Sublime

Year by year, Hill and his railroad organizations assembled an elaborate system of agricultural research and promotion.

Hill genuinely cared about quality rail service and about public opinion.

for Hill, the merger truly represented the capstone of his life’s work.

Ever the pragmatist as well as the tough competitor, Hill also eventually presaged another future characteristic when he abruptly changed course and parleyed with his chief competitors to bring peace to the area coal industry by joining together in a market-sharing consortium.

The only thing that Hill refused to give his family was more of himself, for he labored long hours into the night with only partial respites on weekends. Aside from rides behind his horse teams and occasional bird hunting, he permitted himself few diversions in his relentless drive to achieve wealth and status.

The Birth of a Nation,

Finally, through some combination of convincing, cajolery, and perhaps promises, the associates persuaded him to stand aside and allow Hill—who was already handling supply and other matters—to take over the supervision of construction. Assigning the direct work to a favorite contractor, David Robbins, Hill now entered one of the most dynamic phases