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He Thought He Could
Question by Ethan Gelber

The Question:

The force of some people's personalities is as great as the power of what they build. And in the age of track laying in America, one man drove his people with a will as iron-cast as the spikes that held the tracks in place. This man saw completion of a railway line that helped link the Pacific Northwest with the rest of the fledgling United States. Along the way, he helped farmers and improved agricultural practices. Afterward he forged links with the Orient and turned his railroad into one of the country's most progressive.

Who was this man and what was the name of his railroad?

The Answer:

James Jerome Hill, known as "The Empire Builder," was the undeniable force that drove for and saw the completion of the Great Northern Railway's transcontinental line to the Pacific in 1893.

In 1879, St. Paul (Minnesota) native James Hill took over as general manager of the twice foreclosed St. Paul, Minneapolis & Manitoba Railway Company. By the winter of 1892, high in the Cascades of Washington state, the final spike was driven home. James Hill, the father of what became known as "Hill Country," approached the expansion of this rail line with unmatched brilliance. After laying down tracks, Hill labored tirelessly to see his investment used. He saw barren lands settled, helped farmers improve their agricultural methods, used his own knowledge of crop management to encourage soil diversification, the use of new hardier seeds, and experimental farming. Success in these areas necessarily led to increased use of his rails.

Hill's energy and devotion — and his success at creating new business opportunities — earned him the name "Empire Builder." His agreement negotiated with Nippon Yusen Kaisha (at the time the largest steamship line in the Pacific) turned Seattle into an important port for trade with the Orient and, of course, relied on the Great Northern Railway for distribution of goods throughout the United States.

The Winners:

Our winners this week are: Matt Andrews, Tim Vander Haar, Steve Yates, Richard Hill, and Jeff Lonard. Gaetano Auricchio and Peter (pistoljr2) also got the correct answer.

Other good guesses included: Thomas Durant and the Union Pacific Railroad, Charles Crocker and the Southern Pacific Railroad, Leland Stanford and the Central Pacific Railroad, John Henry and the C&O Railroad, Jim Anderson and the Union Pacific Railroad, Collis P. Huntington, and Cornelius Vanderbilt.

THANKS for your contributions!