St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1913-01-22


its eyes to the future and not be in
fueneed by the pessimism of the
past. We already have enough bust
ness here to give stability to our in
dustrial life. The Ely Hoe and Fork
Works sending its products to all
parts of the world, the Hooker es-
/ adjustment which under its enter
prising management is growing and
adding activity to the place, then the
scale factory is here to stay and give
stability to the industry of the
| town.
He referred to the large amount
that had been put in new buildings
during the past season and the
company is not more than half
! through with it's permanent i'm
provements. The company Is do
ing this with the expectation of re-
naming here and to put the COM
pany in position to meet the sharp
competition there IS in the scale
business. There are over 400 scale
concerns in this country and we
have to do our best in order TO
compete with them.
We want the cooperation OF the
public in the relations between the
corporation and the public and the
corporation and its men. We SIM
ply ask that the public waits until
1t has heard both sides of the case
before expressing opinions on the
corporations doings.
Notwithstanding the fact that
we have been all torn up with the
changes made during the past year
the company has had the busiest
season in it's history and are now
employing 1850 men. 1t is unfor-
| tunate that a larger proportion or
! them are not here with their fami-
lies. Time and time again we have
| have been unable to get the
kind of men we want because they
could not find homes here for their
| families. If the scale business here
is to grow as we want 1t TO grow
there must be proper housing facili-
ties furnished. We are building
six houses which we plan to sell as
soon as we know what price to
make on them and build more hous-
es. But we could use this money to
better advantage in our plant and
we want the people of the town to
take hold and provide houses for
the men. We are expanding $4,000
a week in pay roll and salaries and
feel that the townspeOple can afford
| to build for such an amount OF
money as that.
Speaking of the improved scale
which they have secured the paten
on he said it would enable the COM
pany to enter a new field in the
manufacture of scales. Not only is
the patent applicable to the new
scale but to all classes of scales.
The manufacture of these new
scales and the great increase in
business can be done here as well
as elsewhere but we must nave
proper housing for our men. This
| is the work the club should take
up because there is an opportunity
| to vastly increase the scale business
in this town.
He then told of the volume of
business done in manufacturing
valves and of the manufacture OF
| railroad scales of the heavy type. II
is not impossible this branch OF the
work may have to be placed nearer
the supply of raw material. But
there need be no fear that the scale
business will leave st. Johnsbury.
| People can build for it confident
there will be workmen to fill the
| homes.
The dry kiln building is four stories
high with four kilns on each floor
with a total capacity of 164,O feet
! of lumber. There will be a great
| extension to the foundry building
and the core building and we have
the foundations in for a four story
| building with a basement for the
manufacture of the new scale. Tho
whole plant will be remodelled anf
| be greatly enlarged. In fact W
shall have practically new plant
when the work is finished and this
will be a plant for St. Johnsbury.
Mr.. Brooks was given a rising vote
of thanks at the close of his
| speech.
DIR. c.. A. CramtOn
DR.. Cramton was called on and
spoke of St. Johnsbury as an ideal
town. He said St. Johnsbury does
J not have the open saloon and bu'
few of the undesirable class of cit
liens, good streets, typical
New England homes filled with
hard working, God fearing men and
women. We have the best equipment
of public institutions of any town
of it's size, our schools and academy
are in the first rank. The museum
is a great store house of knowledge
and our library is one of the best
to be found anywhere. The Y. M. G.
A. is another valuable institution
and then we have two first class
hospitals which have treated over
SEQ patients in the past year. Then
too, test after test has shown that
St. Johnsbury is supplied with per-
fectly pure normal water from its
aqueduct system.
w. j. BigelOw
w. J. Bigelow spoke of the nee,
essity of investigating the insur-
ance rates in town. From Music
Hall on Main street down to the
bridge on Portland street there is
at least 100000 insurance car
ried. At an average rate of SIZE
per hundred this is an annual ex-
penditure for insurance of $35, 200.
A reduction of only ten per cent in
| rates would mean an annual saving