The silver state. [volume] (Winnemucca, Nev.) 1909-1925, 1910-10-22
THE DREAMS OF A
YOUNG BANK CLERK
(By Lester w. Haworth, Editor Aus
tin Reveille.)


evasive mineral vaults of her rebel
ious hills. Every man in the state Is
now; or has in the past, taken ms
chance in the mines. Occasionally
there comes along the man, who tits
into great mineral discovery and
turns it to human account, Just as cap
tains in other lines OF industry grasp
and utilize an idea that revolutionizes
their line of business, to make them
fortunes and benefit society. For hty
years the people OF the state have de-
lighted in conferring distinction upon
the successful men IN her mines.
There is no class feeling in the state,
sinister attitude toward the wealthy
by the genuine Nevadan. There are
no aristocrats in the state, for all ex-
pect to hit it rich tomorrow, and no
one begrudges today's success to any
man.
no sad seanees with his conscience.
no sad saances with his conscience.
lie has no killed-off competitors whose
ghosts may may haunt him. lie has no
dreams of underpaid sweatshop hire TO
curse his quiet hours. There is no
barrier between him and the associa-
ates of his penurious days. If he
crave the adultation of wealth wor
shippers, he must leave Nevada. 1T he
seeks fields of usefulness, Nevada peo-
pie want him, and never yet have taes
failed to back to the limit single one
of the states favored sons VINO has
cast his lot and his life among them
The Days of Youth.
In the light of these observations, Ii
will be interesting to survey the lite
and record of George 5. Nixon, VINO,
after having served one term in the
al 10 Ia
for reelection. lie was born AriI z,
1860, in Placer county, California, at
a little mining camp, called Doten 5
Bar, on the American river, between
Auburn and Folsom. Ill lived there
until II years of age, when he went TO
Oakland and seeurea work in boA
factory. Here, he began to save
money, little each month, systematl.
cally.
When he had accumulated a fund
of S400 he went into the Offices OF the
Central Pacific Railroad company at
Newcastle to learn telegraphy. lie re
ceived no salary, bat subsisted on his
box factory savinSs. In toruteen
months he was ready for JOB. ne
was stationed at Browns, little
place on the desert on the main line
of the Central Pacific, 2S miles west
Ol iONGioth. liz no N'NfS -
Nevada, sixty dollars in debt.
He was shortly transferred to Hum
boldt House, dinner station between
Reno and Elko. He was there "a year
and a half, when he resigned to ac'
cept a position with the Carson ana
Colorado railroad at Belleville, where
he worked for another year and half.
1t was here that the first chance came
that diverted the whole current OF has
life, and eventually led him into the
Alladin cave of the Southern Nevada
goldfelds.
ID. A. Bender was at that time gen
eral freight and passenger agent tor
the Carson and Colorado. He was also
president of the First National Bank
or Reno, which was afterwards reor-
ganized as the Washoe County bank.
Bender offered young Nixon position
as clerk in this bank, which was ae-
cepted in december, 1854. This gave
the young man the honor of being the
only bank clerk in the town of Reno;
the banking business of the frontier
town at that time being attended TO
generally by the officers of tue bank,
and who had little to do at that.
Ambitious Dreams.
1t was while working as a bank
clerk AT Reno that a certain amDitlou
began to take form in his mind. lie
contemplated it, as boy dreams ol
Castles in Spain. lie put it away as
an idle dream and pored over ledger
columns, and balanced pass books with
renewed energy, in order TO keep has
feet on the earth and his mind eoncen
trated on the work on the day But
the ambition was from then on part
of him.
In a practical way, he began the
long ladder climb, which was TO be
topped, as we shall later see. de
saved something each month from hi.
small, salary. lie soon had fund
and this he promptly invested in rea
estate in the town of Pomona, CAN
fornia. In short time, he sold this
real estate, and at the age of 26, hac
a.nest egg OF $4,000. This was start
With this $4,000 he went to Winnie
mueca, Nevada, and organized The
First National bank of that place. III,
was able to associate with himself il
the enterprise some of the stronges
moneyed men in Humboldt county
friends of his telegraphing lays.
During the first six months OF th
life of the new bank ieorge 5. NiXoi
performed the duties OF president
chshier, general manager, clerk AN
Janltor. In fact, he was the whOi
ban. But business came and is com
ing yet, 1t was during these years o
increased prosperity at Winnemuce
that the vision at the top of the lad
der began to be more clear to his eye
But the ladder was long and life
short and every rung in the climb ha
to be touched. SO he reached out j
other lines of endeavor acquiring "a
terests in ranch and stock raising a.,
terprises in different parts of Hun
boldt county.
In the Goldfelds.
In 1900, Tonopah was discovered
Through associations with old friend
who were located in the new cam
Nixon became interested in numl,
of the original stock issues of seve
OF the most promising companies
the district Aa tho camn .raa Il