The Barre daily times. (Barre, Vt.) 1897-1959, 1919-08-07
AS a Temporary Relief for
Failure Of Power Co. to
Furnish Power
DECISION DEPENDS ON
G. G. |. A. EXECUTIVE
Proposal Was Threshed Out
By Local Committees
Last Night

Driven to serious straits by the failure
of the Tenney corporation to furnish
sufficient electric power during the pres
ent drouth, the Barre grrnite industry is
considering means for ming tempo
rary relief by dividing day into two
shifts; that is, to h half of the
manufacturing plan srate in the first
shift and the 9th If in the second
shift, thereby en' q the entire indus
try to get in 7 . work instead of be-
ing forced to ~ down entirely a day
at time as ~ power company is ar
ranging the ~ ule at the present time
If such a =. angement should be car
ried out - the sanction of both the
manufacturers and the labor union heads,
it would mean that the first shift would
start work in the early hours of the
morning, possibly at o'clock, and con-
tinue until IL o'clock, noon, with an
hour out during the early part of the
forenoon for breakfast. The second shift
would begin work at i o'clock in the
afternoon and continue until s o'clock in
the evening, with time out for supper.
Inasmuch as the daylight would be
better through the greater part Of the
afternoon shift under the present day
light arrangement it is probable that
the granite plants which are equipped
with electric lights would be asked to
enter the morning shift, as the early
hours of that shift would be too dark to
permit of work without artificial light
In case the arrangement is agreed to, a
schedule of operation would be worked
out to furnish the greatest convenience
to all.
BY shutting down half Of the Barre
plants at time it is expected that the
power company would be able TO furnish
sufficient power to operate even though
the drouth should continue a considerable
time further and the company should
make no additional efforts to meet the
needs of the situation.
This proposition was threshed out at
meeting last night of the executive COM
mittee of the Barre branch, @. C. |. A.,
and the power and labor committee of
the Barre Granite Manufacturer asso-
citation. The matter was gone into quite
thoroughly by the conferees, and tenta-
tive understanding on the proposition
was reached albeit final action on the
| part OF the union representatives was
dependent entirely upon the decision of
the executive board of the international
association. -
Following the conference, the union
committee got into communication with
James Duncan of the international as.
sociation at Quincy, Mass, and the mat :
ter was explained to him as we'll as it
could be explained over the telephone.
Mr., Duncan reserved decision and asked
that a specific statement of the PROPOSE
tion be sent by letter Immediately, init
mating that the matter would have to
come before the executive board of the
international association. =
Agreeable to the request, the local un-
ion committee set down in writing the
exact details Of the proposition and
mailed the letter to Quincy last night.
1t is expected that the letter will be de-
| livered to Mr.. Duncan to-day and that a
telegrsphed response win be forthcoming
at some time during the day. Until re-
ceipt of that reply, the local committee
will take no further action in the mat
| ter.
Under the present very unsatisfactory
arrangement the employees are losing
considerable part of the week, while the
manufacturers are being seriously handi-
capped in turning out their finished Jobs.
1t is said that the doubIe-shift ar
rangement is to be tried out in the Barre
quarries because of the shortage Of pow
| er.