Co-ed Descends 3,000 Feet in South Dakota Gold Mine
Eunice Peterson First Girl to Join ‘U’ Geological Expedition
A descent of 3,000 feet in an open lift into the Homestake Gold mine, one of the largest gold mines in the world, and a climb of more than 150 feet on ladders to different levels in the mine were among the experiences of Miss Eunice Peterson, 25 years old, the first co-ed of the University of Minnesota to extend the annual geological expedition to the mines at Lead, S. D.
“Every minute of this trip into the mines was a thrill,” Miss Peterson said in a letter to her parents, Dr. and Mrs. C. B. Peterson, 420 Oak street southeast.
Other co-eds who have studied in the geology department at the University of Minnesota have participated in field trips to study rock formations in Minnesota and Wisconsin, especially in the iron range in northern Minnesota, but Miss Peterson is the first to make the trip into the wilds of the Black Hills and the mining regions about Lead, S. D.
Previous to this the Lead field has been considered too hazardous and strenuous for the girl student, but Miss Peterson had shown on previous expeditions that she was able and willing to meet the tests of the big mines.
On earlier expeditions Miss Peterson has made no difficulty over daily hikes of from 14 to 20 miles in rugged country. Donning the same garb as the men on this year’s expedition, she won the consent of those heading the trip, to make the descent into the mines.
Miss Peterson was born in Viroqua, Wis., but has lived in Minneapolis for 10 years, where she has become familiar with he topography of the surrounding country and the geological formations in virtually all parts of Minnesota, through frequent hikes and summer trips.
Miss Peterson has done survey work near Devils Lake, Wis., where she studied rock formations and fossils in the dells of the Wisconsin river. Last summer she camped in the open with her mother, studying the geological formations on the St. Croix river from Stillwater to Taylor’s Falls.
In this work she won a master’s degree and she is now working for her doctor’s degree, the thesis for which will be written on the results of this summer’s trip and other research work.
The party making the expedition to the Black Hills is under the leadership of Professor J. W. Gruner of the geology department, University of Minnesota. The visitors make Lead their headquarters, visiting the Homestake mine, Whitewood, Spearfish canyon; Devil’s tower, Galena, and other nearby points. They will also spend a week at Bear Butte, near Sturgis and a week at Keystone.
When Miss Peterson left Minneapolis the first of May she carried with her the customary geological hammer, other geological instruments and rough and ready clothing such as the men wear on the expedition. The trip to Lead was made in automobile, Miss Peterson driving her own car.
The party is expected to return to Minneapolis the last of June, when the return trip will be made by automobile.
Miss Peterson is of a rather retiring nature and prefers long tramps in the hills to talking of her experiences. When it comes to publicity she objects to her scientific achievements being viewed as thrilling experiences or exploits.