The Vermont watchman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1883-1911, 1910-04-21

at work on the usual run OF stones,
there being but few really large jobs
cutting at the present time. A good
deal of the work is to be set for Me-
mortal Day.
One trouble at the present time is
the scarcity of cutters even though
there are more at work here than
usual. The scarcity is laid to sew
eral causes. Many cutters went to
their homes in the old countries at
return until their money begins to
dwindle. One of the firms at Quincy,
Mass, has large building job on
hand and has advertised for ten or
more gangs of men. A gang of men
Is IA so that if the requirements of
this firm are filled it will take large
number of cutters from other CEN
ters. Some of the other cutting CEN
ters have raised their bill of prices
SO that the places under the Barre
bill are not the best paying. Every
day sees them coming in. however,
and it is thought that the present
shortage of help will not last long.
One of the after effects of the re-
cent tieup of the granite business
and resulting new scale of wages for
the workmen, comes from the
local stone sheds at the pres
ent time. The manufacturers are try
ing to figure out who is to bear the
increase in the payroll. One man
stated that the increase in payment
added to the increase of running his
shed to the extent of S. a day.
He has been adding this to the es-
Inmates on jobs and as result some
one else has been getting most of the
work to cut. He can't see just how
the thing figures out He feels that
he is entitled to fair profit on the
work and in order to get it the GUS
toner must pay the added cost. On
the other hand, there are firms who
are still estimating on the basis of
the old wage scale and they are get
ting the work, as they are able to
make lower price, at the expense
of their profit
The quarry owners have scale of
prices and every manufacturer is OBJ
liged to pay the scale, there being no
exceptions. 1t has been urged that
the Barre Manufacturers Association
adopt the same system, so that the
dealer will know just what he will
have to pay. In this way there would
not be the price cutting that is going
on at the present time. 1t is main
tanned that this step would not sti1e
competition but would put the mat
ter on a sound business basis, of the
best work win.
visited Barre yesterday and paid a
visit to the granite districts for the
purpose of investigating the situa.
ton and its progress since the es-
Establishment of the strike. The first
sheds visited were those situated at
Batchelder's meadow and of one ac-
cord they agreed that they never
knew of such a boom in the granite
industry in Barre or elsewhere. The
second largest granite plant in Bar
re, that of Barclay Bros, has enough
work booked ahead to keep it busy
for some time.
! Mr.. Barclay said that he had EN-
/ ployed every man available and that
ne had work for many more at his
sheds for on account of the accumu-
lation of jobs during the strike he
has many contracts on his hands.
! The greater part of these granite
jobs are for monuments that have to
he out by Memorial Day or they are
valid. The other sheds on the mea-
dow can not get men enough al
though they say that cutters from out
of town are constantly returning to
work in Barre. Littlejohn, Odgers
| & Mil were also visited. One of
the firm said thai his shed was over
crowded with work and that his shed
was working at its full capacity al
though few more men would be put
on as soon rs thcy can be found
Robbins Bros. We're also visited
and their shed was found to be in
practically the same condition, rush
ed with work. One of the granite
manufacturers who wished that his
name be withheld stated that his
firm was hiring every man who
came in sight whether he was a full
|, fiedged cutter or not and that he
knew that many of the other sheds
. were doing the same thing for the
. work had to be put out or loose the
patronage of good customers.
The shed of Martin d Son was al
SO visited and Their also was noticed
a scarcity of men with a eull work.
ing force. After the meadow had
0een gone through the uptown sheds
, We're visited and proved to be in the
same condition. The sheds of Sec.
ton & Company, the Star Granite
! Co. and others were gone through
and Mr.. Sector stated that he haC