The Barre daily times. (Barre, Vt.) 1897-1959, 1905-02-27
Granite Cutters Agreement
Expires Tomorrow Night
CONFERENCE To- NIGHT.
II Is Hoped That a Settlement Can Be
Reached, So That
Strike May Be
Averted.

Quincy. Mass, Feb. 27As the ilrss
Of March draws near, the business men
and the citizens in general are asking
win the difference between the Granite
Manufacturers Association and inc
Granite Cutters Union be adjusted, 81
that there will be no suspension Of
work. Quincy knows from past ex,
perience what strike means ana al
are anxious for a settlement.
It IS nearly three months since the
several unions presented the changes de-
sired in the agreement and ball q prices
The bill Of prices in effect OF late calls
for i minimum Of 80 cents, and there
Is no limitation to the number Of APP
prentices that may be employed.
The cutters now ask for minimum
Of SO per day, and limitation as 70
the number of apprentices to pc en-
ployed. On the other hand the manu-
facturers asked for a general revision
Of the bill
Besides the cutters, new bills were
presented BY the quarrymen, black
smiths and engineers.
An agreement has been reached with
the quarrymen and bill signed.
The request 81 the blacksmiths was
for So day instead Of $3.50; limita.
tion in the number Of apprentices; and
that in duh times, when necessary 70
reduce help, that the journeyman be
retained and the apprentice let 20.
The stationary and portable engi-
neers asked for an increase from SIS to
SIG per week, and the skeleton man an
increase from rs ia go cents Rer
hour.
Everything Fixed But Cutters.
The differences with the blacksmiths
and engineers unions are practically set
tied, % that an that remains 10 es
tablish peace is an agreement with the
cutters union. Several conferences
have been held between The two com
mittees, and while they could agree on
minor matters the bone Of contention
Is the So per day minimum.
The convention ut Kansas some time
ago declared for So minimum and The
cutters desire that this shall be the stan
dard in all granite centers and az the
existing bills expire in any Of the gran
lite centers this will be demanded. The
cutters claim that many places are now
paying this and that there is no reason
why Quincy should not
They refused proposition 10 arbi.
trate this question, as that was what
they determined to have and ID this
they are firm.
The manufacturers claim Is that they
are perfectly willing To pay So q day
to any man that is capable of earning
that amount under the bin Of prices.
It is generally admitted by both par
ties directly interested that but little
over one-third of the cutters in Quincy
today can earn So By the bill Of prices.
The cutters, however, are willing to
take their chances, as In rush seasons
men must b. mad at any price,
Barre Basis Considered.
At one Of the conferences, the man
ufactureTs committee offered to settle
on the Barre basis which il an average
wage, but this was rejected, the claim
being set up that tho Barre bin could
not well be applied to Quincy, AZ TIE
conditions were much different.
Some days ago a movement was
started among the business men to see
II there was not some way 10 reach
peaceful agreement
Upon their request the chairman Of
the committee Of the srutters nuion
A. D. Booth, appeared before The com.
mittee, and stated the cutters side 81
the question, and at a later meeting
President John L. Miller 81 the Mann.
faeturers' Association also appeared
The sentiment expressed by both par.
ties was for a peaceful agreement. N
though both were firm in the uosition
which they had taken on tie "a
clause.
Although the first Of March ID nsar
At hand, there is still ample opportunity
for the two committees Is come "a an
and it il possible tbat
such may be the case, as the cutter
committee have made reoneat ~
a joint conference Of tile two commit
tees.
.Ehe date set for this conference
this evening.
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