The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1900-06-14
MINES RUN BY WOMEN.
A Number i'm Colorado Who Operate
Extensive Mineral En-
terprises.

| women operators ana are Delng worked
at a profit. Other women have made
study of mining, have invested their
money in prospects or leased loca-
lions and are reaping rich financial re-
wards in consequence of their shrewd-
ness and judgment. The success of the
pioneers in this new field has inspired
others with a desire to take part in
the hunt for gold which is going on in
| Colorado.
Not all of the women who have taken
up mining engage in the actual work
which goes on in shaft or tunnel. In
fact, very few of them have the
strength for this employment, but they
are even more profitably employed in
figuring on the purchase of supplies,
marketing the ores and looking after
the finances of every department.,
There is one woman in the San Juan
mining district who goes even further
than the most of her sex. She puts on
overalls and Jumper" and when occa-
sion requires goes into the workings
of her extensive mine and bosses" the
men who are working with pick shovel
and tram car or who are employed in
the concentrating mill. Her mine,
which is near the celebrated Camp
Bird, owned by Millionaire Thomas F.
Walsh is one of the greatest producing
gold mines in the state and has been
made so largely through her enter
prise.
Empire. little mining town in Clear
-
Creek county, is the headquarters of
three progressive women miners. Two
of these are from Boston-Misses Mary
and Edith Tracy. They were formerly
stenographers and came to Colorado
two seasons ago on a pleasure trip.
They took the famous excursion trip
over the Georgetown loop, which is the
heart of the Clear Creek mining coun-
| try, and became interested in the SUBJ
| Ject of mining. Instead of returning
to Denver with the rest of the excur-
sionists they remained some time at
Empire and made a thorough study of
the district. They knew nothing of
actual mining, but they learned read
lily and concluded that little capital
might be invested in some of the prop
critics that were lying idle. They went
back to Boston and secured some funds
with which to reinforce their own saw
| ings. They decided not to intrust the
money to manager, but had a little
| cabin erected on claim which they Sc
cured from its owner under bond
lease. The property had been only
| slightly worked and the girls went
ahead and bought a mill for concen-
tration and machinery for driving the
| shaft to a depth of several hundred
feet. They were at the mine early and
late and they made their prospect pay.
| almost from the start. The ore is low
| grade, but by concentration and care
full system of working the owners have
netted good profit for several months
and are now in fair way to make their
| fortunes.
In the same district is woman who
has gone into mining even more thor
| cughly. Her name is Mrs. Atwood and
| she owns and manages the Atlantic
mine, few miles from Empire. Mrs.
| Atwood at times dons a suit of leans
and goes down into the mine to see
what the men are doing and how the
timbering and blasting is progressing.
She knows every technical detail of the
business and is besides an authority
on ores, having made a study of the
subject Recently the concentrators
were found to be unsatisfactory. She
ordered the whole lot thrown out and
superintendent the buying and placing
of an entire new outfit, which is now
doing satisfactory work She lives at
the hotel in Empire and goes to and
from her work just like any mine SUI
perintendent in the country. She has
wealth as the result of her shrewdness
and application.
Not alone is actual mining appealing
to women as an occupation, but pros
pecting and promoting are included.
Not long ago an eastern school teach
er went TO Arizona for her health.
While there she picked up many speci-
mems of the country rock. She had
made a special study of geology at
school, and with this knowledge to aid
her she became satisfied that there was
some valuable copper land lying I'M
claimed in the district. She spent sew
eral weeks prospecting and had assays
made that bore out her idea. She took
up several claims and then went east
to dispose of them. Her report tall
lied with the reports of the experts
who were sent out to examine the prop
critics in the interests of the capitalists
whom she had approached. Her claims
were bought at good figure and some
of the properties are shipping to-day.
In the Cripple Creek district many of
the largest and best-paying mines are
owned by women. In most of these
cases. however. the women have come
into possession through the death of
the original owners. They OCCASION
ally visit the properties. but as rule
the actual work of overseeing the
mines is left to men. 1t is not unusual
for woman to take the affairs of a
mine in her own hands for time, how
ever, and to conduct them success
fully.
|
Asparagus Cream Soup.
Melt one tablespoonful butter in a