Charles Ranlett Flint.
The personality of Charles R. Flint does not suggest the strenuous nature of his life, past and present; yet but few men in this country have shouldered or for that matter are shouldering so many business responsibilities as he is doing—and of large caliber at that. Mr. Flint’s successes on the lines indicated are due to system, and system only. With him there is a place for each responsibility and each responsibility occupies its place in the total scheme of his business existence. He was born at Thomaston, Maine, January 24, 1850, graduated from the Polytechnic institute, Brooklyn, in 1868, and in 1883 married E. Kate, daughter of Joseph F. Simmons, of Troy, N. Y. To catalogue the industries and enterprises which Mr. Flint has organized or is connected with would be an undertaking in itself. Suffice it that he is prominently identified with the rubber and lumber industries, is interested in street railways in New York state, is a director in several banks, has organized iron and steel, steamship, starch, caramel and general export companies, has acted as United States consul in Central American countries, in 1893 fitted out a fleet of war vessels for the Brazilian republic, bought for and delivered to Japan a cruiser during the China-Japan war, and, in 1898, was the confidential agent of the United States in negotiating for the purchase of war vessels.
Charles Melville Hays.
It is a good thing for the world at large that human talents are of a diversified nature. It is an equally excellent thing that the possession of special gift on the part of an individual is recognized by those with whom he comes in contact. A case in point is furnished by Charles M. Hays, who, until lately, was president of the Southern Pacific railroad. Mr. Hays’ work in life seems to have been that of turning unprofitable railroad systems into permanently paying propositions. He was born May 16, 1856, at Rock Island, Illinois, his parents being in fairly comfortable circumstances. After a common school training he entered the railroad service in 1873, his first position being in the passenger department of the St. Louis, Atlantic & Pacific railroad. The rungs of the ladder of his subsequent upward climb are something in this order: Prompted to a clerkship in the auditor’s office, he was at length placed in the general superintendent’s office on the same line; next he is heard of as secretary of the general manager of the Missouri Pacific railroad, and in 1886 he was made assistant general manager of the Wabash, St. Louis & Pacific railroad; three years later he was appointed general manager of the Wabash & Western railroad, and was afterward made manager of the Wabash system, which was the outcome of the consolidation of the Wabash Western and Wabash railroads. He has also been general manager of the Grand Trunk system, and, as already intimated, was, until recently, the president of the Southern railroad. When Mr. Hays took hold of the Wabash lines they were in about as bad a condition as railroad lines can be. The same remark applies to the Grand Trunk system. When Mr. Hays severed his connection with these corporations they were in a flourishing condition—popular with the public and paying as to dividends. He created their prosperity by the industrious exercise of his special talents. The lesson may be taken to heart.
John B. Herreshoff.
The person who is handicapped in the struggle for existence by physical infirmities excites our sympathy, but when such an one achieves as well as or far better than the normal individual, we regard him with an admiration that is akin to wonder. John B. Herreshoff, the famous blind yacht and boat designer, is such an individual. He is a marvel such as the world has never seen before, and is not likely to witness for some time to come. He is the admitted head of a profession which as one would believe calls for keen eyes as a preliminary. Yet Mr. Herreshoff has set all precedent at naught. It would almost seem that his blindness, so far from being a handicap, is of positive value to him, for it is certain that those exquisite floating creations of his, have never yet been duplicated by the owners of eyesight. When, in August, 1851, the America won the famous “Queen’s Cup,” which has ever since remained on this side of the water, two youngsters were playing on a farm at Point Pleasant, at Bristol, Rhode Island. John, the oldest, was then a blue-eyed boy of ten. As soon as he could use a knife he began to whittle boats, and when fourteen years of age built a usable craft, which was said to be a marvel of beauty by local experts. At fifteen, blindness descended upon him, but he nevertheless continued to study boats and build them. His younger brother, Nathaniel, also had a love for boats, and together the two brothers lived and ruled and had their being in an atmosphere of boats. Both boys were educated at local schools, and John, with the assistance of his mother, managed to keep pace with his fellow pupils. Nathaniel became a civil engineer and made a name for himself in his profession. In the meantime the reputation of John had so extended that in 1863 he founded the Herreshoff Manufacturing Co., and fourteen years later Nathaniel became a partner in the concern and is now its superintendent. The fame of the Herreshoffs is perhaps best known to the public in connection with their construction of several of the defenders of the “Queens,” or, as it is better known on this side of the water, “The America Cup.” John B. Herreshoff, on being asked what the elements of success are, said: “Concentration, decision, industry, economy, together with an invincible determination and persistence, will always place a man in the position which he desires.”
Lewis Nixon.
“Four letters sum up my idea of how to make a success in life; they are W-O-R-K (work).” These are the sentiments of Lewis Nixon, who starting life as a poor boy, has by sheer determination won social position, fame, wealth and political honor before he was forty. His story is a simple one, but none the less helpful. Born in Leesburg, Virginia, April 7, 1861, he was the son of Joel Lewis and Mary Frances (Turner) Nixon. His parents were in poor circumstances. His diligence in the public schools interested General Eppa Hunton (then representative from Virginia), who secured for him an appointment to the United States Naval academy at Annapolis as midshipman, and in 1882 he graduated at the head of his class. Going to England, he took a course in naval architecture and marine engineering. Upon returning to this country, he was appointed to the staff of the chief constructor of the navy and served as superintendent of construction at the Cramp yards and the New York navy yard. In 1890 he designed, in ninety days, the battleships Indiana, the Massachusetts and the Oregon. After resigning from the navy department, he became superintending constructor of the Cramps’ yard, Philadelphia, but soon after resigned that position and opened a shipyard of his own at Elizabeth, New Jersey. He has built the gunboats Annapolis, Josephine, Mangro and others, besides the submarine torpedo boat Holland. He was married in Washington, January 29, 1891, to Sallie Lewis Wood. Mr. Nixon is a member of the New England organization of architects and marine engineers, the chamber of commerce, and is a member of the Democratic club, Press club, Army and Navy club of Washington and others. He takes an active part in Democratic politics.
John H. Patterson.
John H. Patterson, the president of the International Cash Register Co., of Dayton, Ohio, is a specimen of what, happily for this country, is not an infrequent young American, whose original capital being that of brains and industry, pays interest in the shape of great enterprises and a large fortune. Mr. Patterson’s parents were farmers. After a public school education he went to Miami university, and afterward to Dartmouth college. On graduating he began life without any definite plans, clerked, saved money and pushed ahead until he became manager of a coal mine. It was while he was holding this position that he heard of the then almost unknown cash register, bought two of them and saw that there was a field for their development and use. Together with his brother, Frank R. Patterson, he bought the patent of the machine and began to manufacture the registers. In 1894, after ten years of effort, and with success apparently in sight, the brothers were confronted with the complete failure of one of their new inventions and the return from England of a carload of broken machines, instead of an expected draft for $30,000. Nothing daunted, Mr. Patterson began to analyze the causes of the setback and came to the conclusion that the successful manufacture of the machines depended on the faithfulness of his workmen, which had to rest upon the mutual goodwill of employer and employe. This belief led him to adopt an industrial system which is probably unique in the annals of manufacturing enterprises. Briefly, it consists of developing the mechanical talents of the workmen by prizes and promotions; by making schools, clubs, libraries, choral societies and the like a part of the economy of the factory and by remembering that all work makes Jack and his bosses very dull boys indeed. That the principle is a sound one seems to be certain, if one may judge by the general use of the Patterson cash register.