The San Francisco call., 1908-08-16
RS. CLARK FISHER, Eagle
Anvil Works, Trenton, n. J.
This unobtrusive line among

IllS unODIruSlNe line among
the names of 500 men guests
at the recent banquet in the Waldorf
Of the National Association OF manu-
facturers caught the eye OF DR.. Wu
Ting-fang, the astute and inQuisi-
tive Chinese minister to our country.
When his excellency had spent half an
hour quizzing Mrs. Fisher. learning that
she worked daily in her own factory,
at the furnace, the foundry and ma
chine shop, besides directing all bust
ness deals, he turned 70 James W. Van
Cleave, the associations president, and
pronounced her the most remarkable
woman in America"
Had the Chinese diplomat known Mrs
Fishers whole story he would not per-
haps have limited this distinction to one
country. for 1t is unlikely that the en-
tire world can produce a woman of
wealth who during seven months In
the year physically tolls in a great
factory and devotes the other five to
entertaining the aristocracy of Europe
at Lake Como.
Such, however, is the unusual exist
ence Of Trenton's woman manufacturer,
and 10 her notion the making OF anvils
and vises is by no means unromantic.
though many OF her sex do not even
know what these commodities are. The
learned WI was himself puzzled
And you send your goods to Gilman"
he asked Well what are they7'
'Anvils and yises," replied Mrs.
Fisher briskly
oh" exclaimed his excellency in a
shocked voice. 'impossible-' And it
took some time TO explain to him that
v-i-s-e-s were quite proper.
The contrast between Mrs Fishers
shops on the banks OF the Delaware in
Trenton and her villa on the shores Of
Lake Como is not more singular than
her appearance at work and at home.
Begrimed with smoke and dust in the
foundry. shs wears q loose blue Italian
linen froolx, which. however, she wsS
quick to inform. Is hand embroidered"
The days toll over, she is whisked
home in motor car. and presently
appears the woman OF fashion. sur
rounded by every luxury and a house
full of most precious art treasures
First week in July finds her sailing
abroad, accompanied by her entire
retinue of servants. taking up her resi-
dence IN the villa Carlotto- Fisher. near
Uric. Italy where for four years she
has been the most lavish and exclusive
entertainer in that exclusive colony
DO your neighbors and friends
abroad know OF your activities in
American" asked the interviewer.
Mrs. Fisher smiled wryly, as though
the topic was not exactly pleasant and
admitted that with one exception they
did not
I told my very good friend the
Countess Won der Oston- -Plathe, who is
woman OF affairs herself, having
great iron mines in Hungary. But l
think she imagines that 1 take only a
sort OF dilettante interest in labor. like
she who was Miss Bertha Krupp with
the countess the real truth would make
no difference, and as for the others
Mrs. Fisher shrugged her. athletic
shoulders.
Inc Aacl lS, She went on SplTltedly,
I consider myself OF the very highest
nobility princess Of manufacturing.
/ believe in the dignity of labor and
take no shame that / should work
alongside honest men who live by the
sweat OF their brow"
xxc wEAT OF the brow" is no idle
term. When Call writer visit
ed Trenton the temperature was
balancing about the nineties, but inside
the anvil works il suggested the stoke
hole OF Red sea steamship. A tender
foot could not stand it long, for 1000
pounds OF molten iron seethed in the
cupoIa, run from the taps in lurid
streams and simmered In myriad moIds
that cluttered-the floor.
On the platform sat Mrs. Fisher. 9
car in her own domain. shouting or.
ders with military brevity. opening th'