was the building of the
Virginian Railroad. This road connects the great coal-fields of West
Virginia with tidewater. The route is four hundred forty-three miles
long. "By this line a thousand million dollars' worth of coal is made
available to the world," said a great engineer to me. And then he added,
"It will take twenty years, however, to prove fully the truth of H. H.
Rogers' prophetic vision." This was the herculean task of a man in his
thirties--not for one approaching his seventieth milestone.

But Rogers built this road alone. He constructed and equipped it in a
style so complete that it has set a pace in railroading. You who know
the history of railroads realize that the first thing is to get the line
through. Two streaks of rust, a teakettle, and a right of way make a
railroad. This allows you to list your bonds. But H. H. Rogers had
neither bonds nor stock for sale. What other man ever put forty millions
of money and his lifeblood into a railroad? Was the work worth the
price? It were vain to ask. The work is done, the man is dead; and that
his death was hastened by the work no one can doubt.

Rogers had the invincible heart of youth. He died as he had lived,
always and forever in the thick of the fight. He had that American
trinity of virtues, pluck, push and perseverance. Courage, endurance,
energy, initiative, ambition, industry, good-cheer, sympathy and
wonderful executive ability were his attributes.

JAMES J. HILL

The armed fleets of an enemy approaching our harbors would be no
more alarming than the relentless advance of a day when we shall
have neither sufficient food nor the means to purchase it for our
population. The farmers of the nation must save it in the future,
just as they built its greatness in the past.

--_James J. Hill_

[Illustration: JAMES J. HILL]

James Jerome Hill has one credential, at least, to greatness--he was
born in a log house. But let the painful fact be stated at once, without
apology, that he could never be President of the United States, because
this historic log house was situated in Canada. The exact spot is about
three miles from the village of Rockwood, Wellington County, Ontario.

Rockwood is seven miles east of Guelph, forty from Toronto, and a
hundred from Buffalo.

Mr. Hill well remembers his first visit to Toronto. He went with his
father, with a load of farm produce. I