The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1913-01-28
SAFETY FIRST IS SLOGAN OF DANIEL WILLARD, B.
 & o. HEAD 52 TO-DAY

From a IowIy position in the rail road service to the leadership of two i great systems, with over 5000 miles 1 of track. epitomizes the career of
 Daniel Willard, president of the Balti- more 6 Ohio and Cincinnati, Hami1- ton & Dayton lines. President Willard l is Vermonter by birth, and will ce1e- brate today the sixty-second anniver~ sary of his first appearance at Hart land, Vt. He was educated at Wind sor, in the Green Mountain State, and at eighteen began his raiiroading g
 career. For twenty years he worked on various roads, in many capa cities, before his ability won substantial re- ward. In 1899 the Baltimore & Ohio powers began to observe MT. Wil1ard's s
 capacity for hard work and exception
 al executive powers, and appointed
 him assistant general manager. In
 1901 he went to the Erie, first as as
 sistant to the president, then as third
 vice-president. His next service was
 with the Chicago, Burlington & Quin-
 cy, as second vice-presfdent. Four
 years ago he became president of the
 Colorado Midland and vice-preside ent
 of the Colorado & Southern. In Janu-
 ary, 1910, he returned to Baltimore
 as president of the great Baltimore &
 Ohio system.
 Safety first is the Willard rail sroading slogan, and it is his ambition
 to make his road the safest in Amer
 ica. When he assumed the presidency of the B. & O. three years ago this month, MT. Willard inaugurated q gigantic scheme of Improvements which have just been completed. The building of a third track across the Allegheny mountains, the purchase of much new equipment and a general enlargement of facilities, at- total cost of sixty million dollars, are num- bered among the achievements of the man from Vermont. A mountain tun- mel costing s1,25O,000, constructed in record time, was opened last month.
 As president of the Cincinnati, Ham i1ton & Dayton, MT. Willard, with ff- teen other officials and directors and two trainmen, were indicted for in- voluntary manslaughter by an In- dianapo1is grand juryz last month. The employment of incompetent men, it was alleged, was the cause of a wreck in which sixteen Spersons were killed. Perhaps as a result of this charge, President Willard always an advocate of careful railroading, sounded his safety first slogan. which has been taken up by railroads all over the con tinent. Tn a New Years greeting to employees, President Willard said:
 During the year just begun keep constantly in mind that the most inn portant policy of the company is clearly expressed in the words, Safety first I wish to remind each one in the service that he owes to himself, has family, to his fellow employees, and to the public, the duty of doing at all times all that he reasonably can to make his employment and the sys- ten's trains as safe as possible. If this thought be kept in mind by each employe and is permitted to exert, as it should, 8 constant and controlling influence over his actions. it is certain in Ina greater prosperity for us all"
 With all of whicn the public will concur-even though "the public is placed last among those to whom trainrne owe a duty. The public should be duly thankful that it is mentioned at all, for too often it has been left out of the consideration by railway officials and workmen