The Idaho recorder. [volume] (Salmon City, Idaho) 1886-1927, 1906-11-01
Gentle Woman Who is
an Expert Machinist

nv diversion from the humdrum anu
monotony of Homework, and she en-
iovs # She takes as much pride IN
turning out a perfect shafting or set
n nulleys or some intricate part OF
an engine as any housekeeper would
in making a good cake or In DONG
a choice bit of embroidery work
Mrs Peters can fire the boiler, keep
ing M the proper amount OF steam
and water, and. can run the engine.
And more than that, she could put IL
all together again without any trou-
BILE were it to be taken apart for her.
"Threading" a piece of steel, a lop
recurring accuracy and speed at the
same time. she does with as much
ease as threading needle for sew
ing. although the operation Is indeed
very different
In making a shrinking fit where
IN a casting must be heated to GER
tain temperature to avoid bursting, a
iob IN which all machinists often fall,
she has no trouble. This is job that
is common in all large engine WORKS
As one watches her at her work ne
Is impressed by the scene OF the big
machines responding with surges and
eroans to the delicate touch OF these
skillful feminine fingers.
Since it has always been believed
that good machinists must have nat
ural talent to be able to develop the
skill successfully it makes this WON
ans work all the more wonderful
None of the timidity and fear thai
woman has, as rule, around machin
ery. is seen in Mrs. Peters conduct
in the shop. She pursues the WORK
with a confidence that is associated
only with an expert knowledge OF the
business.
That Mrs. Peters Is the only woman
In America with the pluck to tackle
this sort of a business is probably
true She does the work, not because
she is compelled, but because she flnds
real endowment in the handling OF ma
chinery. There seems to be actua
affection in her gentle touch OF the
cold steel machines over which she
presides in the foundry.
1t must not be inferred because Mrs
Peters has proven her adaptability Il
such a calling that she is lacking II
the charms and accomplishments tina
90 to grace womankind. The feminine
side of her nature Is equally interest
ing.
Possessing a good education, sh'
can converse intelligently upon mos
any subject, and can play the pian'
and sing with considerable ability.
Her husband declares she has tn
most perfect health of any woman n
ever saw. He says her unusual laDo
has not tended to detract from ne
womanliness, but that her heart Is
full of womanly tenderness and sym
patty as it was when she became nj
wife
Mrs. Peters, when asked how sh
happened to learn to work in the shoI
replied with modest smile:
We'll, we had no children, and
would get lonesome at home. AS m
husband and | always were compar
ionable, l spent much of my time Il
the shop to be with him. / began t
use hammer and wise occasionally
and then got to trying my hand a
making things just for fun. Prett
soon ! found could turn out some Q
the simple jobs that came in withou
my husbands instruction. Naturally
felt an exultant pride over m
achievements, and wanted to do NOR
difficult things all the time. Now, m
husband tells me l am safer in som
of the difficult work than any othe
machinist in the shop"