The age-herald., 1898-01-19
Architecture Remunerative
 Business for Women
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It Is always pleasure to write of the suc- cess of women in all lines of work, but es- pecially in that of architecture.
 From the fact that it is the women who generally make a home happy or other wise and who are rendered comfortable or uncomfortable by the plans of a house, 1t is passing strange that more feminine talent has not been directed towards the inviting field of architecture.
 A man usually has very satisfactory ideas about plumbing, about the cost of his home, etc, but until he lives in his house he rare ly realizes how essential certain closets are' how necessary pantries are and what the sizes of his rooms will be when represented on paper by so many figures.
 With a woman it is different The little comforts of home are the big things in life to her. and, understanding the details of housekeeping as she does she is by nature and experience peculiarly fitted for the planning of houses. It is pleasant, remu- nerative work, and affords opportunity for the qualification of artistic tastes and tenn peraments as few other professions do.
 Miss Elise Mercur of Pittsburg Is one of the best-known and most successful women architects of this country, and her career is somewhat familiar to southerners, as she designed the womans building of the At lanta exposition.
 But the following account of her achieve ments, recently published in an exchange, will be of interest to men and women alike, who rejoice in the success of brave, ambi- tious woman:
 r1. large buildings, oversees the work of build CTS and gets much money for her efforts is Miss Elise Mercur of Pittsburg. She comes from prominent Pennsylvania family, being a niece of former Chief Jus tice Mercur of the Pennsylvania state su- preme court.
 Miss Mercur enjoys the distinction of be- ing the only woman architect of prominence in the country. She designed the womans building at the Atlanta exposition, and is at present working on a $6oOOO addition to the Washington Pa.) Female Seminary. She planned St. PauPs Episcopal church. Pittsburg; St. Martins Episcopal church, at Johnsonburg Pa, and also designed the chidrens building at the new Pittsburg City poor farm.
 To a representative of the World Miss Mercur said she ''broke into the architect ural business by first becoming a draughts- man or draughtswoman. She had always a taste for mathematics, and liked drawing so well that after being in the office of a prominent Pittsburg architect for year sine was promoted to the position of fore- man. She then went out on work over seeing and inspecting the laying of founda-
 
 tom when employed on a building to engage living quarters in the immediate vicinity and stay there during the progress of the work. As the workmen on the building begin their labors Miss Mercur is on hand and personally sees almost every nail driven into the structure. In this way she acquires practical knowledge possessed by few male architects.
 Miss Mercur is a specialist on heating, plumbing and ventilation. On this subject she delivered a lecture before the Pratt institute in Brooklyn last winter. She fre- quently lectures before the Civic, Twen- tieth Century and other women's clubs of Pittsburg, trying to make women realize the importance of ventilation. If the wo- men understand this science, she says, they will teach 1t to the men.
 Miss Mercur has offices in the Times building, Pittsburg, and employs three draughtsmen. She said: q seemed to take naturally to the business With my broth CTS I was educated abroad. After my father had lost fortune and died l decided I would not be a burden my brothers, and struck out for myself. I have all the work l can do For doing mems work I always Insist upon getting mems prices I never accept an assignment for less than per cent. never have any trouble. Contract ors who have worked under me know that l won't stand any monkeying,' and do not try to fool me with poor material, careless work, etc. While I am willing to do what is right, generally make them live up to the specifications, and any work done im- properly has to be gone over again. Wo- men, you know, are harder to please than men, and this is the reason. think, find contractors exerting themselves to please me. They know will not pass their work unless 1t is done properly"
 Miss Clara Meade. of Chicago, has the contract for the erection of the female seminary addition at Washington. She per- sonally directs the work of her men on the building. It is an odd sight to see Miss Mercur and Miss Meade the top of the building. one experimenting and the other overseeing.
 In most of the larger cities women are rapidly becoming interested in the study of architecture, and Miss Mercur is proba- bly a pioneer in line where many will soon follow her. Any architect will admit that his profession is one particularly well suited to women, in that it affords scope for clever mental work and hides the disa- greeable sides of life And any clever woman is very naturally attracted by the idea of planning buildings that shaii be a memorial to her name.
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 Trotninn VchooIs Enr