The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1904-01-24
ONCE A WicHITAN.
Shipping Journal Tells OF the Rise OF
Jacob William Miller.

Many Wichitans will remember Jacob
William Miller For three years he was
a resident of the Peerless Princess 1t
was only few weeks ago that Mr. KILLER
paid Wichita a visit. Fed dreamed that
he would make such progress toward
higher things as the following in the
American Syren and Shipping shows that
he has.
Captain Miller, whose excellent portrait
constitutes the headlight for this issue.
was born in Morristown. n. j.. June l,
IS47. the son of hon. ]. W. Miller, United
States senator from that state He en-
tered the Naval Academy in 1868 and
graduated in June, 1857. He served on
, the European, Pacific and West indian
stations, and was appointed TO special
service in connection with the Nicaragua
Inter-Ocean Canal project in 1872. MI.
Miller surveyed a part of the western
divide and had charge of the hydro
graphic work on the San Juan river. He
returned to Nicaragua in the fall of 1875
as Secretary to the Commission appoint
ed by the United States government to
determine which was the best route for a
ship canal across the isthmus and sub
sequently made report upon the Nicara-
qua Canal In 1915 he was ordered to
the European station and served in the
Mediterranean on board the u. 5. b
Franklin" During the winter of 1877
IS he was on board the ''Vandalia' when
General Grant visited the Levant in the
course OF his celebrated trip around the
world. After three years of sea service
in Europe he was appointed instructor
of ordnance and gunnery at the Naval
Academy, holding that position until 1851.
when he was ordered to set and made his
last cruise in the L. S. S. jamestown
as navigator from San Francisco to New
York when that vessel came to the At
lantic under sail-probabiy the last sail
ing man-o'-war that came around cape
Horn This voyage completed, Mr.. Mil
err left the navy and went TO Kansas.
where he was made vice-president and
general manager of the st. Louis. Fort
Scott and Wichita railroad. He was in
railroad service in the west until May.
1886, when he accepted the position of
general manager of the Providence and
Stonngton Steamship Company and of
the New York. Providence and Boston
porations until they were bought by the
n. Y, y. Il, & H. r. r.. when he took
charge of the Sound lines operated by
that corporation. and is now general
manager of the Marine district. He was
also secretary of the Nicaragua Company
and had other marine and railroad in
terests The development of the Naval
Militia movement found in him an active
worker. and he was commander of the
First New York Naval Battalion. In
1884 he became a member OF the New
York Chamber Of Commerce Committee
ION Docks, and served or the cQmmittee
of the schoclship ..St. Mary SIS IN 1925
he volunteered for service in the war
with Spain. and was placed in charge of
the auxiliary naval forces for the New
York district. He is on the executive
committee of the Navy League and one
of its founders; he is also one of the
Council of the Marin, Engineers and
Marine Architects Association. and vice
commander of the Naval Order. New
York Comma ndery. Captain Miller still
holds very active interest in the Naval
Reserve movement and Is em;nently iden-
tilted with its best endeavors.