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14THE SUN. BPERILOUS CAMERA TRIPSOF WOMAN PHOTOGRAPHERMrs. C. R. Miller, Of Baltimore, Is In The Fronttt the Kingston and at the Ban Franciscodisasters. She has had a rare opportunity to see how different men lear great strokes of ill fortune therefore. She says that con- |ditlons at San Francisco were Incomparably better after the earthquake than at Kingston. The work of relief at Kingston was slow, she says, and sanitation was neglected there. #Rank Of A Difficult Profession.19\ ISITKD THE LEPERS.The latest and one of the most notableachievements of Mrs. Miller has been a visit to Molokai Island, near Honolulu. Molokai 1b ihe famous Leper colony. Mrs. Miller is said to be the first photographer ever to have gone into it and one of the very few human beings who have ever had the courage voluntarily to face its dangers.The details of this trip Mrs. Miller willpublish shortly with photographs that she took during her short sojourn, and until her work appears in regular form she doesnot like to talk much about it.Of course, no magazine could order roc to make such a perilous trip,” she said last wepk. “It was the adventure and the spice of the thing that attracted me to It and made Ms risk worth taking. Certainly. I thought, no tourist bad ever been to Mo-loakt.First of all I bad to obtain a pass from officials atf Honolulu. At first they thought ] was crazy. No woman ever had gone to Molokai except to live there: so, of cruese,no woman should. 1 certainly must bo crazy to think of such a thing! 1 managed lo overcome the official scruples after a w hile, however, and set out for the dreadful place.Molokai is only approached by one res s“l, which visits It once a week to carry provisions. This one vessel does not go all ihe way to the island itself. The surf is so heavy on thes horesof Molokai that a landing can only he made by small boats.When we reached the Island the captain sent me to the shore in a small boat. We were literally tossed upon the beach. The first wave did not carry us high up on land. A second one left us high and dry.“After landing I had to satisfy the officials of the island that I had a right to visit them. I showed them my passes and they consented to let me stay until the boat .ailed for me again, though they evidently thought me a rather foolish creature.«»*•% hazardous trip.There are about 75 persons in the official family of Molokai. While I was therethe superintendent was away on business.The lepers are kept to themselves, of course, and they have about 10 squaremiles of land, to live in.“You may ask me if I was not frightened to be close to lepers. Well, I can’t say that I thought much about that side of the question. When I am at work on a story I never have much time to* think whether I am afraid or not.“leprosy is a queer thing anyhow, and nobody kuows just how it is contracted. You may catch It within a hour after being brought into an atmosphere that has been polluted by lepers, or you may remain Immune for a lifetime.You have to be careful, but If you are careful I do not think that there is extraordinary danger. The priest ^pvho is onthe island now has been in bis position for 21 years and he is quite well, and the superintendent is almost as old a resident as the priest. 1 know that Father Damien lt;ontracted the disease very shortly after being brought into contact with It, butFather Damien was careless.“However, to return to my own adventures, 1 visited the lepers and I photographed them. Photographing is not al-lowed on the island, and I bad no written permission to do It. I Just went ahead as if I had, however, and the officials on the island took It for granted, I suppose, that a woman who could obtain so much from the government at home had gotten this last small trifle too. I talked with lepers «« close to me as you are. That is not morethan 10 feet.“Many of my photographs are quite unpublishable. No one but a physician would he Interested in some of them, or should bo permitted to examine them. Leprosy is ike most loathsome thing I know.“That rug that you are sitting on came from Moloaki. A doctor shot the deer and gave me the skin. Many of my friends areafralt ot it.*’ * ■;- ^The reporter moved uneasily in bis chair. “Moloaki was interesting of course. But think that the most Important and Interesting, and altogether the biggest things that I have ever accomplished were in my trip to Alaska last y«*r.ACROSS ARCTIC ALASKA.“I went to Alaska at the beginning of last winter and traversed the country from South to North and back. I roughed It when necessary. I saw many strange andinteresting things.“Many of the stories that I wrote aboutnay experiences and mailed back to NewYork were widely copied. One story about Alaskan means of transportation by dogs was copied In no less than 127 papersone of the most remarkable and one ofthe most successful professional women in Baltimore is Mrs. Charles R. Miller, of 3514 West Fayette street, who has braved and overcome many mountainous obstacles that none but the select of the stronger sex would dare face, and has visited many far, outlandish lands as special photographer and correspondent for Leslie’s Weekly, ofNew York, and for various newspapers.There are not many -places on the globethat Mrs. Miller has not visited. Name the strangest—the places most inaccessible to woman—Alaska, the WTndward Islands, Moloaki Island, the leper isle of tbs Japanese Paelflc—apd you will find that Mrs. Miller has been to them all. 8he has crossed the Fnlted States on every transcontinental rallw^ay and has traveled much In Mexico and Western Canada. She has lenetrating all sanctums of official and private life, taking portraits of PresidentRoosevelt in his office and at home and pictures of lepers, convicts, minors, soldiers and poor slum children in New York.“I never travel in the beaten path,” said I Mrs. Miller last week to partly explain the odd quality of her travels. “I tried it once and I thought I would go crasy.In the first place, if you go on a tourist ship there are always sure to be a lot of people with toy cameras. Point your own camera at any object, no matter how trivial, and 15 or 20 artists of the ‘we do the rest' school joyfully hasten lo photograph the same object. Then, of course, the value of your picture is gone. The value of a press picture, you know, depends upon Its rarity and novelty rather than upon its intrinsic merit as a photograph.“The presence of tourists always destroys the native flavor of a place: It becomes•touristized,’ so to speak. So I like to travel by myself. After that one experience I speak of 1 never went on the beaten pathagain.SEX IS NOT A HANDICAP.“I have a sort of a roving commission inmy work. When I want to go to any cornerof the earth, when my interest is arousedin. that eorneV, I make my plans and then I talk the proposition over with my editors. If they like my ideas (and they have never said No’ to any proposition that I havo made to them) they authorize me to makethe expedition in their name.1 almost always travel by myself. Sometimes wlrnn my husband is able to take a vacation’’— Mr. Miller is connected with the Fidelity Company, of which Governor Warfield is president—“he accompanies me, butthis Is not very often. When I last went to San Francisco Mr. Miller went to Seattle with me and then came back to Baltimore,an he did not think he could spare moretime from his work.I went on down to San Francisco and after transacting my business there came on home. I never loiter when at work, r am not a tourist, you know, and have noaspirations to be one, as [ have no doubt intimated.Throughout my whole newspaper career I have never been persecuted or insulted, as it might be supposed that a woman in nty profession would be. I have had sharp 1 rushes sometimes with men of other magazines, who disliked the thought of being forced to compete with an individual of the. other sex. but I have never met rudeness orIntentional affront In any form.1 have often leen asked whether I find my sex a handicap. I cannot say that 1 do. Of course many a time it is harder for a woman to go where she wants than it is for n man. For instance, during the Baltimore fire, which I ‘covered' for Leslie's, I had difficulty In getting a pass through thelines when men had not.But to offset this it is often possible f-r a woman io go where a man cannot.Then I thkik that a woman can often ob tain»favors from an official that would not he granted to a man. One man always has an inveterate distrust of another one, but bo la not alwatK suspicious of womanthroughout the United States. Another oneabout a deserted city was copied almost asmuch. ■- \ iT. i UThis city was at the foot of ChllkootPass. Its great rival was Hkagway, which was at the foot of another great trail. One city was destined to be great and the other nothing it could be easily seen.“At last a railroad was built to Skag*way. This gave the city so great an advantage that it was plain that It was to be the great city. The other city was deserted in a day. Frying pans were left banging on their hooks, so great was the rush to Skagway.”Not long ago Mrs. Miller was asked togo to Fort Leavenworth, Kansas, to write about and photograph the great Federal prison there. This had never been doneTHE ROW AT KING8TON.In speaking of the falling out betweenLordSweatenham and Ilear-Admiral Davis, Mrs. Miller says that the Jamaicans putmuch of the blame at the American’s door.“He-fcad a perfect right to land sailors,”she said, “to assist in the work of rescue and relief, but he had no right to land his men and then assume command of everything, as he did. lie ordered the Kingston policemen around as he pleased, calling them ‘niggers.’ Of course, Ivord Sweaten-ham resented this. So, at least I am told by reputable people in Kingston.“My Impressions of Kingston were not altogether favorable at that time, bo I look forward to a visit there very shortly in the future. Then I can see it under bettercircumstances.’’Mrs. Miller Is planning a trip to Jamaica and Cuba for the near future. Indeed, sheHlariIanofthibytallt;lacdoldu-isfroIsilt;tb«rrl dri! tru8U»ne]TelefanrlcFaWtwhgrifaithlt;tothiflaAntheFI1nelthetb«te!tiefortretea81bolt;iIN COLORADObefore, and it had been supposed that the Government would never relax itH iron regulations against 'representatives of the press. After much manipulation at Washington Mrs. Miller obtained permission from the authorities to carry out her plans, and this she did with her usual success.“There is always some way to get what you want,’’ said Mrs. Miller last week,discussing this exploit. “I consider this one of the instances where my sex was an advantage to me.“When, I went to Leavenworth I had full permission to go wherever I wanted, to photograph whatever I wanted and to talk to any prisoner I wished to, with or without tbe presence of a guard, as I preferred. I took a large picture of all of the prisoners together, and every face in the group came out clear aDd distinct, with the head turned toward the camera.“Before I made this exposure I said to ihe prisoners: *lf there is any man herethat does not wish to be photographed and does not want bis picture published forwive*, sweethearts or sisters to see, hemay turn his head and I will not say any-anlt;caifrowpith*insmmeamexpects to set out shortly after the firstof the year. Her plans have not assumed definite enough shape for her to speak about them at length.A field that Mrs Miller has been singularly successful in has been the photography of moving objects, particularly of athletes running or jumping. One photo that she I made recently of three cadets at West Foint just clearing hurdles in a high hurdle race is conBidered one of the best lustan taneous photograph* ever made.It is singular to ol»serve how successful Mrs. Miller hay been with photography when you reflect that she did not commence to learn it until Just before the outbreak of the Spanish American war. The technique of phofographv is Intricate and difficult and not every person can master 11. Yet Mrs. Miller did the work of an expert or15 years’ experience two years after shehad !»egnn to give it her attention.“I was born in Westminster,” Hald Mrs Miller, telling her (tersonal history lastweek, and 1 could trace my family backseveral centuries if I wanted to. My maiden name w as Kneller.“I alwaj.s did like to write and I havi been writing since I was so high, yet I can \ not say that I have ever written a story. 1 I mean a wprk of fiction. I always writefact*, IthfOoevehitwitS.meyt'MRS. CHARLES R. MILLERthing.’ Not a man turned his head, however. That trip to leaven worth was very pleasant.ABOUT FAMOUS MEN.I have photographed mgjiy public men,” said Mrs. Miller in another vein.“I have taken so many pictures of Governor Warfield that I said to him recently, ‘If you will only sneeee I will take your picture in that attitude. That is about the only pose I baTe not photographedyou In.’ ? :'S ■ C;T Tp ::\YvT ■/■' yv“ ’But you could not photograph the sneeze,’ he said very seriously.“One of my best photos of public men was one of Mr. Roosevelt in the act of signing tbe Thanksgiving proclamation last year. Mr. Roosevelt was in a very good humor that day, though he kept me waiting quite a little time.“ ‘Shall I smile?’ he asked laughing as I was about to press the button.“ ‘Oh, no, no, no!” I answered, and hehad great difficulty in composing bis features to suit me.“I have photographed Mr. RooseveltA NEWSPAPER WOMAN.* “My first experience iu a literary way was with a newspaper. I contributed tc the Democratic Advocate, of Westminster.“The editor of this paper was the best teacher I ever had. One of his sayings was, ‘Only editors and emperors are allowed to sny “we.” From this 1 learned to keep my Ego out of my writings. Another saying was, ‘Only millionaires and politicians can throw away words.’ Bo Ilearned to condense.“I married and came to Baltimore. ThenI became connected with the BaltimoreTelegram. For three yearn I wrote the baseball news of this paper, and my accounts were widely copied.“Junt prior to the Spanish -‘American War I took up photography to hrip no*with my baseball stories. During the war 1 photographed three Spanish ..ffl.-er* who were at Annapolis and sent the picture to Iyeslie’s, A request for more work followed, and front that came my engagement with the paper and ail the work I have done for It since then. .“I often think that my stories would receive a great deal more attention if I used a masculine pseudonym. In fact, I know that thia is true. I once published a very poor story under a man’s name and it was more widely copied almost than anything eLse I have done.“When the woman suffragists were here several years ago one of the suffragists protested to me one day at Ihe convention a bout**jay using my husband's name and signintFmyself ‘Mrs.’“ ‘I put ray husband before myself,’ I answered, “and I like to feel that ills name is my protection.'“ ‘But you ought lo show that you havea name of your own,’ she continued,“ ‘Perhaps I want to show that I have a husband of my own,’ I replied cruelly, and she did not continue the subject.HER GARB OF WHITE.Mrs. MHJer is of altout average height. Ilor features immediately attract attention. They arc attractive, shrewd and humorous. Her eyes are black .and sparkling and her hair is black.A peculiar characteristic of Mrs. Miller Is that during the warm months she always dresses in white. From hat to slippers she is a symphony in this tone. Nomatter where she may be, she dresses in white.“I have two reasons for thLs,” said Mrs.Miller. “In the first place, w’bife is cooler and more sanitary than any other i*olor. In the second place, it Is neater, more business-like and, I think, prettier.”THors»thestrOthesoiltivinet Fa I lansoliofIthothethereptootoposto 1 the thestuTI1a a plo aft val droCROSSING AN ALASKAN GLACIERmany times. One photograph that I made of him while he was speaking he thinks one of the best that has ever been produced.“I have photographs of Nicholas Long-worth—taken Just before hlg marriage—• of Mr. Bonaparte and of other men who have been prominently before the public.“The last photograph that was ever taken 0/ Susan B. Anthony was taken by me when she was at a convention here in Baltimore. This photograph has recently been the subject of contention between Mrs. Ida Husted Harper, who is writing a biography of Mr*. Anthony, and my publishers, who hold the copyright and have not been willing for her to .use It. The difficulties hare been smoothed out now, however, I believe, and peace rules the troo bled waters.’’ \ « • l-Mrs. Miller wslt;\ a special correspondentTHE COLD BATHIts VIrtnea Many, It* Perils Few ToAnyone Xot A Tramp.iflliA cold bath is said to be the best “eye-opener” in the world. If business menwould take one when they get up theywould not need the “bracer down town.A well-known doctor recently Raid :“There never yet was any tonic to equalcold water applied externally, and those who can stand tho shock have the best chance of a long, heaiyty life. I realize that there are women who cannot stand cold baths, but for them there is tepid water, with a brisk rubdown with a coarsetowel or a dry flesh brush, that will bfiug the blood to the skin and give the glow of healthy circulation.”ON CHRISTMAS EVEsporajt**e te of , 1ontwlt;oenin lt;the Bri in the tire ma 1forthepooMr,pasmai25,lucChithe/upc so ] Chifrowhlt;FlyideinnlwitlanAhcThey sit in the firelight’s ruddy gleam At Christmas Eve, when the childrendream, .fey V;y ■T.-'z.5And Time has wrought full many a seam Of care on each weary brow.“Ah, lass,” he sighed, “ ’twaa long ago When I kissed you 'neath the mistletoe; We heard the twang of young love's Jkw As he shot from a holly bough.Then life was fair as au April dawn,But now the old glad day is gone.”She laid her band caressingly on His arm as she answered thus:And yet, old lover of mine, who knows, Beyond the hill where the sunset glows A brighter, merrier Christmas throws Its welcoming light for us.«•Maybe our youth will greet us once moreAnd every joy we knew- before And every song we loved of yore Again on our ears shall ring.Then hand in hand to the muslc'trsway.With smile* for the loved ones on the way We’U enter the ever glad, sweet day, Christmas, for aye with the King.’’— John Randolph Stidman.carest the hetheRelt; off* 1exp tioiray Chiconset 15,1aIt i ]tba phc eas mil sou•PI PforDieyeaHI1ing of i 1I eft*I yea
Newspaper Details
Baltimore Sun
Baltimore, Maryland, US
Sun, Dec 22, 1907
Page 13
Full Page
Clipped by
Krystle S.
MD, USA 12 Apr 2020
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