Juniata sentinel and Republican. [volume] (Mifflintown, Juniata County, Pa.) 1873-1955, 1892-01-13

| in the place; Mrs. Dow filled 1t.
The Boston crowd took the train tc
! Boston. Her first act was to double
the insurance on the company's build.
| ings. That made the directors vince.
They had carried inadequate insurance
because they thereby saved a few dol
lars in premiums. The next move wat
10 announce that thereafter everything
bought for the use of the company
would be paid for cash down, and
discounts for cash demanded. The
company had been buying all sorts OF
supplies, and letting the accounts run
so long that she was able to discount
the supply bills by 10 per cent, and
even more at times. Then she raised
the pay of the employees and reduced
the fare from 6 to cents. That made
the old directors gioan, but the pain
did not last long, for the receipts be-
gan to grow at once.
During all the years since Mrs. Dow
had been farm girl she had had Q
liking for horses. Editor Gray had
owned carriage horses. DR.. Dow
owned horses. Mrs. Dow knew more
about horses than any one in the cd
street car company. She was q keen
Yankee in a horse trade. The stock
began to improve and the bills for new
horses to grow less Immediately.
Another device for increasing the
| profits was unique. She introduced
IT,. ticket system and got her tickets
of tobacco company that advertised q
| graSe of plug tobacco on one side.
| 10 90 tall In,
and the nice old ladies of the Women's
Christian Temperance Union were
repeatedly asked to protest. But the
old ladies were sensible as well as nice
and did nothing of the kind.
By and by year had rolled round.
President Mary +. III. G. Dow was
ready to report on the condition of
affairs. Some things did not need re-
porting. The old rolling stock had
been cleaned, painted, and kept in re-
pair. That was obvious. New cars
had been purchased. That was obvi-
Gus. The service had been increased.
Every one knew that. But when she
showed that the debt had been reduced
and that there was a suplus 80 large
that dividend of IL per cent could be
declared without using 1t all, the state
ment was such pleasing surprise that
every soul in the Board rose up ans
said: al told you 3d."
But it was not alone as q practical
manager of horses, cars, employees
and traffic that President Dow showed
her capacity. When the improved
character of the road had become OBJ
vious Mrs. Dow got an offer for II
worth accepting, provided she could
get the company's charter SO amended
that she could use electricity instead
of horses to propel the cars. So she
went to the Capitol where the Legis-
lature was then in session, to see about
getting the necessary act passed. To
her surprise, on reaching the Capitol
building, she found that the House
was at that very minute enscting a
law chartering new company &c
build an electric railroad in Dover
BY some trick of the opposition she
had not been informed of the scheme.
She arrived just In time.
BY the end of an hour the opposition
bill would have been signed by the
Governor. Mrs. Dow had never tried
her hand as a lobbyist before, but she
acquired the proper knack by instinct.
She gathered force about her in nc
time. The bill was recommitted. She
appeared before the committee. In
stead of reporting the bill in the old
form, il was reported "a an amend
ment to Mrs. Dow's charter, and gave
her the right to use electricity instead
of horses. Her triumph was com
plete.
That ended her experience as rail.
roader. She at once sold out her in
terest at round profit and retired tC
the moro congenial, because less ex
citing and exacting management OF
real estate.
One of the most interesting features
of Mrs. Dow's history is her home life
Mrs. Dow has demonstrated that
woman may be at once most charm
ing wife, mother, and mistress of tn,
home, aud at the same time q level
{ headed manager of extensive business
interests of sort which have rarely
been committed to the caro- of any on,
r save men of known capacity. Their
is nothing masculine about Mrs. Dow
In the words of her biogrspher "sh,
fuliils all the functions once supposed
to he woman's only rational ones; is ,
| tender wife and mother, a charming
hostess, and helpful and sympatheti,
friend, a skilful housewife"
, In appearance Mrs. Dow Is of NELL
um height, and somewhat portly. He
, eyes are blue-gray and kindly, Will,
, | the corners show a strong sense of hu
, NOR Her nose is straight. Her eye
, brows are arched. Her hair is ligh
, brown. She combs 1t straight ~
, over roll, and that is the only fsul
, any one can find with her modes o
r dressing. Pompadour rolls and dou
t BILE chins do not go well together. SA
a is nevertheless handsome. She carrie
herself at 40 with the vigor of a cir
= at 20. She is always dressed richl.
D and in excellent taste.
Her accomplishments are not imite
7 to languages, the pen and the hors
railroad. She handles the rifle, h
4 pistol and the shotgun with equal ski
! and pleasure. She can lengthen OUT
L line with an eight-ounce rod in q WA
that would win applause on the Han
lem Mere. She swims and has taken
2 prize in an amateur contest anon
ladies. She is skilled alike i'm einbroid
: cry and in the flower and vegetabl
gardens. She is an all-around mentl
D and physical athlete.
|