Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1892-11-05

woman can command in business. Mrs. Mead
never contemplated entering business until two
years ago, when she was approached by the
coast manager Of the Equitable to take out
more insurance. She was then carrying S50, 900.
and showed great interest in the insurance Of
women by giving him letters indorsing 1t to
many OF her sex. He asked the question:
why will you not advise one of your sons to
take insurance for profession?" The answer
quietly came: ~ fancy 1 should make good
agent myself" Quick in thought, the manager
grasped the idea of how immense q field could
be opened by the establishment of a bureau
which would give women opportunity Of know
ing the same protection and investment was
open to them a. to men: also what field of en-
ployment this would give to women. A propo-
sition was made at once for the establishment
of coast agency. A few DAYS after the Mutual
offered the same, and later the New York Life.
She refused for six months each overture. At
the end OF that time she accepted the
offer of the New York Life a. manager
for the Pacific coast and Hawaiian Islands for
women's department, with headquarters in San
Francisco. -Four months later, when President
McCurdy and Vice President Granness of the
Mutual Life Insurance Company of New York
were on the coast, they made n very fattering
offer to Mrs. Neal to establish coast agency
for them, which offer she accepted and held at
San Francisco thirteen months, at the end of
which time the three giant companies again
competed for her services for department for
she cast her fortunes with the New York Life.
She was born in Dayton, Ohio. Her father was
a banker and one of its most prominent citi-
Gems Her mother was a woman of remarkable
capacity. Her husband was a prominent physi-
clan and had been a surgeon in the army dur
ing the civil war. Mrs. Neal accompanied him
to his post hospitals through western Virginia,
and when a felon disabled him from writing
acted rs his secretary. making the hospital re-
ports to the surgeon general, ordering hospital
supplies and making out hospital pay rolls thus
laying first foundation of business tact At
the burning Of Gauly bridge she, with another
surgeons wife, went up the river with eighty
wounded men, washing wounds. feeding the
wounded and doing everything to alleviate the
suffering. Before the war was ended her hus-
band resigned on account of ill-health, and I'M
til year after his death, six wears ago. she re-
sided in Dayton, Ohio. Mrs. Neal was very do
nestle, had seven children. six of whom areno
Gving-four sons and two daughters. With
these cares and an invalid mother business
was farthest from her thoughts, but she
had always time FOR her large circle Of friends,
and was fond of society. After her husbands
death the delicate health Of a son took the
family to Los Angeles, Cal. where she bought
largely in real estate, one piece being the
famous "Old Long Street Place. which she
afterward sold to a syndicate at a large ad-
vance. She built q business house and the Los
Angeles Theater building, q fine Sespic stone
ments in the space of two years. showing great
energy and interest in business affairs, and
identifying herself thoroughly with Los
Angeles. She is now doing pioneer work in in
surance for women.
Castroville. Cal. has in Miss Louise f. Francis
a business woman of which that town Is Justly
proud. Miss Francis, who ID only twenty-five,
is the editor of the Castroviile Enterprise and
is making great success of her paper which
she started without dollar and with old
debt upon her shoulders, something over
year ago. She has paid all her expenses from
the profits of her business is now out Of debt
and in many ways has shown that she possesses
both enterprise and determination. Miss Francis
is thoroughly competent in all departments of
newspaper work from the duties of roller boy,
through the various grades of reporter, advertise
ing canvasser, type setting, makingup '.form,"
writing ringing editorials and the more diff
cult task of collecting the accounts of de-
hnquent subscribers. The early pathway of
the Enterprise was not strewn with roses, but
pluck and persistence helped the editor to con-
quer in each fresh difficulty. When only a