The Helena independent. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1875-1943, 1892-08-05
DAUGHTER Of VULCAN
ay Sunshine Bsvsridge. Of Cali
fornis, the Only Female Black
smith In America.
Mil be Sent to Chicago Al q
Feature Of the Big
Fair.

~ Field Of Labor for thu sex-Miss
Ray At tho Forgs-Her
Unif0rm.
xhibit to the Columbian exposition In the
erson Of Miss Ray Sunshine Beveridae.
Elacksmith. The lady and her singular
Ehoice Of occupation have been mentioned
a the San Francisco Examiner, but IL wss
OF known until recently that the Cali
ornia worlds fair commissioner had in.
Iited her TO 90 to Chicago and set mp her
orge in the California aggregation. Per
APPS to James p. Pheian, more than any
Pther, il due the interest taken In Miss Bev-
Eiidee and her art. Az soon a. that COM
missioner learned that Miss Beveridgs had
Eaken up blacksmithing seriously md was
blowing an unusual degree OF proficiency
or one so new to the study he offered en-
management. and suggested that the lady
would be q most attractive feature of the
california showing II she could be induced
10 work at her forge during patt Of each
1ay. Miss Beveridge consented, and will
represent the blaoksmiths Of the state At
Chicago.
Shc was found yesterday deep in the
study of problems in Welding and forging
oyer her hot blast and anvil in the smithy
annex Of tho Cogswell Polytechnic. where
she is Learning the trade from Instructor
Mathis. The ironworking room was not
clean; 1t was smutty n full of punRent
smoke. A score Of anvils were changing %
sturdy youths beat upon them, but Miss
Beveridge worked on AZ though all black
smiths were feminine and she was not the
sole American practitioner of an art that
might proftably engage many Of the n
employed women of the country.
She was dtly attired for her work. Over
her shoulders were unmistakable Suspend
ers TO distribute the weight of her skirts
and give her freedom of movement. Her
sleeves we're rolled above her elbows and
exposed arms that were Drowned md
sinewy. An ample apron OF leather shielded
the wooden fabrics of her costume from fly
ing sparks of hot metal, and the only suR-
gestion of unftness for the dust and smoke
Was In a pair of dainty boots which padded
about the sloppy floor near her forge a.
though they were made for that purpose
and not for . drawing room.
A dab of SCOT on her nose and sundry
smutohes on her face and arms gave an air
OF realism to the soene and showed the ear
nestness Of the lady who could forget her
primness in her devotion to blaoksmithing.
The forge IRE was troublesome because 1t
vas urged only by a hand blast, while at
the othe,s any desired strength of %nir-cur-
rent could be maintained by merely OPEN
ing a valve connecting with a steam blowei,
but Miss Beveridge did not mind the an
noyance or additional labor. While ham
msrinR and shaping. the bits of iron on
which she was working the drs would al
most die out. Then to reheat her metal the
lady was compelled to turn the crank of
her blast engine until her Hte glowsd, which
caused loss of time and waste OF strength,
but the labor was ohesrfully performed,
and the pleasure Of the laborer WAS easily
to be seen when the proper treatment had
fashioned come part Of the fancy forging
just right and had left the iron smooth az
though the skill of her master. Mathis, had
done the work.
1t was no toy forge At which Miss
Beveridge was engaged. but of the kind
furnished for the use of mines, mills and
wherever frequent use of an intense heat is
necessary. - in the repointinR Of drills and
picks or the Welding Of tamping.bars and
the doing of general smithy work. If it was
unlike the commonly accepted forge" of
stonework, before q huge chimney and with
a monster bellows in q corner behind to
wheeze in response to the Juggling OF the
blacksmith or his helper, it was only be-
| cause the "forRe'' of the forefathers has
been exterminated by the neat and effective
constructions Of the day. At Miss Beve-
ridges forge the tire of the truck might
easily have boon raised to Welding heat. or
a needle tempered, yet the Continuance
could have been picked up by a nan Of
ordinary strength. Thu feminine wielder
of the sledge is petite. but there was moth
ing about her little forge to make her seem
smaller.
The forge. however, was tho only one of
the tools that seemed in keeping with the
would be swinging a hammer that weighed
twelve pounds. and a moment later would
drop it to grab some other implement as
much too heavy for her hands. When
there is heavy Welding or drawing to be
o uons Of i her boy boy o 90 nspaais s' in the smith. ny sS@ op
by her instructor, Mathis. but she il slow to
admit the need OF suoh help. and Is some
times found struggling with q bit of work
calculated to tax the strength Of u man.
such occasions are not frequent, however.
sssac . it Is ., not s 81 shs mS1s 0'mT sss,
Miss BsveridRs 10 giving her attention.
Her purpose 10 10 become accomplished In
the making of ornamental forged iron
work. in which It Ia rare to ind any single
piece that cannot readily be manipulated
by u woman. or II when an ornament must
NO tu0 tOkovAoS 0A0 AAl8A4u kGoNt0E
strength 10 needed there are slings and
oranes and other devices In plenty which
enable the N still to be mistress Of the
situation.
1t il the belief of Miss Beveridgs that in
designing curious and attractive iron orna-
,nents womanly fancy will prove itself more
alert and dainty than that Of man, and
thereby both increase present demands for
such handlwork and create new markets.
As part OF her scheme Of manual education
she IL to study designing, drawing and mod.
cling, and she 10 encouraged in Sinking
that sho MAJ rise above medioority because
her present experience has shown that she
relations and color. When to such natural
adaptations the lady has added the finish
Of the schools, she will call herself Z black
smith. but not before.
At Chicago she will demonstrate her abil-
ity to do work that will sell for good prices,
and thereby prove that in one form OF atti-
sanship at least woman may be self sustain.