WOMEN TO RUN GARNET MINE

 ORGANIZE A $1,000,000 CORPORATION
ALL BY THEMSELVES

Twin City Women of Business Experience Launch Enterprise of Their Own,
and Take Up All the Official Jobs – Man Would Be Too Bossy to Have Around

  The Alaska Garnet Mining and Manufacturing company, which has g=been incorporated with a capital stock of $1,000,000, is the first mining company in the world to have only women for officers.  There is a man distantly connected with the corporation. He lives hear the mine in Alaska and has been allowed to keep one sixty-fourth interest in the company, and will take all his instructions from the women officers, all of whom live in St. Paul and Minneapolis.

  The reasons why men have been barred from holding any big job in the corporation was explained as follows last night by Anna E. Durkee, 21 West Langford Park place, who is the general manager and secretary:

  “Our idea in forming a woman’s corporation was simply this: If we were to allow on man as the officer or director he would immediately become masterful and believe it his duty and privilege to dominate. Then another thing. A long business experience has shown me that many men who are honest with their fellows will sometimes defraud a woman.”

Business Experience

  While Miss Durkee was terribly in earnest when she made the statement, a smile flitted across her face. If the other corporations are as well equipped to conduct a corporation as Miss Durkee appears to be, the company should make as flourishing a record as any concern operated by men, All officers in the company are women of business experience, who have investigated thoroughly the possibilities of them mine in Alaska.  All the stock has been subscribed for, so that there is no use of any men hanging around.  Enough garnets have been taken out of the mine already to apply for the patent. As soon as the plans can be carried out it is proposed to establish a manufacturing plant in St. Paul or Minneapolis. Next year one fo the officers will take a trip to Hungary and learn how they do things over there.

  The officers of the company are: President, Anna E. Rose, Minneapolis; vice president, Minnie R. Taylor (sic), Minneapolis; general manager and secretary, Anna E. Durkee, St. Paul; treasurer, Jean Anderson, Minneapolis. The board of directors consists of the officers named and Lettie M. Crafts of Minneapolis, Mary T. Elmer of St. Paul, Pearl Hewitt of White Bear, Maria A. Crane of Minneapolis, Rebecca W. Bausman of Minneapolis and Pearl Gunder (sic) of St. Paul.

Man at the Mine

  Alexander Vreath (sic) is superintendent of the mine. It was from him that the company bought the mine. He had held it several years, but he had worked it only enough to pay the assessments.

  Miss Durkee and Miss Elmer took a trpi to Alaska last summer. The former is interested in some copper property there.  They were waiting for the copper company launch to come along, when the prospector of the garnet mine, Mr. Vreath (sic), was pointed out to Miss Durkee.  After a brief talk, she agreed to form a company and have the mine worked in the proper manner.

  The property consists of forty acres located six miles up the Stickeen river from Fort Wrangel, in the southeast section of Alaska.  It is said that this is the only property on the Stickeen River with garnets on it, and they are only three points softer than a diamond.

--Sunday Pioneer Press, December 30, 1906 page 1

 Alaska Garnet Mining & Manufacturing Co.

Board of Directors

Officers:

Anna E. Rose, President -- Corunna, Minnesota

Minnie Towler, Vice-president -- Minneapolis, Minnesota

Anna E. Durkee, Secretary -- Minneapolis, Minnesota

Jean Anderson, Treasurer -- Minneapolis, Minnesota

Members of the Board:

Letitia M. Crafts -- Minneapolis, Minnesota

Mary T. Elmer -- St. Paul, Minnesota

Pearl Hewitt -- White Bear, Minnesota

Pearl A. Gunders -- St. Paul, Minnesota

Rebecca Bausman -- Minneapolis, Minnesota

Maria A. Crane -- Minneapolis, Minnesota