Herald and news. [volume] (West Randolph, Vt.) 1878-1943, 1906-06-28

received the degree OF A. g. IN inc
class of 1852.
While still a student Mr.. Proctor
worked during his vacations for the
Vermont Marble Co. and he entered
its permanent employ as soon as he
left college. He became assistant
superintendent, then general superin-
tendent, and since 1889 has been pres
ident of the company and its active
and responsible manager.
In 1889 the Vermont Marble Co. en-
ployed some LOO or 1.20O men. To-
day the number of men employed Is
$500, who labor in the companys
works at Proctor, West Rutland, and
Rutland. Under Mr.. ProctOr's man
agement the company has grown rap
IDLY. II has branches in Boston. New
York, Philadelphia. Cleveland, Chica-
go, ST Louis. and San Francisco, and
at all but one of them operates mills
and shops 1t ships annually over TO-
600 tons of marble and sends its pro-
duct to every part of the globe. The
Vermont Marble Co. is many times
over the largest producer or manu-
facturer OF marble in the world.
| Mr.. Proctor is also president OF the
Proctor Trust Co. and OF the Claren-
don & Pittsford Railroad Co.. which
owns and operates a steam railway
connecting the different quarries.
mills, and shops with each other and
with the Rutland and the Delaware a
| Hudson Canal Co.'S roads.
Mr. Proctor was brought up in the
midst of the great business which he
now directs, and since he was ten
years old has always resided in the
village which is its chief center. He
! believes that many of the abuses and
understandings arising out Of the
employment of large bodies Of men
are due to the absenteeism, or the liv-
ing OF the employers apart from their
employees. The Vermont Marble Co.'S
policy has always been in the direc-
ton of encouraging and supporting a
| liberal policy of public Improvement.
To the same end Mr.. Proctor has de-
voted his personal energies, actively
participating in the local public inter-
ests Of the community in which he re-
sides. In 1854 and 1855 he was a
selectman of the old town Of Rutland
before the corporation of the town of
Proctor, and from 1887 to 1890 he was
selectman of the town Of Proctor
He has been a member of the school
board of the village of Proctor since
1888 i'm which time the schools have
grown from four ungraded schools TO
graded system with seventeen
teachers and $50 pupils. Mr.. Proctor
has held the office of road commits
sioner in his town ten years. Thus
1t is seen that his interests are CEN
tered at home, where he lives his
summers and his winters, and where
every day he devotes his time to his
extensive business and to the welfare
of his town.
In 1888 Mr.. Proctor enlisted as a
private in Co. A, LIST Inf. V. n. c., and
served four years, rising to second
lieutenant and then to first lieutenant.
In 1895 Mr.. Proctor began the EN-
ployment by the Vermont Marble Co. /
Of trained nurses at Proctor and West
Rutland to attend free of charge cases |
of sickness among it's employees and |
their families. The experiment was 50
successful that the following year, af-
ter personally visiting and inspecting
many Of the smaller New England
hospitals, he built at Proctor at the
expense OF the company a modern
hospital fully equipped with patients
wards and operating and accident
rooms. Its management has been
committed TO a representative board, |
but the company contributes about
nine tenths of the hospitals income
and it is practically a free hospital
to its employees and their families. |
The company also paid the expense Of
a delegation Of it's oldest employees TO
visit the Pan-American Exposition in
Buffalo In 1901.
II is indicative of Mr.. Proctor's per- |
sonal standing among his neighbors
that when he was elected member
Of the legislature In 1890 he received |
every vote cast, and when he was
elected in 1900 he again received every |
vote out of total Of 346, votes.
In 1886 Mr.. Proctor was secretary |
Of civil and military affairs to ,iov.
r. j. Ormsbee. In 1890 he was a |
member of the house of representa-
tives, serving on the committee Of
ways and means and as chairman of
the general committee. In 1892 he |
was member OF the senate, and |
served on the committee on finance
and as chairman Of the general COM
mittee. He represented the town of
Proctor in 1900 and was elected speak |
er Of the house of representatives. by |
the unanimous vote Of its Republican
members.
In 1902, Mr.. Proctor was a candi-
date for the Republican nomination
for governor, but withdrew from the ]
convention after the second ballot in
favor Of Gen. j. G. Mccullough, of
North Bennington. This action meant
the defeat of Percival w. Clement who |
was also a candidate.
In 1904, Mr.. Proctor again represent
ed his town in the legislature. He
served as chairman on the committee
Of ways and means. was a member Of
the standing committee on rules, and
a member Of the Joint committee on
public health.
Mr.. Proctor married Minnie F. Rob-
inson. Of Westford MAY 26 1856 They