New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1897-10-10
CHICAGO'S FEMALE WARING.
MRS A. EMOGENE PAULS WORK IN
CLEANING THE WESTERN
CITY'S STREETS
A WOMAN WITH 4 WILL. WHO THINKS SHE CAN
sUCCT;ED-I HER LESSONS IN COLONEL
WARNINGS METHODS

Mrs A. EmoCene Paul Is the Hercules in pet
ticoats who has undertaken the task of clean
ing the streets Of Chicago. 1t Is the first time
in the history Of municipal government that
woman has been chosen for such commission.
Mrs. Paul took the contract because in the list
Of Civil Service eligibes her name was at the
top, and Mayor Harrison reasoned that II was
not far wrong to have n woman as head sweep
err anyway. He presented his plan to her IL
was exactly what she wartcd to do and cx-
actly what she thought she could do. She there
fore rolled up her sleeves, tucked up her skirts'
and ore day startled the town by appearing on
its busiest street at the head Of the broom
brigade.
There IS in Chicago who does not thinK
Mrs. Paul will accomplish what she has set
out to do The town has confidence In her.
despite the fact that for twenty years men have
failed to keep even the crosswalks passable, or
the alleys better than the byways OF an Indian
shambe Mrs Paul Is not new woman
She Is plain business from the bottom OF her
feet to the top of her head. Her chin Is pointed
and her head tips back over two square shoui-
dera She is built like a woman who always
knows her own mind She wears n policeman
star under her jacket. and she has never hcs'-
tated to step into the middle OF the road ana
ask the officer on the beat to stop n scavcnger
who Was sprinkllng old bustles and cans from
his overloaded cart. Many baker. making
bread with rats in basement. has been driven
from business by her persistent nagging as an
agent OF the Health Department. She mas
cleaned out scores OF unworthy buildings IL
has never been recorded that she feared any
body or hestatcd to demand the enforcement
Of any ordinance calculated to keep the town
clean.
This unique Commissioner Of Streets Is a New
York woman She was born In q little village
In Monroe County near Rochester. Her parents
had plenty Of money. and more They concluded
10 try the West while Mrs Paul young
girl They went first to Rockford H., and
were prosperous. Mrs. paul-the only girl In
the famiiy-went to the seminary at Canaan
Gaigua where she was graduated with honors.
and went back to Rockford to live the peace
full life Of a bright country girl on a big farm.
She was married in due course, and It was all
sunshine for a long time Then the clouds piled
up with one great sweep. She lost her hus-
band her father her four brothers--aN In a
few mo iths Her son followed the others This
left her without kin on earth. save her mother.
She therefore decided TO give her life and her
energies 20 the good OF the race in general. the
poor In particular.
Mrs. Paul moved to Chicago to have broad
field for her philanthropy. She became mem
Der Of the Civic Federation rcformatory or
Eanizaiion which was organized for the good OF
the town 10y Secretary Lyman j. GAGE. The So
clety needed workers who would be honest I'M
der fire. and who would be fearless In the search
for dishonesty. M Gage accepted the services
Of Mrs. Paul and for three or four years she
wore the badge OF authority equal TO that OF II
policeman. All the sanitary crusaios were In
trusted To her She pickcd out the worst parts |
Of the city and spent her days there. a dozen
garbage contractors were forced by her 70 give |
up their contracts for failure to comply with the |
agreements. She dug into the filthy Placements
In the foreign settlements and found bakers
making bread which was breeding disease. This
manner Of thing was stopped hy an ordnance
she prepared A biz combination was about 10
close a deal for five years by which each man lr
II should get rich out OF work for the Health
Department. Mrs Paul stepped into the Council !
Committee with proofs which knocked the prot |
Get into a cooked hat and saved the cl.y an
other big scandal
1t was her ambition 10 get chance AT the
downtown streets. The only way TO get the
chance was to take the Ciyil Service cxamina-
tion. This was easy. She passed the questions
18th a grade Of fraction than ~ per
rnt. the highest in the history OF the Board.
Mayor Harrison and Commissioner Mccain
wanted a change in the management Of the cen
trail sweeping plan. The only way TO get such n
change was TO make a new appointment The
Civil Service people sent in Mrs. Paurs name as
the next in line. Tho Mayor was delighted.
She was appointed forthwith. She has been at
work week. and there are already signs of
improvement. All she says she wants IS more
men-hfty more. with fifty more brooms and
carts-and she Will make Chicago ~ bright "A