The Brattleboro daily reformer. (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1913-1955, 1915-03-08


BARRE, March s. - Barre branch,
Granite Cutters international associa-
tion, voted Saturday to accept the
report of its conference committee on
Il proposed new bill to run five years
from March !, 1915, and, such action
having been taken, the bill viii proba-
bly, be acceptable to the other branches
in the Barre granite belt. namely.
Montpelier, Mortified, Waterbury,
East Barre, and Williamstown.
AT the same time, the quarrymen are
so near a settlement that it Is not ex-
pected the suspension Of work will be
continued for a longer time than is nec-t
essary to sign the agreements. 1t will
take some days to go through the for
mality of signing the bills by the manu-
tacturerS and quarry owners and the
various unions concerned. The old bill
which ran for five years. expired on
Feb. 2S, and for week all the stone
Sheds Of the Barre belt have been idle
The conference committees Of the vali-
Gus organizations have been at work on
81 proposed agreement since Dec /.
1914. and many meetings have been
held
The proposition voted on Saturday
provides for tve-ycar agreement be
tween manufacturers and granite cut
tiers, with an eight-hour day five DAYS
IN the week and five hours on Saturday
until March l, 1916, and after that four
/ hours on Saturday. The scale of wages
TO be paid is - cents an hour from
/ March |, 1915, to May l.. 1915: Is cents
+ \ L. -,
cents an hour from March /. 1916. to
March /, 1920. The bill also provides
that dust removers shall be installed in
all plants before Nov. /, 1915. The
| legal holidays are to he Jan. /. Nav so
July +, Labor day, Thanksgiving and
Christmas.
/ The original conference committees
for the manufacturers and cutters were:
iManufacturers-H J. ". Jones, John
lMegnaghi, George Straiten. Alexander
Gordon, Charles W Mcmillan, Rober,
10. Mcdonnell and II. d. Stevens; gran
lite cutters-Henry Alexander, chair
man, James Gall, secretary, John Me
II[ernon. Angelo Calderara, Frank Co
ImolH, d. !. Sullivan and Angus Nc
donald.
The voting on the proposition wa
where a ballot box was set up. Vt i
0 clock the doors were opened for tn
beginning of the voting and at tina
hour the cutters began to file slowl
into the corridor. being compelled t
show their union cards to the officials o
the union. \ crowd gathered in from
? of the city nall. but during the progress
of the voting there was no disturbanc
and no iosling of the members Of tn
! union. \ squad of police and deput
sheriffs at the entrance aided in keeI
ing the line in formation and in hu'
thing the members along as fast as til
votes could be deposited in the bale
box inside
After voting, the members passe
through the corridor and out by I'll
1 Prospect street door There anotht
] crowd had gathered and maintained /
self during the greater part Of the ia.
! 1t was noticeable that most Of the Ito
1 ian and Spanish cutters refraiued fro
1 voting, as did some Of the men OF ot1
4 or nationalities.
! One cutter of Italian nationality .,
4 into trouble with some of his countr
! men at Depot square after he Ia
= voted. bodily punishment ensuing aft
he had replied to some of their taunt
Il
q The trouble ceased when men of 9TH
j Municipalities went to the aid of II
single combatant. Later the lone M;
4 was taken in charge by the police f
r his protection. Another man who clan
. ed that threats had been directed
9 him as he went down North Ma
m street was given police protection ,
g his return up the street.
Apparently the crowd reached /
greatest height after the noon hour Al
as the hour approached for closing Il
ballot box. 1t was a crowd susreptib
to almost anything humorous tn
would tend to relieve the monotony
waiting for the verdict Of the cutie
to become known.
lie The vote was as follows: Yes 6
%. (for acceptance); no 30.
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