New-York tribune., 1905-08-01
NAY YET BUILD BRIDGES.
Young Woman, a City EmpIoye,
Studies Ciuu Engineering.

nrnen Lord Byron woke up one morning and
.,rs himself famous his feelings must have been
s.-evhst similar 20 those which Miss Elsie Bitt-
- Of NJ. .2s Arlington-ave-. Brooklyn is now
-.-4encing. Miss Blttman's recent appointment
topcgraphicaI eraughrsman IN the Bureau of
s-,rhways in .ne Borough OF Brooklyn made her
sp5denly famous, circumstance which
xho!v unexpected by her and not altogether TO
her hkns
q really cannot see' she said a Tribune
,-tsr iu her Office al the Bureau OF Highways
yes;erdsy. what I have done that people should
:. SO interested in me OF course women don't
usually so in for civil engineering. but ] am not
,,ya engineer yet. and the possibility of my ever
bpndng bridges or tunnels or skyscrapers is so
,srore that I have hardly thought about il. !
should like 10 do some practical engineering
work. OF course, and ! VIII have before I can
get nv degree in civil engineering from Cooper
Union; but everything is very hard for woman,
and don't know that I viii ever get the oppor-
sunty.
y never really have had any definite aim in the
study OF engineering. ] was always very fond OF
mathematics and when was graduated from the
Brooklyn High School. in --0l, looked around LOT
way OF continuing these studies. Ihe clVH
engineering at Cooper Union seemed 10 0IleF
the best opportunity.
No. wasn't the only woman in the Class l OF
a while I was alone but afterWard couple OF
women entered They had no idea OF making any
prac-ical use Of their knowledge They only
wanted 10 teach ] an not quite sure whether II
! really DO become an englnesr' shal! t pe a
rsoneer or not. ! have been told that there IS q
woman engineer practising IN some western CITY CITY
Chicago I 1hnk-but don't know anything definite
about her. There is woman in the department
o. Taxes in Brooklyn who is doing much the same
work ! am. ,..-
a. ton0graphical draughtsman last January, and
E-sg he only woman among lS5 candidates. She
ali receive the degree OF Bachelor OF Science from
f,orer Union in 1905 after passing nnal eXarnlna
+io- ia such alluriug subjects dynamics, hydro
s-srics electricity and physics But she cannot get
w. diploma as civil engineer until she has been
engaged FOR wears in practical construction
N-rle studying Cooper Union Miss Bittman
Was earning $50 a year as stenographer IN the
tenement House Department and next winter she
vii 90 on studying and attending classes al night.
while she earns money at the rate Of $500 a year
IN the daytime.
'.'oY course that is hard work. and takes all my
tine she said. Il have time for social pleas.
S-es while school lasts and ] Just fond OF
fun as body else tn spite OF anything the news
work 100 and there Will be time enough TO enjoy
aryself after am graduated"
Miss Bttman is only twenty-five, and her strenu-
Gus life has had the effect OF making her look
any older. Her mathematical ability she inheTlts
fror1 her father. Henry II. Bittman OF the BU-
-esu u Highways and Il is shared by the whole
ssrrFv. Her brother, Walter BittmRn. IS in the
sr7r30v II the American Bridge Company and her
rv-6 Younger sisters both exhibiting an IN
usual taste and capacity for mathematics.