The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1903-08-27
A WOMAN ENGINEER
Miss Lota Foss Has Been Visiting
British Columbia Mining
Camps.
Accompanied by Her Family She
Has Been Making Practical
Observations.

Mrs. G. o. Foss and daughters Misses
Lota and Marcia SOB Fifteenth avenue Sc,
have just returned from a most interesting
trip thru number of border towns of wcs-
tern Canada. The trip was especially I'M
dertaken for the benefit of Miss Lota Foss
who will be graduated from the engineering
department of the university next spring.
Among the most interesting places they Wis
tied Wns Frank, in the eastern part of Brit
ish Columbia, where the Turtle mountain
slide occurred. The slide is now from to
and limestone. Miss Foss examined the stone
with a view Of ascertainirg the causes of
the explosion. There are guards about the
place now and no one is allowed to go near.
The Minneapolis visitors had large num-
Der of photographs of the scene prepared.
There are many Municipalities at Frank and
strangely enough they remain entirely dis
tinct. Attic the men lead a very rough life.
everywhere the utmost courtesy was shown
Mrs. Foss and her daughters. They visited
Morrissey,. Fernie, Michel, the largest min
lime quarries, all in the vicinity of Frank.
While at Bal1..our they watched the prospec-
tors drilling for oil and some very good sam
pies were obtained. During their trip they
and cheese when the rode. Some times they
and pies Of dried fruit are the staple articles
being TOO rough for riding in the WAGONS,
In the camps in that country the men live
en- good fare, altho there is little yariety4l
Fruit and green vegetables are scarce and
consequently expensive. They buy the loins
in what is called root house, . which is
really a large, deep hole in the ground lined
with logs: where the meat is hung. 1t is
very cool and the meat remains fresh. Beans
of the camp cooks. = 1+a1a2y 49, =
Mrs Foss and the Misses Foss experienced
the new sensation of sleeping in hunks, with
no great discomfort Once a week in the
camps the straw or boughs that are used as
mattresses in the hunks are thrown away
and the blankets aired. These boughs arc of
fnpo o~on and ina on no cot
end in the hunks so it is really sleeping IN
tho tree tops Thick blankets are laid on
those,
Bunk houses are sometimes arranged so
that 200 can be accommodated. Three tiers
of hunks ere built about sides of a long
room. in the center is the stove, or rather
its substitute II, in the night, the iire gets
low, the one nearest reaches out hand.
feeds it and scrapes away bit of dirt SO
that the draught is better. When the FIRE
begins to burn WE'LL the dirt is again piled
in front of the opening.
Physicians in the neighboring towns often
visit the camps once a week or orce in two
weeks, and in this way much sickness is
prevented. II at any time smallpox breaks
out the patients are taken to small log
house standing about two. miles from the
camp. These houses can be built IN TOUR
hours.
The mountains about the towns visited by
Mrs. Foss and her daughters are heavily
wooded with tall trees and many animals
inhabit them. They are so dangerous that
the young women were not allowed to climb
the mountains. Even the men do net venture
full evening one Of the young ladies Was set
ting outside the Shack when her parents,
seeing danger, called her in. but not no.
1nent before a large bear appeared; The small
black bears are. not feared, altho the Gin :
namon bears and wild cats strike terror into
all hearts Coyotes as they are called
there are also very dangerous.
| There is no agriculture in that country at
all There is but one farm in the community
and that is venture. No bridges have been
! built as yet, SO all the rivers and streams
| must BE fordciI. In that part of the country
| it is very cold for the sun only peeps from
behind the mountains about two hours in the
| afternoon, and it is necessary to wear heavy
| clothing al the time.