The citizen. (Frederick City, Md.) 1895-1923, 1901-04-26
THEY STUDY ROCKS.
THERE ARE MANY WOMEN WHO ARE
SUCCESSFUL IN MINING.
They Study NineraIoGy For Business
Have Already Distinguished Them

selves.
\ pursuit which deals with soils, clays.
minerals and rock formations would hard
ly be supposed attractive to women, yet
several women in this country are making
a professional success in mineralogy, and
many others are studying the subject both
in field and laboratory for its intrinsic in
terest, independent Of any business use
they may make or their requirements.
The American Institute of Mining En-
gineers has three women members, all of
whom have done work emitting them to
notice, and men familiar with mining af-
fairs say that there are half dozen other
women who should be included in the list
if success and all round knowledge be
considered.
At the various colleges and state uni
versites there are Jealous women stu.
dents giving their undivided attention TO
mineralogy and the allied sciences
chemistry, botany, etc. The scientific
clubs and associations have each a pro-
portion of women members who have
dipped sufficiently into the study to make
them interested in what pertains to it.
Among these are the women associates
of the New York Mineralogical club, the
object of which is the study of the min
erals of Manhattan Island and its vicn-
ity. Field excursions are made during
the summer months, and the members Sc
cure specimens of rock and soil forma-
tons and deposits which are discussed at
the winter evening meetings.
Mrs. Helen G. d. s. Abbott now Mrs.
Michaels, of the northwest country, has
analysed the properties of certain Mex
lean barks and mineral deposits pertain
ing to the boundary survey and has pre-
pared several valuable papers read before
the American Association For the Adj
vancement of Science Mrs. Ellen II.
Richards of Massachusetts has been a life
long student of scientific matters and has
more than once assisted in the examina-
ton of the river and harbor waters of her
native state for governmental purposes.
Some years ago she analysed a rare and
little known mineral samarskite, which
accomplishment Mt the time was Of gem
eral interest TO chemists the world over
Mrs. Richards was the first woman ever
admitted to a special course in the study
of chemistry at the Massachusetts Insti-
tute Of Technology. This was II years
before the institute opened its doors gen.
orally to women in 1884.
One student of Barnard, after securing
the full degree of Phi. D., returned to the
college for further opportunity and scien.
titic instruction. She is a Louisiana girl
Of unusual ability and perseverance, Her
especial bent is toward the study of Soils
clays, rock formations, etc, and just now
she is making investigations rs to the ma.
ture and peculiar properties Of cotton seed
and the oil derived from it. Her studies
are pursued entirely for the pleasure she
experiences in them, but are undertaken
Systematically, with as much energy and
enthusiasm as is commonly devoted to a
business.
a Chicago woman owns and superin-
tends in person a busy chemical factory
Two women are rendering creditable serv.
ice in the biochemic laboratory in the de-
partment of agriculture in Washington
Another, a graduate of the University of
Minneapolis, is retained by an asphalt
company to make experiments as to COM
binations of substances and formulate
data for use in the business This wom-
an contributes to the scientific journals
interesting articles on matters relating to
freproofng devices. mineral woods and
btuminous substances.
The New York woman most conversant
with mineralogy was Mrs. Sophia Braeun-
Itch, for II years in the employ of
technical journal and for the last half of
that time business manager and president
of a scientific publishing company. This
woman gained her remarkable knowledge
of mines and minerals practically. little
by little, not in the scientific course Of any
college or university. She was acquainted
with the financial status and the output,
internationally considered. of all the inn
portant mines in the world, kept abreast
with the stocks as tabulated in Wall
street and visited personally many of the
mines out west.
Twenty clerks. men and women. were
employed under her supervision. She was
a fluent writer and speaker and habitual-
ly answered 80 or 40 letters day on sub
jects pertaining TO mining matters.
''She was self made woman If ever
there was one" said business associate.
'She began service in the company as a
typewriter She was then a young wom-
an with her living to earn. She got to
the top rung of the business ladder
through sheer ability. At one time she
supervised the government work relative
to the collection of gold and silver statis-
tics for n permanent record. Her ambi-
ton and love of study were remarkable,
and she was never content until she had
mastered practical knowledge of all the
mineral specimens that came to the Of
fee"
There are six women miners and mine
owners out west who are regarded as
notably successful by men familas with
the facts. An Ohio woman. a practical
metallurgist, is the active manager and
owner of important coalfelds and oper-
ates a bell foundry.
The woman commonly referred to as
Ctah's "Silver Queen" came into promi-
hence through owning one of the most
productive properties in the vicinity of
Salt Lake City. The woman stakeholder
is chief owner. is the main factor in all
business movements and derives large
income from a single mine, the practical
output of which she understands as well
as the monetary details. Eastern men
who have met the mining queen describe
her as large and rather handsome, ex-
tremely fond of dress and with manners
that are taking. though eccentric No
body knows anything of her anteceden.s
but she is supposed to have ben born in
one OF the southern states just previous
TO the civil war and TO have had few edu-
cational advantages.-New York Sun.
New Use For NeclStie.
"While | was over in the Arkansas
mountains ono yvintar on n huntin0 trin