The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1902-01-18
rAMMANY's NEW LEADER.
Lewis Nixon Succeeds Richard
Croker.

Lewis Nixon Succeeds Richard
Croker.
Last Saturday Lewis Nixon was elected
leader Of Tammany Society, to succeed klch-
ard Croker, who retires after service OF more
than twenty years, during which he welded
great power in the Democratic party not only
In New York City and State but throughout
the country. Mr. Nixon is different sort OF
man from Croker, and il is expected that he
will elevate the society and draw TO it many
men of influence and character who would not
Join with Croker.
SKETCH OF NIXON.
The new leader of Tammany Hall is a ma
tive of Virginia, having been born in Leesburg,
that State, April I, 1861. de has risen step
by step. until he. is now one of the most poten-
tial forces in New York and one OF the most
noted naval designers in the world.
After being prepared for entrance N me
United States Naval Academy and graduated
at the head of his class. He was sent abroad
by the Navy Department to take an advanced
course in naval architecture, engineering ana
ordnance at the worlds greatest engineering
school. the Royal Naval College of ENGLAND,
where the flower of the English navy are edu-
Gated.
he was graduated at this college, and dur
ing the three years he was in Europe was
ordered to inspect the dockyards, armor plants
and gun shops of England and France. ana
thus he laid the foundation OF that knowledge
and Judgment which few years later enabled
him to perform signal service to his country
bv designing in so days the vessels which OF
ali our navy ia nearest to the hearts of the
American people, the battIeship Oregon, and
her sister ships, the Indiana and Massachu-
setts.
Mr.. Nixon served in both the line and the
staff of the navy, and owing to the fact that he
was ordered to duty in connection with the
Roach ships when building at Chester, has
been closely connected with every phase OF the
building of the new navy. -,
After he had risen to the occasion which
came to him in the chance of q Lifetime, 70
design our first battleships, he received an
offer from the Cramps, and, resigning from
the navy, became the experimenting con-
strucior of that shipyard, employing 5000
men. He remained with them while they
bniIt the Indiana. the Massachusetts, the
BROOKLYN. the Iowa, the New York, the Min
neapoHs and the Columbia; also, the St. Louis
and the ST. Paul, and many other vessels.
Then he went to New York, leased the
Crescent Shipyard, at Elizabethport, on Staten
Island Sound, and began building vessels on
his own account. He has doubled the size of
his plant in a few years, and has built vessels
for the Arctic seas, as well as for the tropics,
his shipyard being one of the few that have
successfully competed with the English and
Germans for the South American trade.
Mr.. Nixon built the successful submarine
boat, the Holland, and his yard is now the
great shipbuilding school for the naval archi-
tects of the world, who come to study the new
Holland boats he is building.
Some of the quickest work ever known was
done by him. as when he built IA vessels for
the Klondike trade, on the Yukon river, in SO
DAYS, and during the war built three water
boats in so days.
When one considers that every calling, pro-
fesson and trade contributes to the building
of ship. it must be an all-around mana
genius-who can create and direct the neces-
sary organization IN a way to challenge adj
miration and still find time for doing work that
would tax the capabilities Of two men besides,
one must conclude that his executive ability
is of the highest order-that he is true, up
to-date American.
Mr.. Nixon is president and a large stock
holder of the International Smokeless Powder
and dynamite Company. During the last tive
years under his direction this company has
put in plant covering an area two miles long
four other companies and finds time to keep
his mind full of their details. and is director in
several others.
His administration of the political office he
holds-President of the East River Bridge
Commission-has won the high respect OF
commercial aud business men.
Mr.. Nixon is also a trustee of Webb S
Academy and Home for Shipbuilders, a mem
Der OF the council and executive committee
of the Institute of Naval Architects and
Marine Engineers and a member Of the
Chamber of Commerce and eff the Board of
Trade.
He is typical man of the times, with a
genius for work and organization.
When in the navy Mr.. Nixon was ordered
to the Brooklyn Navy Yard in 1889. Hav-
ing been born a Democrat in Virginia he
naturally allied himself with the Democratic
party and joined the organization Of the
Twenty fifth Assembly district, and since that
time he has always claimed New York as his
residence, and has never cast vote in any
other place.
How came Croker to discover Nixon?
A personal friend says that while the Tam
many chief was searching the country for a
man who would command the confidence of
men of wealth and business he was stinck by
Dixon S sorcible and earnest efforts in behalf
of the new deep channels into New York bay.
Nixon had made study of the commercial
and maritime interests of New York harbor,
and by writing speaking and his individual
work had created q deep interest IN the
movement and its interests. He so impressed
Mr.. Croker that the latter wrote one OF the
strongest letters ever sent to the the Tam
many Congressional delegation, to spare no
efforts in behalf of the bill for the deepened
channels, and this letter was published in the
Congressional Record.
Later. when the opportunity occurred,
Mayor Van Wyck placed Mr.. Nixon atthe
head of the commission charged with the
building of the great new East River bridge,
which will be twice the capacity OF the old
one. This appointment has brought him in
close touch with municipal affairs, so that he
has acquired practical knowledge of city ad-
ministration Since that time Mr.. Croker and
Mr.. Nixon have become well known to each
other, and, while SIR Nixon's friends claim
that he is in no sense a politician, he has come
to be known as Democrat who stands high
in his party, though he has hosts of admirers
among Republicans.
Mr.. Nixon's writings in the magazines and
for scientific and technical societies have at
tracted International attention, and they are
generally directed to commerce and trade
+ CEutGIiuE III 4NCW LOlhf "iiCthSA " Sesheei;
railroad or ocean or to the navy and merchant
marine
Mr.. Nixon is a true Southerner, tall,
athletic, handsome man, and a born genius
for everything pertaining to the navy and
difficult problems in unknown phases OF en-
gineering He is six feet high, weighs 200
pounds, and shows by his carriage his early
military training. He has a dark, ruddy com
plexion, with very black hair and hazel eyes
He is practical temperance man, and neither
drinks nor smokes.
He has been presented at court in London
and is member of New York's most exclu
sive club-the Union-and of the Rittenhous,
Club of Philadelphia aud the Metropolitan
of Washington; is president of half dozer
companies and director in as many more; il
politics e-president of the Democratic
Club and president of one of the most import
ant commissions under the city government.
Downfall of an Ex-Governor.