The San Francisco call., 1906-11-14

Her readiness to strap revolver
about her waist and 60 through the
burned district withs large sums of
money has given 919,year-oid Stella Ar
thur the first position sof the kind ever
occupied by IA woman .ons the floor OF
the San Francisco Custom house
She began her duties yesterday, when
she dropped like bombshell among
the customsi brokers and their clerks
by appearing, self possessed, at the
desk of Joseph L. Bley, representative
of C. D. Bunker & Co., and then as
sumed the duties of his assistant.
woman had never before been en-
ployed at the Custom house in any
position other than that Of stenog-
rapher, and it took some time for the
brokers and their assistants to become
convinced that the vision was real
ity.
Miss Arthur wore a trim-looking
waist of some light stuff or other that
the brokers could not call by name
and fluffy band about the neck which
was likewise puzzling to define. But
it was quite evident to all of them. that
she was a most personable sort of a
young woman and that. her presence
marked an unlooked-for innovation on
the floor of the house.
She was quite the sensation of the
manner that made her appear to be
ohliyious of the fact. Her duties are
those of q messenger and she had eyes
for nothing else That she will be able
tb take care 6f the billet satisfactorily
Is believed by every one who watched
her work.
Miss Arthur lives in Tent 8, Section
A, of the refugee camp at Lafayette
Square She was formerly employed as
telephone girl and was attracted to
the position in the Custom-house by an
advertisement.
1T was this way" explained Bley.
There's a strike on among the messen-
gers and we had been advertising for
several days for one. when we got an
answer from this young woman.
I'VE were after men, of course, and
were at first not inclined to take her
application seriously, but we finally
concluded to send for her and talk the
matter over.
when Miss Arthur came we told her
that she would have to go through the
burned district frequently on the way
to the Mail Dock with large sums of
money and asked her whether she
would not be afraid of a commission of
this kind. ~f-.f estsoi
I'm afraid of nothing she said.
If I'm to carry money! suppose I'll be
ready to do SO and accept any re-
sponsibility that you may be willing
to intrust me with
That answer pleased US. 1t showed
US that she was made of the right
stuff, and we then and there decided to
employ her. We have applied to the
Police Commissioners for a permit for
her to go armed and have no doubt that
she will fill the bilk 5 Personally
would soon trust her with money
as any man messenger Her first day S
work has showed up well and we have
no doubt about her ability to take care
of herself and do all that. is expected
of messenger. She has asked that
we make no discrimination against her
because of her sex, and we think she
is In earnest and means to stand on
| the merit of her work alone.
There is disposition among some
brokers to resent the intrusion of a
woman on the floor of the Custom
| house, but we are running our busi-
ness to suit ourselves and don't have
to ask their permission to engage any
body. We think that in. time the pre-
cedent we have established will be fol-
lowed by other brokerage firms There
is no reason why women should not
make as good messengers as men,"