Montana oil and mining journal. [volume] (Great Falls, Mont.) 1931-1953, 1940-10-05
Fort Bentonites Made Jim Hill Keep
His Promise to Stay for Breakfast by
Refusing Teams for Ride to Helena

Fort Benton once slipped one
over on James j. Hill, best
known by the titles "financier,"
railroad builder" and empire
builder" Despite the many yarns
Of Ole, his bull and YIN" Hill,
there are few persons who slipped
things over on MIR. Hill and very
few indeed are the communities
that have that distinction. 1t was
during the building of the Great
Northern railway from Havre TO
Butte that Fort Benton made MIR.
Hill do a thing he very much did
not want to dO-and Fort Benton
made him like 1t.
The story was told by John Farrell
general superintendent Of the Oregon
Washington Railway g. Navigation Co.
Farrell told the story to Governor
Stewart of Montana, Governor Whyte-
combe of Oregon, State Veterinarian
Butler and d. D. Richards, secretary
of the Missoula chamber of commerce,
as the party was enroute from Lewis
ton, Idaho, to Portland travelling with
Farrell in his private car.
Farrell was one of the young men
of determination and ability that Hill
gathered about him when he under
took to build the Great Northern.
Farrell began his work at Minot, N. D.,
the construction work as far as Helena.
Let Farrell tell his story. He does
1t well:
gang and train that was dressing
the roadbed and laying rails from
Havre to Helena. We had reached
point near Fort Benton when we
learned that Hill and party Of officials
were to arrive within the next two
u O
eral inspection trip of the work and
were going on to Helena. They were
coming by train as far as Fort Benton
and from there would drive through
"T gave out the news and immedi-
ately the people of Fort Benton ar
ranged a big 'banquet-breakfast,
suppose you would can it. The arrange
ments for this big party were going
along finely and Hill was informed
that he would be royalty entertained in
Fort Benton He wired me confiden-
TALLY that he would not stop In Fort
Benton at all and would expect me TO
have outfits ready to start in the
as soon as the train arrived.
I'VE who we're on the job knew that
the banquet might not be
a love feast, because, as
you people from Montana know Fort
Benton did not relish the idea of the
being built so far from the
then main part of the town Hill must
have gotten wind of this and the re-
sult-his decision to go right through
II had nothing to do but obey or
ders. When I received Hills wire
began making arrangements for his
trip to Helena without the Fort Ben
ton stopover.
II went to the largest livery stable
In town and asked for teams and driv-
ers for a trip to Helena, the outfits
10 be ready at 8 o'clock next morning.
The time scheduled for the arrival Of
Hill and party. To my dismay I was
old that all the outfits had been en-
gagged and my order could not be
taken or filled. / went to another
stable. I got the same answer.
IAN day I went from place to place
.rying to get those teams. I went to
he farmers near the city. Same am
;wer. Nowhere, for love or money!
had increased the price offered gen.
,rally charged in my now almost fran
ic efforts TO carry out HIS orders
)ut couldn't get the teams. Someone
lad tipped Hills hand. The whole
own and the farming country near 1t
vas a combination in restraint Of trade |
IS far as Hill and his party were con-
,erned.
Il was 'strmped.' I had done all |
,ossible but had to admit defeat. When |
Hills train arrived, the whole town /
vas at the little shack station plat
orm to meet him. He asked for his |
'utfit to go onto Helena-then he |
sked for me I explained as best I /
ould. After some discussion, very dis
asteful discussion TO me, Hill laughed
nd proved himself a good sport He
ook his party to the 'banquet-break-
Ienton people had finished with him,
e found better outfits awaiting him
{ the door than / could have hired
Ie and his party were then set down
q Helena Ia what was record time
Or the distance h those days"