Essex County herald. [volume] (Guildhall, Vt.) 1873-1964, 1903-01-09
BradStroet's Vermont Trade
Report.
SPECIAL TO THE HERALD.

Report.
SPECIAL TO THE HERALD.
1902 was undoubtedly one of the most
prosperous years Vermont has ever ex-
perienced. Conditions in general seemed
to conspire to bring this about and the
only drawback was the coal situation
which has created some inconvenience
during the past three months. Lumber
interests have been active and the large
cut of last winter found ready market
at advanced prices. The products of
the farms have brought larger prices
and the average crops have been reason
ably good. The yield of maple sugar
and maple syrup was very large and the
farmers derived large income from
this source. The marble business has
been so prosperous that large expendi-
lures of money in improvements and
additional facilities for greater produc-
ton have been encouraged. The bust
ness of the slate dealers has only been
limited by the lack of facilities to suffi-
GENTLY increase the production to meet
the demand. The granite quarries in
Barre and vicinity have been very sue
cessful and the proprietors of the stone
sheds have done fairly well. The large
scale works at st. Johnsbury and Rut-
land,organ factories at Brattleboro, paper
mill at Bellows Falls, machine shops at
Springfield, and in fact the experience
OF many of the manufacturing concerns
will attest to the general prosperity. No
serious labor trouble has existed and the
common expression has been that those
who wanted work could get it. The
holiday trade for the past week or two
has been very good. Many of the
manufactures have been very busy dur
ing the past week as inventories are
being taken and repairs made. More
snow is needed in few localities for
the lumbermen, but as a rule there is
enough to permit shedding and logs are
being handed to the mill as fast as
possible.
Burlington reports good holiday
trade, general business conditions I'M
changed from last week. The mills are
busy and jobbing trade as usual. The
granite business in Barre is moderately
active but prospects are good for greater
activity from now on. Retail trade is
good. The retail trade in Montpelier
has been good during the holiday sea-
son the granite sheds are seasonably
quiet. Stowe reports business good and
the large lumber firm here is hauling
logs from the mountains to their mill.
The opera house is not yet fully COM
pleted but will add much to the appear
ance of the town. The wrapper factory
and the granite shed at Waterbury have
been shut down for few days but will
resume work Monday; business has been
good in nearly all lines and prospects
are favorable. Brattleboro reports the
manufactures are doing we'll, retail
trade good, collections fair, weather con-
ditions good for numbering. Bellows
Falls reports the Christmas trade this
year larger than usual, man featuring
business good and help scarce. In st.
Johnsbury the holiday trade has been
good; manufacturing business we'll en-
ployed, collections fair. In St. Adams
the manufactures are busy and holiday
trade has been very good, collections
good. Business in Bennington is of
usual volume; the mills are fairly we'll
employed and retail trade is fair. West
Pawlet reports the slate quarries working
to full capacity except those which were
obliged to partially shut down on &C.
count of scarcity of coal, retail trade
fair, collections good. The snow is
beneficial to the logging interests at
Island Pond and vicinity; the railroad
is doing heavy business and gives EN-.
ployment to large number, the manu-
factories are busy and retail trade is
good.