St. Paul daily globe., 1893-05-25
Unique Programme OF the
Congress Of Press Women
Of the World.
Miss Klocker, the Great Trot-
ting Race Reporter, Tells
How 1t Is Done.
Ruth Kimbal1-Gardiner Dis
courses on the Trials Of a
Washington Reporter.
"Fly Rod" Tells How the
Speekled Beauties Are Most
Easily Landed.

: CHICAGO, May A.-Whether by acci-
dent or by design of the programme
makers, tOday's session Of the congress
of press women of the world was the
most unique in its personality of the
entire series. showing, as it did, that
woman's work for the press is develop
ing on lines heretofore supposed to be
within the province of men only to deal
with. In the first place, Mrs. Martha
Howe Davidson, the presiding officer,
is perhaps the only woman in the
United States, except Mrs. M. q. Van
Rensselaer,, of New York, who has made
a special study of architecture for
utilization in journalistic work. Maj.
Handy, chief of the bureau of publicity
and promotion of the Columbian exposi-
tion-himself trained and discrim-
mating journalist-did her the honor to
say of her series of published articles
on the architecture of the exposition,
that they were the best written and
most comprehensive that he had seen.
Before entering the field of architectural
description Mrs. Davidson had devoted
her talents to art criticism and interior
decoration. Absolutely startling was
the announcement at one point in the
programme that Mrs. Ida Sims Klocker,
of Iowa, would be heard on the subject
of "Wcman as a Race Reporter" and
when demure little woman stepped
forward and began to demonstrate her
intimate acquaintance with the intrlca-
ceS OF turf nomenclature. such as pure
gated" trotterS, 'Side-wheeler" ''Quar-
ter stretcher." "scalping boots" ''kite
tracks" mutual aud auction pools,"
and the like, the men in the audience
began TO gasp and ask each other to
point out the woman on the platform
who would discourse on the fine points
in pugilism. 1t is believed that Mrs.
Klocker is as unique among her sex in
her chosen department of work as was
MILDLY Morgan in her day when live
stock reporter for the New York Her
aid. Mrs. Klocker has reported every
race that has taken place on the Famous
independence, To-, track since 1T was
opened in 1889. She has studied the
pedigrees Of the various trotting fami-
lies, and knows the values of the differ
ent lines OF blood in the production of
speed, as well as the horsemen them
selves. She is recognized authority
OH all race questions, and from
horse owner to stable boy is uni
versally respected. Good old Isaac
Walton would have turned over in his
grave and groaned had he not long ago
mouldered into dust. when the an
nouncement was made that paper
would be read on the subject of "Wom-
ell as Authority on Trouting." This
paper, (read by local newspaper wom-
am. was written by Miss Cornelia L.
Crosby, of Maine, better known to the
devoteeS Of the gentle sport under her
press name. Fly Rod" An expert and
ardent sportswoman, who Is said to
have the remarkable record of forty-twO
trout In fiftyfour minutes, she is quite
as clever with the pen as with the rod,
and her articles are widely read. Phys
ically, she is unusually well equipped
for wading in trout stream, being. it
is said, fully six feet tall. Other papers
showing women IN unusual line of work
were: woman as the Business Mana
ger of Newspaper" by Mrs. Barbara
n. Galpin,o Massachusetts, and "Wom-
man as Washington Correspondent"
by Mrs. Ruth Kimball Gardiner and
Mrs. Emily l.. Sherwood, of Washing
ton, d. G. Mrs. Gardiner enjoys the
distinction of being the first woman to
occupy a seat in the reporters gallery
in the house of representatives. Papers
were also read by the veteran Mrs. j.
G. Croly (Jennie June), of New York.
on Editorial and Department Work."
by Mrs. Adele Cretan, of California. on
"Difficulties of the Dramatic and Music
al Critic" and by Miss Annie w. San
born, of Minnesota. on "Reportorial
Versus Editorial Work for Women"