The Barre daily times. (Barre, Vt.) 1897-1959, 1921-02-14
BANK ROBBERYAVERTED
AT MANSFIELD, MASS, BY
.BOOKKEEPER,S BRA VERY
GRANITE BUYING DULL;
SITU4TTON HOPEFUL
That Is the Summary of Conditions as
Brought Back By Barre Gran
ite Men.

Members of the Granite Manufac-
turers' association who have been rep
resenting the Barre granite district at
state retail dealers conventions tins
wear have found retail dealers every
where optimistic of the future. A ma :
iortv of the state meetings, east, west
and south. have been held although
j B. Carswel and j. A. Healy are now
absent on trip which will include con-
ventions of dealers in Ohio, Virginia,
kentucky and the Carolinas.
H. j. NJ. Jones, president of the as
sociation, and Arthur d. Young re-
Gently completed an itinerary in which
they were present at the New York,
Pennsylvania, New Jersey and Mary
land Delaware meetings. Secretary
Athol r. Bell, who, with William Bar
clay, has been absent since the first OF
the year on an extended tour through
the west. resumed his duties at the
association to-day. Mr.. Barclay will
attend the Oklahoma meeting of Okla
homa City Tuesday and Wednesday,
and is expected home at the end OF the
week
Barre granite is very largely used in
middle west, and while the influx OF
new business is not great, there has
been more buying in the past two
weeks than at any time since last fall.
The Barre men who attended conven-
tions in Michigan, Indiana, Wisconsin,
Minnesota, Illinois, Missouri Nebraska,
Iowa and Kansas found the dealers
heavily stocked and unable to purchase
ir quantities until present merchandise
is moved.
This condition is due to the fact
that last years strike and transporta-
tion tieup resulted in such delay of
deliveries on the part of the manu-
facttrers that winter closed in on the
retailers before they were able to guar
antee service. Then came wave of
depression which affected retail buy
ing in all lines. In the grain produc-
ing states this buyers strike was
acutely felt, and has not yet disap-
peared altogether.
Over against this adverse state of
affairs is the fact that many dealers
in january and February reported a
larger number of memorial prospects"
than ever before. They are confident
that business will materially improve
by April I, if not sooner, although the
return to normal will be gradual One
of the best auguries for a prosperous
year In the Barre district is the solid
optimism which obtains among the
retailers of Barre granite.
This feeling OF optimism is founded
on something besides hope, for in no
section of the country is there greater
potential wealth to-day than in the
central states, and il is in the middle
western area of the United States that
Barre manufacturers for many years
have enjoyed their most lucrative bust
ness.
The demand for monuments to be
erected by Memorial day is bound to
return. in the opinion OF representative
dealers. Already. this demand is TAX
ing shape in plans for large private
memorials and mausoleums, not to
mention many projected soldiers me-
MORALS.
Seemingly exorbitant freight rates
on granite consigned TO western points
is operating in unmistakable ways to
the advantages Of granite quarry cen
ters in Wisconsin, Minnesota and the
south. Barre producers who have
viewed conditions in the retail field at
close range realize that the Barre gran
ite industry has little to fear from the
present lull in buying That is tenn
porary condition which promises to be
relieved very shortly. But the tre-
mendous advance in the cost Of placing
Barre granite at the disposal Of west
ern dealers is rapidly driving them to
use inferior GRANTEES.
In the restoration Of fair freight
rates, or in the revision Of present elias
sifications. seems to rest much OF
Barres future supremacy "out west,
in the opinion Of local manufacturers.