The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1892-06-29

n INC HulE Dun
EeS Yort World.
The women who share the popular
weakness for tho circus, spectacular
and athletic performances, and never
lose the opportunity OF witnessing mar
vellous acrobatic, flying trapcze, rope
walking aud equestrian feats, tho story
Of two herculean females may possess a
charm.
Miss josie WohIford, better known as
"Minerva," is pleased to style herself
the strong woman Of tho world
Miss Wohlford has just set the cir
c~us-ioying population agog by accepting
the challenge OF tho famous Fanny
German, who, under the name OF
yucca" has won q national reputation
by her hcrculean fcats. minerva" does
not underestimate her abilities, and
closes q rather ironicai letter, sent from
Mexico, where she IL the sensation OF
the hour, by saying:
ueu 1 EotuEu " G0M 6otNi 1
February 10, 1893, l will let people
know who is the strongest woman IN
the world, and it won't take me long 70
put them to sleep. l moan business
This fair Hercules is only twenty-tour
years old. She is handsome brunette,
OF elephantine proportions. Her weight
is l65 pounds, and her waist measure
mont is "a inches. Prof. Charles U.
Blatt has the credit OF being her in
structor in the mountaineering arts.
Seven hundred pounds is q weight
which the young lady carries comfort.
ably in one hand, while a dumbbell
under one hundred pounds Is not
worthy OF her recognition.
The specific gravity OF a 300-pound
barrel Of lime or other mineral matter
is conveniently overcome by her temi.
nine biceps. She makes n specially OF
breaking horseshoes with her bare
hands. This she does by knocking
thcm gently against her hips. Iron
chains, which fetter other animals
securely, are snapped into pieces by her
without unusual expenditure oil energy.
Another feat in which Minerva" dis
tinguishes herself Is performed by
placing two chairs three feet apart.
She maintains her equilibrium by plac-
ing one foot on each. A haltar is then
put about her neck with q chain, to
which is attached a 250-poundiron bell.
She then lifts her head, Strengthens
herself and raises this toy several feet
from the floor by the strength OF her
neck.
A 2OO-pound man, sitting in a chair,
she can elevate TO the ceiling on a sec
ond,s notice. But "Minerva's' star
permance is intercepting tho speed OF
cannon balls. When one is fired at her
from q distance OF thirty feet, instead
Of foolishly allowing it to take her head
along with it like q genuine veteran.
she catches it in her hands. The sum
q $500 and the championship will be
her reward il she beats Fanny German,
and Richard K. Fox has been made
stakeholder.
Miss Wohlford is filling a years en-
gagement with Orrin Bros. at a salary
Of $500 week, in recognition OF her SUI
periority to other professional women.
Whenthe match between this champi-
on and the popular Fanny German
takes place, fifteen feats will be per.
formed by each, and the successful win
ner. Of eight will be the champion
strong woman OF the world. Mr.. w. E.
Harding has been selected as the ref
yucca" claims that she can excel
her fair rival in tho remarkable ieats OF
swinging a chair around in a circle or
balancing a whole pyramid OF them in
mid air with her teeth-quite as well as
il her dentals were originally designed
for that purpose. She also lifts a ITO.
pound man in n chair or %300-pound
anvil with her teeth. Lifting 56-pound
weights at a~rm's-leDgth in each hand,
lifting a 1So-pound dumbbell over the
head with one arm, %elevating a barrel
with three mon, the average weight be-
ing 700 pounds. and supporting by her
tecth a barrel Of water tipping tho
scales at 600 pounds, are all among the
notable performances OF Miss German.