Evening Republican, Volume 19, Number 257, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 29 October 1915 — WESTERN GIRLS SUCCESSFULLY WORK MINING CLAIM SCIENCE TO CONTROL THE EGG [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

WESTERN GIRLS SUCCESSFULLY WORK MINING CLAIM

SCIENCE TO CONTROL THE EGG

By ROBERT H. MOULTON

jnN HIS Is the story of two western girls, Grace Carmalt and Susie Norwood of g|S Baker, Ore., who. coming unexpectedEij ly Into the possession of a mining claim in eastern Oregon, set about to work It themselves, from the digging *1 to the crushing of the ore and the A Anal reclamation of the precious V metal, and have succeeded so well that today a golden harvest is practically within their reach. In addition, they have gained the distinction of being probably the only women gold miners in the world. It all came about in a peculiar way. The young women’s fathers were owners of a mining claim In the Owl mountains, about eighteen miles from Baker. There the two girls went each summer, spending many hours watching the men at work far back in the horizontal shaft which they had dug In the mountain side. In this way they became familiar with the different kinds of

quartz, the lay of ore veins, and the methods of blasting and timbering the walls of tunnels When, later, they fell heirs to the claim through the deaths of their fathers, their first thought was to sell it. But the offers made them fbr the property being inconsistent with their ideas of its true value, they decided to lease the claim to someone who would work it for them on shares. But here again their ideas were at variance with those of others as to what would be a fair division of the spoils. Incidentally, they proved that they were not tender feet when it came to bargaining with the shrewd and practical mining men of the district. Then a happy

thought came to one of the girls. They had both grown weary of teaching, they were strong and healthy, they were of an adventurous spirit, and, they had learned a lot about the mining game. Why not work the claim themselves? It didn't take the other one more than a second to agree that that was just the thing; it would be a real, sure-enough lark, and as for making a success of it —well, they would show the world what two determined girls could do, even if it was supposed to be a man’s work and no other woman had ever attempted it before. The first thing was to arrange for a cabin up at the mine. The tents which they had shared with their fathers served well enough in summer, but for winter, when the snow was 20 feet deep and the thermometer hitting the low spots, protection of a more substantial character was necessary. Of course, all genuine miners work the year round, at least when there’s anything to do, and having decided to go into the thing they proposed to see it through to a finish. The result was that they had built a four-room structure, which, while it did not make any pretensions to architectural elegance, was guaranteed to defy the elements under the most distressing conditions of weather. With true foresight, gained by knowledge of their life in the ynmintalns, they located the cabin under the lee of a Mil, where it would be least exposed to the Icy northwest winds and would at the same time afford an unobstructed view of a magnificent panorama of ridges and valleys stretching away to a line of snow-capped peaks more than a hun<dred miles distant. It should be understood that when Miss CarywnH and Miss Norwood came into possession of the mine it was more a likely “prospect” than an assured money-maker. Evidences of gold ore were plentiful, but the problem was to strike the rich veins which would yield ore in paying quantities and warrant the erection of a mill to treat it. Consequently the first period of their stay in the nmnntAlng was devoted to a search for these veins, which thsy never doubted existed somewhere back in the mountains. Day after day, through the summer and early fall, dressed in overalls and with lighted candles in their miners’ caps, they burrowed farther and farther back into Ithe mountains, frequently branching off from the w»«*" shaft to follow a new lead. Much of this work, in the loose stone and onrfh, was done with pick and shovel, but now »nii then they found their way barred by a wall of solid granite which could only be removed by blasting with dynamite. With the details of this work the two girls were already acquainted, however, so the drilling of boles and the placing and anttinir off of the explosive caused them no concern. Then as the work proceeded the passages had to be timbered and cleared of the broken Hen* and dirt For the latter purpose s small

ore car running on wooden rails, with a metal sheath on top, was employed, the tracks being extended back as fast as the opening was made. During the summer months, while this preliminary work was in progress. Miss Carmalt and Miss Norwood were practically alone in their mountain home, except for an occasional weekend visit from some of their solicitious friends in Baker. But in spite of the fact that almost the first question asked by every visitor was, “Don’t

you find it awfully lonesome up here?” they declare that never for a moment, after the first half hour following the departure of the wagon which had brought up their last load of supplies, when they had a chance to look around, did they feel the slightest Inclination to retrace their steps. There were many things, aside from their work, to keep time from hanging heavily on their hands. In the first place, there was always the great map spread out at their feet to study by new lights and shadows. Then bird and animal life were plentiful, filling the air with songs and chatter; coming to the doorsteps for food, and often invading the cabin itself. Frequently deer fed around the cabin In the evenings, seeming to realize that they had nothing to feat- from the two human companions. A couple of porcupines also became very friendly and caused no end of amusement by using various means to find a way into the cabin at night. Down by a spring, where they got their water, a small bear made his horde, and several times they found the tracks of larger ones on the trail. They also heard the cries of a panther one night. But they were never molested by any of these animals, although they were well armed to defend themselves if the occasion demanded. Dnring the summer they cultivated a small garden and raised chickens. These things, added to their plentiful supply of canned goods, to say nothing of the mountain trout which they caught almost at their doorsteps, afforded them a varied menu. Then they were always certain of a supply of delicacies when any of their friends journeyed up from Baker. So the summer months passed, their life a busy and a joyous one, with the lure of hidden riches to urge them on in their work. Then one day, in the fall, the expected vein was uncovered —and the two girls celebrated the discovery by turning their last -cake of chocolate Into fudge! The finding of the vein necessitated a trip to Baker, to make arrangements for the construction of a mill and the installation of a stamp battery for crushing the ore. So they locked up the cabin and started on the 18-mile trip afoot. The mill was erected that fall, and while the two girls did not actually put it up themselves, they took an active part in its construction and superintended the work until it was completed. They also helped build a little railroad for the ore cars from the ( jmine to the mill. The following spring the stamp battery waa put to place and then the real work of digging and crushing the ore began. But as this work waa quite beyond the efforts of even two such industrious and ambitious young women, they engaged a foreman and a number of men to assist in these operations. There is never any question, however, as to who are the real bosses of

the job. All of the men seem to recognize intuitively in these two energetic girls the moving power and the guiding hands behind the whole project. Quickly and unerringly their eyes single out any fault in the work. Then in lowpitched, modulated voices, which nevertheless have in them a ring of command, they give their orders, and the men, with the air of those who bow to superior knowledge of the subject, are quick to obey. The development of the mine is now proceeding rapidly, and while it is too early to predict what material fortune the young women eventually will enjoy, they seem to be confident that their efforts will be sufficiently rewarded. At any rate, they count their experience a valuable one, and they have built up a fund of rugged health and contentment of spirit upon which they can draw freely throughout the rest of their lives.

Well-Known Theatrical Missile Can Be Regulated From Debut to Old Age. Eggs, those mysterious coop Jewels within the shells of which lie secrets that stagger the brain and threaten the proboscis, are practically exposed in a paper sent out by the New York State College of Agriculture at Cornell, says the New York Herald. The article shows how to color the yolk, regulate the odor, restrict the caliber of the albumen, offset evil spirits and protect the American breakfast table. To begin with, a hen should be fed just so in order to have eggs that are dependable and upright. A hen which deliberately eats an onion usually knows in her heart that some day in the future there is to be ruined an omelet which might have been equal to any omelet ever served. Still, that hen will eat that onion with no more thought of the ultimate consumer than a farmer usually has. Hens are a mighty treacherous flock of cacklers at best, it seems, according to the late bulletins from Cornell. On the. other hand, a hen that has been shown its place in the coop circle can be made to lay eggs that are of a certain color, size, odor and condition of servitude. Green foods and yellow corn produce deep color in the yolk; white corn, wheat and buckwheat produce a pallid yolk. Even the season of the year, which has remained above suspicion in storage circles until now, may have a definite effect upon the future conduct of a weak-chinned egg. A winter egg is stanch and sound in comparison with almost any one laid in the good old summer time. They act better in cold storage, producing practically no disorder during their incarceration. The matter of cold storage, incidentally, is more than touched upon. After an egg has arrived on earth its treatment by those who can prove their right to it will to a great extent determine what sort of an egg it will be and remain. Evaporation of water through the pores of an eggshell should be prevented always, and a proper temperature and degree of moisture should be provided. Rough handling is specifically warned against, for, after all, even an egg has some small rights. • The best way to preserve the Integrity of an egg, according to the voluminous bulletin, is by lime water and salt solution and by water-glass solution. Either method is much better than cold storage, which has become somewhat notorious in recent years and is, as they say at the egg candling resorts, in bad odor. An unusual feature of the bulletin Is Its color plates, of which there are seven, showing the candling appearance and opened appearance of the eggs of different quality and at various stages. These illustrations were made from actual specimens and some of them were probably taken, for obvious reasons, from quite a distance.