.
The life story of the great railroad
builder is one that every Montana
boy should know, for it is filled with
inspiration for any youth who wishes
to succeed. At five years of age
young Hill trudged through the snow
through the brush, two miles and a
half to school, and as soon as he had |
made out his letters, he read every
thing that he could get hold of in
print. On the rough farm of his
father the youngster received all |
kinds of EXERCISE and the variety of
scenery about him kept his magma
ton fresh. Hence he grew up strong
Of body and lively of mind, deter
mining to do things worth while. At
school he was drilled by a Quaker
named Wetherald; and in his sue
,essful years he was proud to show
honor to this man to whom
ne attributed much of his triumph as
| man of affairs.
Napoleon Inspired
At the Rockford academy he met
some lads from the Red river who
stirred him with the wonderful pos
abilities of that region. At the AGA
lemy he continued to be trained in
he studies that make character-in
old literature, in quiet thought and
Il the examples of world heroes who
we're always before him in after ]
ears. TO these, and not to techni- {
al skill or short courses in applian- ,
es, James j. Hill owed his success.
was he stirred by the life
f Napoleon, and it is not too much :
o say that he was driven to his en-
ire building by the great emperor.
With biographical reading was COM
ined much Bible study, memorial
ion of poetry, especially that of
hakespeare and Burns, and general
eading.
During his course he enjoyed the
eaceful home life of his parents c
hose simple pleasures came to in S
errupt hard work and seriousness '
lst long enough to emphasize their L
eed instead of work and seriousness i
lterrupting pleasure as they do in @
ne lives of too many Americans. 9
With such an education, the career t
Hill was largely determined be-
)re he left home. p
Four Years in Store n
This he did when he was IA years Ii
Id. Robert PasSmore, Scotsman, 3
ave him employment in his store.
t the end of four weeks he said to N
lie lad: james, We hae dune right G
eel. If we keep on yell max your i
ay in the warld."
When four years <of this service E
ad passed, like others of whom we E
lad with delight, he resolutely left
j of his friends and set out for the
nknown. His journey took him
trough the eastern cities and then
the infant Chicago. But the call b,
the northwest, of which his AGA ii
,my friends had told him, lost him II
Chicago. Instead, stalwart, keen, I'll
red with purpose, he arrived at st. M
iul in 1856 to remain there in act pl
e service for so years. fo
At this time, st. Paul was a mot re
Y village along the river bank. th
1ring the steamboat season it was tn
ely, for through it passed the sup th
les for the Red river country, and to
it came all who wished to search TT
t the country whether for gain or b
sasure. But during the winter it m
Is a dull place, almost like a town