St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1900-03-07
The Granite Business.

The Ora BusimesHs
With the exception of the Woodbury.
Granite Co., the largest esta blishment in
Hardwick, employing about 80 cutters,
temporary agreement has been reached
between the cutters and manufacturers.
A meeting Of the committee OF the respec-
tive organizations was held last Wedues-
day and all the local firms agreed to pay
the cutters So for day of eight hours
until final agreement is reached be-
tween the Stone Cutters union and the
Granite Manufacturers association.
The Woodbury. Granite company re-
fused to accept these terms and their
works will be shut down for time.
The agreement to continue work is
hailed with delight as the granite indus
try has given the town steady growth
for the past ten years. About 800 men
are directly engaged in the granite bust
ness, of whom 200 are cutters. The
business interests of the town were in
volved in the issue Of the threatened
strike. Men who think of building
houses have been unwilling to let the
contract, until after this crisis.
ExhaussIess Paint Mime Mt Bennington.
About a mile from Bennington is a
paint mine that has been delved into for
60 years. In spite of the fact that its
contents resemble nothing more valuable
than red and yellow clay, it has yielded
larger sums OF money than many great
gold mine. The material, which seems
exhaustless in quantity. is known to
commerce as ochre, and is used extern
sively as color base, and in the manu-
facture of paper and oilcloth. 1t is
chemically known as oxide OF iron, or
iron earth, and is formed by the breaking
down and crumbling of iron ore through
the influence of oxygen. The ochre is
reached by means OF horizontal shafts,
or tunnels, dug in the side of hill.
When the deposit is reached it is found in
red and yellow layers that rise and dip
successfully 1t is easily dug with pick
and shovel. In preparation for the mar
ket the raw ochre is passed through
grinders and is cleansed by streams OF
water, when it is left to dry. Then it is
ground to powder, packed in barrels and
shipped to market.
A Sad Story.
Mrs. George F. Field, travelling from
Donaldson, Ark, to FAIR Haven, died in
the Union station at Indianapolis, last
week Tuesday, surrounded by her three
small children. She and her husband
had been living niue miles from Hartford,
Conn, until seven years ago, when Mrs.
Fields health failed and they sold their
farm and lett for Florida. They subse.
quently went to Tennessee, and last No
vember located in Arkansas. All they
had left was team. Mr.. Field was
taken sick the first day he got work and
three weeks afterwards died. A week
later child died. Consumption was
making rapid progress with Mrs. Field,
and her Is year-old daughter took
charge Of her affairs. She sold the team
and household effects and started with
her mother and two small sisters for the
old home in Vermont, that her mother
might die among relatives.
Mrs. Field was hoping to reach
her brother, Frank L. Brown, who
lives near Brandon. He has considerable
property, the little girl says, and an ef-
fort was made to reach him by wire,
but without success, as the Brandon
office is closed on Sunday.
Northdeld Depot Being Remodeled.
Work repairing and remodeling the
Central Vermont depot at Mortified is
now in progress. The old vault on the
first and second stories is being taken
out after which the room that has been
used by the directors of the National
Bank will be thrown into the present
mems waiting room and the two will
make one commodious general waiting
room. On the second floor the present
tenants will not be disturbed but an ad.
ditional room will be finished off tor
the use of the bank directors The force
oil workmen numbers nine and it is cal
culated that with no interruptions the
depot will be entirely remodeled and in
first class shape by the first OF May.
The Vermont Conference.
The fifty sixth annual session of the
Vermont Conference will be held at Bel
lows Falls, commencing Wednes tay,
April II, Bishop Stephen NJ Merrill OF
Chicago presiding. Lay and ministerial
delegates will be elected to The geuei al
conference, to be held in Chicago in May.
There are 10S pastors on the conference
roll. OF these, thirty are in snperannu.
ated or supernumerary relation. Ii is
expected that Presiding Elders Daven.
port, Sherburne and Nutter will be reap.
pointed.
The church membership of the confer
ence is IL 1862 with 1,206 probationers.
There are ISL church buildings, vau,
at $54S, 300 Three churches have been
built during the year. Besides the clergy,
many OF the prominent state laymen viii
be present at the conference. Among
these will be Elk Gov. Dillingham; Of
Montpelier, Hon. q M. Mansur OF New.
port. Judge Barney of Barre and Hon
Frank Plumley OF Mortified These
gentlemen, with others, will address the
meetings.