The Barre daily times. (Barre, Vt.) 1897-1959, 1909-08-30
RETAIL MEN
OPTIMISTIC
Monument Business Is Pick
ing Up
WASREPORTEDAT CHICAGO
One Barre Delegate Returned This After
noon from National Convention.
Meet at Rochester Next
Year.

A tone Of optimism pervsded the annual
meeting Of the National Retail Monu-
mental Dealers association, held at Chi
cago last week and attended BY Williem
Marr and William Barclay Of this city.
The members seemed Of the opinion that
prosperity is returning, since the monu-
mental business is improving.
T. NJ. Avery Of Chicago, who was
toastmaster Of the annual banquet held
at the Palmer house, had the following
proof to advance in substantiation Of
the claims 'eThe sales Of monuments
and tombstones for the last year have
increased more than ten per cent. and
this shows an Indication Of prosperity.
When times are hard and business gem
orally bad, the monuments and tomb
stones can be put of. but when times are
good the demand for these things in
creases. showing that money Is easy and
prosperity increasing. A man that's
hard up don't want to spend money for
tombstone, but when he gets things
ahead at the bank he can and does invest
IN testimonials to loved ones long
neglected"
The convention was attended by 90
delegates from twenty-five states, clos
ing on Friday. Although there was op-
timism as regards the revival Of busi-
ness. there was here and there a note Of
pessimism, such as that presented by
Afr. Marr. president Of the Barre Granite
Manufacturers association. In discuss
ing Manufacturers" at the banquet. Mr..
Marr is reported bv the Chicago Inter
Ocean as scoring the mail order houses
as undesirable citizens Of the granite
monument business in Barre. The news
paper gives this sentence from Mr..
Mars remarks:
eve must devise ways and means for
putting this class out Of business. for
they are not only undesirable, but ruin
any legitimate trade, besides falling to
give the consumer a fair deal
Another pessimistic note from Barre
was noted by the Chicago Record Herald
Jas fo ows:
a doleful vail went up from the
Palmer house yesterday about the way
the tombstone business Is being conduct
ed at Barre, VT The wall emanated
from the National Retail Monument
Dealers association, which yesterday
opened a two.days' session
"Tt developed from what the retailers
had to say that jobbers and even the
manufacturers at Barre are in the prac-
tice Of hawking around among the vari-
Gus sheds the orders which they receive
from outside retailers Thus a retailer
may order a stone from q firm he knows
and have it shipped to him BY concern
that he bad never heard of before.
"There was q good deal Of fierce denun-
citation Of the wholesaler, also. He vas
put in the same class with the mail order
house.
Another complaint was against the
railroads. 1t was claimed that goods
shipped in boxes are often marked with
paint or stain in transit, so that the
monument on its arrival had to be re-
surfaced
William Barclay, one Of the Barre
delegates returned this afternoon. Mr..
Barclay states that he was very much
pelased with the meeting and its pur-
post OF bringing the different factions
Of the trade together which viii Be a
source Of making better conditions Cor
all concerned. On Friday afternoos the
national officers were elected as follows;
President, John IT. Merkle Of Peoria,
H., who was vice president last year
and he succeeds Ross G. Adams Of Lex
ington, Ken. vice president r. A. Mo
Colly Of Latrabe, Pa; secretary, A. ".
Kistenbroker; treasurer, T. II. Gabbler
Of Rockville Ind Thursday afternoon
a conference was held With the repre-
sentatives Of the granite and marble
manufacturers and wholesalers assoeia-
tions, invitations having been extended
to the principal associations to be rep
resented This was practically the only
session Of the convention that the Barre
delegation could attend. It is expected
that the meeting next year will be held
at Rochester. n. Y