The Barre daily times. (Barre, Vt.) 1897-1959, 1921-05-03
JAPANESE GET NEW IDEAS.
OF Methods for Handling Granite
Spent Three Days in Barrie.

After spending three days in the
heart of the Barre granite belt, Seltaro
Nabeshima and S. Haramoto, natives
of Toxic, Japan, resumed their travels
to day to Bethel, where they viii wit
ness the process of granite quarrying
and stonecutting Seitaro Nabeshima
is the son of Fl. Nabeshima, president
of the Toxic Granite Manufacturers
association, and has come to America
to learn the modern methods of gran
ite cutting and quarrying so that the
antiauated system in Japan, which still
employ japanese coolies to lift mass
of stone by Drawn and muscle and a
simple rope. may be replaced by more
progressive and satisfactory methods.
The young Mr.. Nabeshima gradu'
ated only last June from the Univer-
sity of Toxic, where he took an active
part and was much interested in the
university baseball team. and won his
baseball letter before graduating. Mr..
Haramoto is a Japanese. silk importer
in New York City, having come to this
country three years ago. In his trav-
els with Mr.. Nabeshims he acts as in
terpperter,
While in Barre the men were es-
corted to the quarry districts of Gran
iteville and Websterville by Secretary
Athol r. Bell of the Granite Manufae-
turers' association and Edward NJ. To-
bin, superintendent OF the Trow 4
Holden machine shop on South Main
street. Great was the contrast to their
ewes to see the derrieks and hoists and
other methods employed in the quar-
rying against their primitive methods; I;
and visits to the f. L. Smith Il Co.
auarries, the Wetmore & Morse suar-
ries, and the Boutwell,, Milne & Var
mum quarries amazed them. They were
greatly interested in the methods Of
manufacturing and visite dthe manu-
featuring plants of Barclay Bros, Jones
Bros, as we'll as the Barre cemeteries.
In the cemeteries they were much i'm
pressed by the intricate carvings IN
granite. and the delicate works OF art
portrayed in stone.
The men were not only much inter
ested in the American methods, but
almost dumfounded at the achievement
of American inventors. Before de-
parting they placed large order with
the Trow & Holden firm for granite
manufacturing supplies, as did other
Japanese visitors here last year. From
Barre the japanese natives went to
Waterbury to see in action the cir
cular saws for cutting granite al the
Drew Daniels plant; and from Bethel,
where they went to-day. they will pro
ceed to the marble works of Rutland
and Proctor In Bethel they will see
another angle Of granite manufactur-
ing AZ the Woodbury. Granite Co. for
there the S2.0O0.O0O Western Union
building. which is to be erected IN
New York City. is being cut
The men plan to visit all the prinei-
nal granite centers of the United States
10 obtain practical methods that nay
be introduced in the Toxic stone in
dustrv. where well-organied granite
manufacturers association Is eentered.
After reaching New York City. from
whence they started, they viii sail for
Scotland. and before returning to the
native land will visit stone centers in
Sweden. Germany and Italy, always
with the object of getting new ideas
20 introduce in their country.