Evening star., 1942-07-07
Daniel Willard, Rail Veteran,
Dies of Heart AiIment at 81
Carrier Pioneer
Headed B. & O. for
Three Decades
Py the Associated Press.

! ES LHe Associated fTess.
BALTIMORE, July 7-Death has
ended the long railroading career of
Daniel Willard, 81, who began as a
track laborer and climbed to the
presidency and board Craftsmanship
of the Baltimore g. Ohio Railroad.
Uncle DAN" as he was familiarly
known throughout the B. & o. sys-
tenn, had been seriously i'll of heart
! trouble since May 81. when he was
taken to the Union Memorial Hos
pital He died there last night.
Private funeral services will be
held at the Willard home at pm.
! tomorrow The family made no an
nouncement regarding burial ar
rangements.
Mr.. Willard knew the problems of
the railroadmen in the high places,
and he had experienced the back
breaking toll of those in humble
positions
Tried to Retire
In 1880, when Mr. Willard was
nearly 10 and had served for two
decades as president of the Balti-
more and Ohio. he offered his
resignation. saying the road would
be served better by younger execu-
| tive
But the directors turned down the
suggestion and reelected him, just
as they did every year thereafter
through 1910.
Finally, on April 80, 1941, the
veteran stepped down. from the
active management of the system
and was elected chairman of the
Board of Directors-a new position.
A pace-setter in his field, Mr..
Willard was quick to abandon out
moded ideas and policies when new
departures promised to improve
service to the travelling public and
benefit railroads.
He pioneered in alr-conditioning
passenger coaches and in the use of
Diesel power; he fought, on occasion,
for passenger and freight rate re-
ductionS when new business sources
we're needed and he campaigned just
as vigorously for increases when op-
Grating costs seemed, to him, to
make low rates impractical.
STAYED Off Bankruptcy.
In the tight days of 1882 Mr..
Willard headed the Executives Com
mittee that negotiated a three-year
$400, 900, 900 wage reduction with the
workers.
Again, in 1899, Mr. Willard almost
single worked out plan
for modification of B. & o. interest
charges and bond maturities, light
ened the roads annual debt payment
by about 100000, and saved it
from bankruptcy.
Cooperation between the work
ers and officers of the road was the
keynote of his policy. When shop
mems strike became almost a gen.
eral Walkout throughout the United
States the mechanics employed by
his road remained aloof.
There is no need for the shop
men of the Baltimore & Ohio to
strike when there is no difference
between the workers and officials
WlllCll CdlillOb UC SCbIACu Wy al DltA q
tion," he said. From that state
ment grew the Cooperative Griev-
ance Committee, which embraced
representatives from each of the
trade crafts and officials of the
road.
Prominent in Education.
He had only the start of COL
lege education but for more than
| quarter century was a member of
| the Board of Trustees of the Johns
Hopkins University. He was elected
to the board in 1914 and served as
chairman rom 1926 until 194l. He
also headed the committee which
mapped out 50year program Of
advancement for the university and
the Johns Hopkins Hospital He
was honored with degrees from 10
colleges and universities including
the Universities of Maryland, West
Virginia and Pennsylvania, Dart
mouth College, Ohio State Univer-
| sity Syracuse IJniverSitV the Uni