Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1883-06-06
Barre Industries.

The Barre correspondent of the Buring'
Ton free PreSs furnishes that paper with
he following interesting account Of some
of the important manufacturing industries
of that enlerprising little village:
The leading industry Of Barre is that
of the granite business. The granite
quarrles were opened 10 some extent a
hall century or more since. and the
State House at Montpelier was built from
material from hem. The business of fin
ishlng the stock is, however, ofquite recent
Inauguration, the first establishment to en-
gage in this undertaking having been
founded on small scale in 1872. A Aery
rapid development ofthe business has since
occurred rs The following statement will
show.
There are now in operation in the town
some twenty-five different separate firms,
engaged in quarrying and the manufac
ture of monumental work. A small pro.
portion of this number are quarrymen
only, disposing of their stock in the rough
to such manufacturers as do not own
quarries. and TO granite workers in Mont.
pelier, Burlington and elsewhere in the
state, as well as in the other states, more
or less distant. Ten four.horse teams,
one three horse team and three two.horse
teams are usually employed during the
season of good roads in hauling the rough
stone to he finishing shops or to the depot
usually making two trips daily and
probably delivering upwards of one hun
dred tons of granite each day OF good
weather. This is probably about one.half
of the stock quarried, as the waste is
estimated to equal one half of The amount
from the ledge. Upwards of
one half of the entire shipments of granite
by rail is rough stock for dealers and
workers elsewhere.
The most extensive establishment for
working granite is that of Wetlnore &
Morse, who employ iifty.eight men in the
shop and twenty-five men upon their
quarry. White Brothers of Rutland
have built during the past year an exten.
sive establishment, which in its capacity
will equal that of the above named firm,
when fully developed. They now employ
thirty men in the shops and fifteen upon
their quarry, while Kelly 6 Russell, occu-
plying a part of their premises, employ
eight men in the shop, using about 1900
cubic feet of stock annually, and manufac
turing some $4,000 worth of goods.
Wells, Lampson, e. Co., employ sixteen
men in the shop and in their quarry, using
some 1000 feet of stock annually. Several
other firms are also engaged in finishing
and principally in the manufacture Of
works, increasing the aggre-
gate production to an estimated value of
100000 annually. The wages paid to
wOrkmen on stone average about Sl.75
per day to quarrymen, and range from $2
to s. per day for skilled workmen in the
shops, the average being perhaps S2.75-
the highest price named being paid only
to workmen of highest skill. Perhaps
one half of the workmen are Americans.
Of the foreigners the Scotch are the most
numerous. Taken altogether stone cutters
Of Barre are exceptionally reliable and
md free from dissolute habits. No strike
has ever been organized since the business
commenced here and the relations be.
ween employers and employed have been
in the most harmonious man.
1er. The aggregate tonnage of granite
shipments for this station during 1882 |
to 1902 tons. These figures
will increase largely this year and the
are perhaps indicated by the
act that the granite shipments in April,
1888, amounted to ST. tons, as COM
pared with 1872 tons in April, 1883.
The largest single stone ever ship
Jed from this station was monument
1 base, shipped during last season by
smith & Kimball, weighing Is tons, and
he largest finished stone was a monument.
| shaft 26 1-2 feet long, shipped by
Vetmore Il Morse during last month,
Weighing about IA tons. A probable
Increase IN freightage is likely to be pro,
,aving blocks from the waste of the quar-
les, and negotiations are now pending
which if successfully closed will contract
80 carloads of paving blocks to be sent to
Western city, and TO be shipped to this
tation before November 18th.
Three hundred and thirty five or more
men now find constant employment in
his town by this industry, and with the
nexhaustible resources of the quarlie
he superior quality of the granite in all
he essential qualities of its working and
inishing capacity, and the peculiar advan-
ages for further development of the bust
Tess, there is every reasen to anticipate that
will continue to increase 10 importance
IS leading industry of the state.
Another industry of importance is that
# the Stafford e. Holden manufacturing
ompany. This is stock company
ngaged in the m manufacture of steel tined
orks for farming purposes. The company
AVE a capital Of $4,000. The stock is
eld in 400 shares, now owned by about
persons and all by local stock.
olders. The stock is paying per cent
on the par value, and it hardly
eeds saying that there is none in the
market for buyers. The fales during the
urrent business year, ending August l,
1888, will aggregate $4,000 in value and
5000 dozens of forks in number. The
market is both domestic and foreign,
perhaps about one half in each di-
ection, the foreign trade being in
England, Germany, Russia, Austria, etc.,
tc. The company would be glad to
xtend their facilities, having been com.
'elled to decline orders for at least 500
ozen forks during this year, but seem to
re limited in opportunity at present ID
ind available ground for such extension.
The stock used in this manufacture is ash,
mostly of Vermont growth, for handles,
nd American steel exclusively. Sixty
men are employed here and the monthly
ioll W tuout p|SoO.
Smith, Whitcomb & Co., now occupying
he Twingville. water privilege, have
ONE $4,000 invested in the manufacture
If plows, and with some recent improve
nents in their pillow to stimulate trade,
re increasing their annual production.
The commercial interests of the town
re also of an enterprising character, and
n view of its numerical size somewhat
emarkabe. Some sixteen merchants are
n trade,six of whom carry a stock on hand
which in value can be expressed only by
he use of five figures for each name. A
omewhat careful inquiry which has been
esponaed to in a very willing spirit to
1--WE the needed information, enables your
to make a statement of the
took carried by these traders and
he aggregate annual sales, which is {
as nearly accurate as can be
made without invoicing. This information
eveals the fact that no less than $125,000
n stock on hand is carried by the traders
f Barre, and the annual sales will aggre-
,ate at least $4,000, while we'll informed
udges put it at half million. The pro-
4 AL. Izf. |