Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1910-02-03
FROM RAIL STENO
TO A PRESIDENCY
Rise of Darius Miller, Who Has
Just Been Placed at Head
of Burlington.
NATIVE OF PRINCETON, ILL.
Enters Business in 1877 and Has
Filled Various POsitiOns-ClOse
to James j. Hill.

Argus announced the advance
ment of Darius Miller, first vice pres
ident, to the position of president of
the Chicago. Burlington & Quincy rail
road
| c. G. Burnham. Mr.. Miller's as
sistant, has been elected vice presi-
dent in charge of freight and passen-
ger traffic to succeed Mr.. Miller, and
! H. E. Byram has been elected vice
president 10 succeed Daniel Willard,
who has gone with the Baltimore &
| Ohio railroad.
George B. Harris. the retiring presi-
/ dent of the Burlington, remains chair
man of the executive committee and
will devote a large part of his time to
/ Burlington matters.
/ 1t had been known for some time
/ that Mr. Harris would soon resign from
/ the Burlington and that the first vice
president would succeed him. In his
new position he can give the Burling-
/ ton the benefit of his knowledge and
/ experience without being tied down to
the Chicago office as in the past.
No Friction With Hill.
There was no friction between the
retiring president and J. J. Hill and
the resignation was accepted with re-
luctance. II was induced by personal
reasons, Mr.. Harris being anxious to
spend more of his time on a large
ranch which he owns in California.
The directors of the Colorado &
Southern railroad met yesterday after
noon and took action similar to that
of the Burlington board in relation to
the resignation of President Harris.
Mr. Harris was continued as chairman
of the executive committee and Darius
Miller formerly a vice president, was
elected president. c. G. Burnham and
H E. Byram were made vice presi-
dents
Miller Close to Hill.
Particular interest attaches to the
personality of Darius Miller not alone
because of his accession to the seat of
power over a great railway system,
but also through his close relations
with J. J. Hill. the wizard of the rail
road world For the last seven years,
as vice president of the Chicago, Bur
lington & Quincy railroad and in
charge of both freight and passenger
traffic, he has demonstrated his com
plete mastery. His dictatorship of
traffic has to a great extent reached
out into the northwest as a result of
Mr.. Hills faith in his ability.
Mr.. Miller was born in Princeton,
Ill, April 8, 1859. and was educated in
the Princeton schools.
He entered the railroad business in
1877, when he secured a position as
stenographer in the general freight Of
fees of the Michigan Central railroad.
Clerk I'm Freight Office.
Three years later he became a clerk
in the general freight offices of the st.
Louis, Iron Mountain & Southern rail-
way In 1891 he was made chief clerk
to the general manager
When two years more had passed he
held the position of general freight
and ticket agent of the road. While
climbing the ladder of promotion he
had married Miss Sue c. Brown at
Morris. Ill, in 1882.
The Memphis & Little Rock railroad
next claimed his services as general
freight and passenger agent. which oc
cupied his attention from 1887 to 1889,
when he was made traffic manager.
Then came a succession of short
stays with one road or another as
traffic manager until he went with the
Missouri, Kansas & Texas in 1896 as
traffic manager, and later was elected
vice president of the road. In 1898 Mr..
Miller became second vice president of
the Great Northern railway. and in
1908 became vice president of the Chi
cago, Burlington e Quincy railroad,
with special supervision over traffic.
Reaches Top RunRs at 30.
c. G. Burnham, who succeeds Mr..
Miller as vice president in charge of
freight and passenger traffic, has
feached an enviable position in the
world at the age of 80 He is
one of the youngest high railroad Off
Gals in the country. Few men in any
calling have equaled the rapidity of
his rise.
Fifteen years ago he went to work
for the freight department of the
Great Northern railway. For five years
he plugged away before his chance
came to enter the general Offices, but !
when he did so he so swiftly demon
strated his ability and keenness of per
ception that he was made general
agent in charge of the steamship traf-
fic between Tacoma and Seattle and
ports in Japan.
Young as he was. even that important
post was soon too small for him and
he was recalled to act as general for
eign traffic agent for the Hill inter
ests. From that it was but step to /
becoming assistant to the first vice /
president of the Chicago. Burlington /
& Quincy. The new shift. which lifts I
his superior. Darius Miller. into the I
presidency. opens the way for Burn I
= 49,