A. W. GRAY & SONS
(Page 3 of 3)
January/February 1979
Dan Steinhoff
Unless one has access to original records this is difficult. One
has to rely on old catalogs, local historical records or hearsay.
The Poultney Historical Society had on hand catalogs and related
information for both the Ruggles Foundry and the Gray Company, a
patent model of the horsepower along with an old original Gray
horsepower. Everyone there was most helpful.
RELATED CONTENT
A Worthington Ingersol Rand cooler engine.''...
The Rollag Reunion had stack threshing''...
Several old steam threshing engines''...
Aultman-Taylor outfit''...
Aultman-Taylor outfit''...
Then I was most fortunate in that I located and interviewed two
young senior citizens. I say young as a compliment, meaning
amazingly active and very keen-minded. Mr. James Matthews, 84,
actually worked for the Grays starting as a young teenager and up
to the time the plant closed. He hauled many loads of implements
winter and summer up to the railroad and brought castings back. In
the winter hauling with sleighs was easier on the horses. At peak
shipping periods it was a continued round of teams coming and
going. Part of a town road was relocated to eliminate a hill thus
making it easier on the horses and one thing neither one of the
Gray Brothers would tolerate was the mis-use or abuse of a
horse.
The Grays worked on the floor right along with the men and would
help the families during periods of sickness, injuries, etc. They
also helped in providing recreation for the entire town. Everyone,
worker and townspeople alike, respected the Grays, elected them to
local office and elected one to the state legislature.
In reference to color, Mr. Matthews stated between 1898 and 1900
the company dark blue for all the machines changed to dark red.
This is one way of dating the implements. He also recalled that for
several years a man with one arm striped and decorated all machines
and could complete a machine in an amazingly short time.
The pay scale was 15 to 25 cents per hour for a 10 hour, 6 day
week; many workers bought or built homes in town and raised
families on these wages.
Mrs. Katherine Kelly, another active senior citizen, did not
work at the factory, but had relatives and friends who did. Again
she stated employee and townspeople respected the Grays and that
labor problems if any were minor. She has a collection of old
photos and graciously loaned me the pictures for this article. It
was a pleasure to visit with Mrs. Kelly and Mr. Matthews and the
several trips to the area proved most interesting and
rewarding.
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