The daily Gate City. [volume] (Keokuk, Iowa) 1855-1916, 1914-09-02

DaIuS Mill61, EEeS.ArIA "a LIE >k1Ax
cago, Burlington Z Quincy and o.
the Colorado & Southern. died II
Glacier Park, Mont, on August g,
after an operation for appendicitis.
Mr. Miller had been on a trip TO Den
ver and Glacier Park on which be had
been accompanied by Mrs Miller and
Vice President Hale Holden The
party had been Joined at Glacier Park
by President Louis W. Hill OF the
Great Northern: and In response to
the summons Of President Hill, spec
ial trains carried medical help for
Mr. Miller from Spokane. Wash, and
HAVE, Mont, and later James J. Hill
personally took surgeons on special
train from St Paul. Mimi But before
the party from ST Paul arrived II was
necessary TO operate; and even then
the operation proved to be too late
Mr. Ailler's death removes from
the railway neld of America one OF
its aolest and most remarkable men
He Eas an extraordinary example of
perfect tact, great geniaii.y. fne O
cial qualities and consummate diplo-
matte skin united With tirsless bodily
and mental energy. great business
sagacity, ambition. a resolute wiz,
rare courage. and administrative ca
pacity OF the first order.
He impressed everybody who came
n contact with him With his acces-
sibIlity, his sauyity, his kindIiness.
his pfsassntness and the perfect
poise o. his manner. Even after he
became president of the great Bur
ungton system, with its almost 10 $50
miles of line, he received in his Of
ice almost all Who called and listen
ed smilingiy and patiently TO all they
had 10 say. He never seemed ruff
fed, never seemed in a hurry, never
seemed 10 have single worry. Ii
his visitor had a favor TO ask. Nr.
Miller vas pretty sure to grant il. il
he could. for he had Z sincere liking
for taking the time and trouble In his
busy life TO do nice things for Others.
But this was only one side os his
character Those who saw much OF
him soon found that back of his
easy-gofng manner he was a cease
less. indesatigabie laborer The low
lest employe OK the road did not put
in any longer hours. During all Of
the year, except in the summer
months. his working day at his ONCE
was from about $3.50 a. m 20 700 p.
M Even after he went home it was
a very common thing for him to sit up
till midnight or later reading hour
after hour reports. newspaper articles.
magazine articles and books on sub
jects pertaining to transportation.
and business and political matters in
general The same energy be put
into the work he did himself he put
into that of directing the labors of
his subordinates- 1t was so when he
~as traffic man. an. even more so
after he became president OF the
burlington.
Sir Miller was essentially and
enainsnsiy pacilrc in his attitude to-
ward competing lines, toward regu-
iating authorities and toward the la
Dor organizations He was always
anxious not 10 do or say anything
which il was not fair TO do or say or
That might provoke reprisals from
concerns or persons that were at
lacked But when there was occas-
ion for it, he displayed an amount Of
courage that was hardly likely TO be
expected from one with his pleasant.
urbane exterior. He met the attacks
OF aggressive competitors halfway.
and no railway man In the country
was more vigorously outspoken than
ne was during the last years Of his
life in replying in letters OF through
the press to persons or publications
tsat INDUCED in unjust criticism of
the Burlington in particular, Or the
railways in general
One OF the most interesting fea-
lures of his career was his relation
skip with that great master OF rail-
road transportation, James J. Hin.
Mr. Hits powerful. dominating per
sonality has made it hard for some
men 10 work with him; but Hr. Nil
Ter, from the time he went to the
Great Northern as vice president in
charge OF traffic in 1898, seemed to
get along perfectly with Mr. Hill, and
TO none Of bis neutenants, except
lis SON. Louis W. Hill, did James j.
Hin apparently give quite such IN
reserved confidence and support as to
Sir. Miller. Probably this was due to
Ar. Miller's remarkable combination
Of tact with courage. and urbanfiy
with strength With characteristic
modesty, he always gave Mr. Hill the
lions share Of the credit for the
policies so successfully carried out On
the Burlington; but doubtless Mr
Hin would be the first TO give Mr..
Miller fun credi. both for the part he
took in shaping the BurIinron's
! policies. and the equally important
work ne did in carrying them out.
SIR. Miller's experience until he
became the roads president was tina,
OF q traffic man He was SO pre-.
eminently good traffic man that !,
/ was expected when he left the Grea,
: Northern TO become first vice presi