Clarke courier. [volume] (Berryville, Va.) 1869-1997, 1901-01-02


Rsss q = xoudeun County Boy
| Appended will b found n inter
sstisg sketch II the work sud busi-
ssss 81 ar. Lewis Nixon, - given in
Tie lsst issas II The Saturday Even
ing Pest. Mr.. Nixon l. native Of
Leudsuu esusty, bis father being =
eisoksuith q coed stsnding. The
story bslew shows what . boy with
pluck and suergy can do, noswith.
standing his hambls start in life.
An Interesting man IL Mr.. Lswis ME-.
on the chairman Of the commitsss Of
nvs recently appointed by Mr.. Richard
oroksr-"boss" Croker--to suppress
vice In New York City. The popular
'oss OF On active Tsmmany leader a.
vel known, but that IL not In evsrv case
correct 10 shown by the fact that ons
member Of the committee, Mr.. John w.
Keller. Is not only Tsmmany worker
snd ONCE holder bat college graduate
and former Newspaper editor OF hirh
personal stsnding. and that Mr.. Nixon
himself 10 an engineer of national dis
JUNCTION and the designer Of the great
battlsship Oregon.
A 6outhsrner by birth and New YORK :
er by adoption, Mr.. Lewis Nixon is n
raan who has been building vesseles ever
STAGE ne was big enough to whIttle toy
craft.
After his graduation from the Naval
Academy, the United States Government
sent him 70 Europe to inspect the ship
and -armor-buiiding plants of England
and France.
Ar- Nixon was not thirty years of age
when he designed the Oregon. but the
unlimited store of confidence he had In
his own ability Is Attested by the fact
that he went ahead aud designed the
pride of the Pacific and her sister vessels
the Indiana and Massachusetts. In Iess
than ninety DAYS
Mr.. Nixon was in the employ of a
great shipyard 81 the time, superintend-
ing the construction Of two battleships
which he had designed. He had an en-,
viable position, with sAlry higher than
was received by the majority of young
men OF bis age. BY all known tenets he
should have been satisfied, and = mum
Der Of his friends told him so with en-.
gaging frankness. The result was ex-
sctly what might have been expected by
anybody who knew Mr.. Nixon. A few
months later found him "sole proprietor
OF small shipyard In the little town OF
Eiizsbethport, New Jersey, and ne
plunged Into every phase of the bust.
ness and built everything-fron gun.
boats for the Navy 90 pSlatiAI private
steam yachts.
When the Klondike gold excitemen,
began q company wished TO secure some
steamers for Alaskan service. All the
Pacific Coast shipbuilders said that II
would be impossible to deliver them
within the short space Of time specified
Mr.. Nixon thought differently. He had
his force OF employees work night and
day, and he built the boats, took them
apart, shipped them In sections across
the continent, and regretted the craft
on the Pacific Coast within the pre-.
scribcd time.
When the Holland submarine tor
pedo-bost was frst projected, no one
save the spipbuilder from New jersey
was especially anxious to undertake tn.
construction Of tide experimental craft
and SO Mr.. Nixon easily secured the
contract, and the recent success Of III.
ntsle vessel 10 . monument to the abIlI
~ OF iss builder a. well as its inventor
Mr.. Nixon has also just completed
another unique crafts floating safe II
which all the treasure on shipboard Il
stored, 90 that In case the vessel sink
this novel craft will ride the waves IL
safety and attract attention by q high
which is ignitsd At the momeat of CON
tact with the water.
Mr.. Nixon has political ambitions
and by appointment OF Mayor Val
Wyck is President of the New Eas
River Bridge Commission OF New Yorl
City.