When his younger clique member, Takeshiro NAGAYAMA took the position as the Governor of the Hokkaido Government in 1888, HORI left the position of the government director, and he established the Hokkaido Colliery and Railway Company (it is the future Hokkaido Colliery and Shipping Company).
1888年、北海道庁長官に後輩の永山武四郎が就くと自らは理事官を辞して北海道炭礦鉄道（後の北海道炭礦汽船）を設立。