The age-herald., 1902-01-24
TAMMANY's LEADER.
Lewis Nixon Was the Designer of the
 Famous BattIeshlp Oregon.

Lewis Nixon, the new leader of Tam many Hall, was born at Leesburg Lou doun county, Va, on April II, 1861. His fathers family came from Ireland in 17lO, first settling In New Jersey. Late ly his immediate ancestors moved to Loudoun county. where they took up ex- tensive tracts of land and engaged in farming. His grandfather was farmer and his father. Joel Lewis Nixon, was a farmer merchant, school teacher, judge of magistrates court, sheriff and colo mel of the Loudoun Guards Virginia State troops. MT. Nixons mother was Mary Jane Turner of the Turner family, well known in the social and political history of Virginia. After obtaining an education in the common schools and at the Lees burg Academy young Nixon was ap- pointed as a cadet midshipman at the United States Naval Academy at Anna polls, Md.
 Though only IS years old and known as a reckless youngster'' when he en- tered the academy, he was graduated l the courtesy of the British Government in 1882, the United States was permitt- ed to send two of it's most promising young officers to pursue a course in na- val architecture ordinance and engineer ing at the Royal College, Greenwich England. the most advanced school of it's kind in the world.
 Nixon. then an Encipn uroc oalaotad For one of these places. After three years of service he won the honors of his class, and was sent by William c. Whitney then Secretary of the Navy, to visit all the great shpbuilding yards, arsenals and engineering works in Europe. When he returned to the United States he was ap- pointed naval constructor, and was as- signed to John Roach's shipyard at Ches- ter Pa., to assist in the construction of the Chicago, the Boston and the Atlanta. There he came in touch with the ship building of the new navy.
 When Secretary Tracy decided to have constructed for the United States some of the most formidable battleships of modern times, Naval Constructor Nix on, though only 29 years old at the time. was selected to design the vessels. Not long afterward he presented to Secretary Trtcy rough draft of battleship.
 twill such a ship equal the British oattieshipT asked Secretary Tracy.
 ''It will not" Dixon replied.
 Then make plans for one that will" was the order
 We have never launched a battleship of that size in this country" said Nixon, as he went to execute the order In nine- ty days he produced designs for the Indi- ana, Oregon and Massachusetts.
 Upon displacement of 10000 tons he succeeded in evolving type of vessel to successfully cope with British battle ships of 14,oOO tons displacement This feat evoked favorable comment from many of the most eminent naval experts in the world. These were only a few of the things accomplished by Mir. Nixon While he was naval officer. He has done much since he designed the famous Ore gon, which made record run around half the world and took so prominent q part in the great naval battle off Sam tiago.
 After resigning from the navy MT, Nix on took responsible position with Will liam Cramp & Sons, the Philadelphia shipbuilders. He remained with them as experimenting constructor while they built the Columbia and the New York for the United States navy, and the St. Louis and St. Paul and other vessels of the mer- chant marine. Ambitious to become his own master in the fullest degree, he looked about, and later became interested in the shipyards at Eizabethport.
 Although MT. Nixon has been a mem- Der of Tammany Hall for eleven years, he only same to MT. Crokers special notice half a dozen years ago. When MT. Cro- ker was casting about among his follow CTS to find strong men to run as candi- dates in the first battle for the control of the Greater City, MT. Nixon, William Astor Chanler and Stewart M. Brice, a stamp of men who had not figured prom inently on Tammany slates. were called to his attention.
 MT. Nixon ran that year for alderman in the Twenty-fifth district He was de- feated, but succeeded in making heavy inroads on the normal Republican major- ity of the district. MT. Croker wanted him to accept the place as successor to Colonel Waring, then Commissioner of Street Cleaning, but Mir. Nixon declined the offer, declaring he could not afford to accept any place that would take so much time.
 Anxious to have him prominently iden- tified with the new administration, Mir Croker then proposed that he be made head of the East River Bridge Commis- sion. This was done, and MT. Nixon has since been the head of the great work of construction. When the national Demo- cratic party was looking about for Vice Presidential candidate to run with Bryan. Mir Nixon was suggested. The support of the New York delegation was pledged to him, but he felt mpelled, for personal reasons. to have his name with drawn. rs