Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1901-01-03
RISE OF A LOUDOUN COUNTY
BOY.

Appended will be found an interest
ins sketch Of the work and business OF
Mr.. Lewis Nixor, as given 10 the last
issue of the Saturday Evening Post.
Mr.. Nixon IL a native Of Loudouu
county. The story below shows what
boy with pluck and energy can do,
notN t istandlpg bis humble start In
life. :.
Aa Interesting msn is Mr.. Lewis
Nixon, the chsirman CT the com mittee
| ci five rosDtly appointed Dy mr..
| r chsrd Croker -"b e." Cr0ker--to
.upDress vice 10 New York city The
u ruler idea OF sn active Tsmmspy
|, eier il we'll known, but that 10 cot n
.y,iy c,ss correct is shown by the fac
,hat orc IN 70 Der of the committee, Mr
John w. Keller, is not only Tam
many worker and Office holder but q
college graduate and former newspaper
editor of high personal standing, and
that Mr.. Nixon is an engineer of ma.
lional distinction and the designer OF
the greet tatllesbip Oregon.
A southerner by birth and New
Yorker by adoption, Mr.. Lewis Nixon
is q man who has been building vessels
ever since he was big enough to white
10Y ciati. :,
After bis graduation from the Naval
Academy, the United States govern
nent cent him to Europe to inspsct the
ship and armor building plants OF Eog'
lsnd epd France.
Mr. Nixon was not thirty years OF
age when be designed the Oregon, but
the unlimited store OF confidence he bad
10 bis own ability is sttested by the fsc'
that be went ahead ard designed the
pride OF the Pacific and her sister YES.
sells the l dana and Massachustt t g, 10
ess than ninety days.
Mr. Nixon was 10 the employ OF o
great shipy ard at Inc time, superintent
ing tbe construction OF two bsttleships
which be had designed. He mad an en-
yiable position, with q salary higher
,han was recsived by the majority OF
young men OF his age. By ali known
teas Is he SHOULD have been satis6 I'd, and
anumt er OF ns lr'tn ls told him 80 with
81 gaeing frankntts. The result was
exactly wha, mig have beer expect.
ID by anybody who knew Mr.. Nixon.
A few months later found him sole
0 proprietor" OF small shlpyard 10 the
little town OF E'z.bethport, New Jer.
sey, and he plugged into every phase OF
the business and built ev, v,rything from
Runb Jats for the navy to palatial private
g cam Yachts.
WDen the KIondike gold excitement
began a company wished 10 secure some
stes msrs for Alaskan service. All the
Pacific coast ehipbuilders said that II
would bs impossible to deliver them
within the short space Of time spec' fisd.
Mr.. Nixon thought differently. He
mad his force of employees at work
night and day, and be built the boats,
took them apart, shipped them in sec
tions across the continent, and re.ereot.
ed the craft on the Pacific coast within
the prescribed time.
Woen the Holland submarine tor
peoo-boa, wss fret prGstte3, no one
save he sbipbuilder from New Jersey
was especially anxious to undertake
the cors ruciion of the experimental
craft, and so Mr.. Nixon easily secured
the contract, and the recent success OF
the little vessel is q monument to the
ability of lis builder as we'll as Its In
W utor. Mr.. N xon has also just COM
pleted another unique craft-a floating
safe in which all the treasure on ship
board Is stored, 90 that 10 case the ves-
sci sinks this novel crsf; will ride the
waves 10 safety and attract attention
by light which is iRnited at the mo-
ment OF contact with water.
Mr.. Nixon has political ambitions,
and by appointment & Mayor Van
Wyck is president OF the new East
river bridge commission OF New York
CITY.