The Barre daily times. (Barre, Vt.) 1897-1959, 1909-03-22
A WOMAN IRoNMAsrER.
How in Person (and overalls) She Di-
reets the castings.

rects the castings
AIn. Harriet Fisher Is said to be "th'
only woman in the world who owns and
runa a great iron foundry Mrs, Fisher
Is an American and her foundry Ia al
Trenton, n. J. Her husband managed
the plant during his life and when his
health began to fail his wife determined
TO see what she could do 10 assist him
she visited the works daily.
IL quickly discovered says Mra Fish
er, shat II desired 10 win the respect OF
the workmen should have 20 make my.
self acquainted with ethe details Of the
business. To this end began as a reg.
ular apprentice. learned 10 temper, mould
yises and make rail- iointa,and in brief
took complete course OF every depart
ment, from melting pig iron TO making
bids for contracts. By this time real.
ly loved to work iron and steel, loved To
hear the whir Of machinery and the sound
Of the forge. A new customer gave me
more 10y than a dimond tiara.
II am afraid, though, people would
hardly credit II II told thew | actually
woi Led at forge and furnace, but be-
lieve in the dignity Of labor and take no
shame that ! should work longslde hon
est men who live by the sweat Of their
brow"
Sweat Of the brow is no idle term,
continues the Queen, as anyone who has
visited the works at Trenton and watch
cd Mrs. Fisher directing the bi'weekly
casting viii readily admit. The atmos-
phere OF the place suggests more the
stokehole Of a liner while passing down
the Red Sea in the hight OF summer. Yet
on the great platform for the cupola may
be found the mistress Of the works, dros.
sed in a becoming overall. shouting or
ders with military breyity, opening the
iron door at times 10 peer into the white
hot cauldron, making sure that the pro-
cess should begin at the precisely cor
rect moment.
Only once has there been an accident
at these pourings, and II was Mrs Fish
er,s presence Of mind that aver
ed disaster. A new hand, who had re-
earded his mistress more as a joke than
a person to be recloned with, did not stop
the breast properly and half a ton Of
metal spread over the floor. It was rag
ing not aand Dhnding.
At once Mrs. Fisher sang out; "The
first man that runs away I'll frel" This
command was sufficient. The men work
ed with win and in few minutes man
aged TO stop the flow and save further
disaster. "She was the queen that day,
one OF the workmen when
speaking Of the incident.
Dispute Mrs. Fishers strict dicipline
the employees have evidently have a
great admiration for her. This is due
partly to her concern for the workmen's
families, whom she visits from time to
time, furnishing some with seeds, en-
them TO do their own gard
ening, and supplying others with the re-
Iuisites tor raising chickens. Amid her
various duties Mrs. Fisher found time to
study surgery, and injuries such as brok-
IN bones, sprisns or burns she attends to
herself.
The frm holds the record tor retaining
employees Samuel Bracket, who be-
pan az apprentice sixty.seven years ago,
s still there in the capacity of head Of
flee boy" at the age Of ninty. Half a
iozen others have been in the service
over thirty yearse-From the Queen.