The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1902-06-11
4 Woman rs Fair Contractor.

For the first time in the history of
exposition building a woman is to take
a prominent part in the heavy con-
,truction period OF such an enterprise.
The st. Louis World Fair is to have
Il woman contractor, who will complete
certain large tasks begun by her hus-
band, and who is confident Of secur.
ing large additional contract next
Wednesday. Mrs. George G. Smith,
wife OF man who has done as much
as any other one contractor in the
construction Of the Fair to date, will
assume charge of the work of shaping
the channel of the River des Peres in
Forest Park, where the stream has to
be Strengthened for distance in order
to prevent the overflow of water which
will come through the chanuelway
through the site. Mr.. Smith secured
this contract some time ago. after
finishing great deal Of excavating at
different points on the site, and has
been pushing the task until it is near
ly completed. There is not now suffi-
cient work to warrant him in center.
irg all his forces here and he has lust
closed SIS, 900 contract in Arkansas S,
where he will construct railroad
bridge across the White River above
Batesville. This work took him
South recently and he will soon find
it necessary to spend the greater
part Of his time there. Mrs. Smith
will remain here and finish her hus-
bands work.
The work we are doing here now,
said Mrs. Smith yesterday, Sis a
triAc compared with what hope to
do little later. 1 fully expect to get
the contract for the excavating for
the Liberal Arts building, which will
involve the handling Of about 100000
cubic yards Of earth. That is a piece
of work large enough to be interesting,
and is also Of sufficient magnitude to
be worth getting. I have been a stu
dent of such work for some twenty
five years and l am perfectly willing
to pit my judgment and experience
against any Il the contractors with
whom l may have to compete.
shall maintain the camp here which
Mr.. Smith has established, and ii he
finds it necessary to his work in Ar
kansas to reduce the force here any
shall gradually restore the number of
wOrkmen and teams to their present
number. In all probability I shall
establish larger camp than we have
had heretofore. 1 suppose I may
have to get the contract in my hus-
bands name, as the Exposition Off
cials may be afraid of entrusting so
large task to woman. But they
will never know the difference when
get my forces TO work. / shall have
good horse, 80 that can keep an eye
On the progress Of the work from day
day. have some excellent foremen,
but there is nothing like seeing every
step of the work for yourself. Then
you have nobody to blame if things
go wrong.
Mrs. Smith is a comparatively
young woman. but has been intimately
acquainted with camp life and the
construction of railroads from her
childhood. Since her marriage she
has been constant assistant to her
husband, in addition to raising q
good-sized family. She declares that
the sound of the first scraper in the
spring is more stirring to her than the
strains Of a brass band. and that if
she were not involved in some large
contract at trch time she would be
entirely miserable. Mr.. Smith .ays
he has no hesitancy in turning his in-
terests here over to his wife.--St.
Louis Globe Democrat.