Cape Breton's Magazine

plant took on at one time--I think a total of 800, it employed--men, women--the whole bit. (When you went to Mexico, what was their future?) I figured that same thing would probably happen there. They'd proba? bly keep the plant open for 5 years, and then--but I don't think that is closed down there. (Did you have the sense that this was your career?) No. No. I didn't think that I could go any further with it than I did. And after that plant was going to close up, the job I had learnt was not going to do me any good in the future. I couldn't take it anywhere with me, because there was nothing else like it around. Like, I took a course out Eastern Tech, to do with electricity or something--neutrons and all that stuff. And we took it, a few of us, because, figured this might help us in what we were doing at the time--testing tuners and training girls. But, I mean, it didn't do you any good. When Gl closed, that was the closing of a door. There wasn't another door opening for you. (And did one ever come along for you?) Not in that line. See, I'm working now as a part- time sales clerk. (What were your feelings when you realized the plant was going to close? How did you react to that?) ... Felt 'ad. Felt bad money-wise, felt bad people-wise. Because I made a lot of friends. We made a lot of friends. There were girls that would get together--maybe 7 or 8 of us. And if it was one of the girls' birthdays, we would all go to one of the girls' homes, and we would make spaghetti and meatballs, or whatever they made. Like, we became friends--like, there were groups of us that became friends. Which was great, eh? Be nothing like for my birthday to come along, and 6 or 7 of the girls would get together, and they'd have a gift for you. And you'd go down to, say--I remember the night, it was mine, we went down to Kar? en's in Glace Bay. And they picked you up and you went down. We laughed and talked and--you know, I mean, you got to know these people. (What would your life have been like with? out a job, as far as friends and things like that?) Oh well, you know--I make friends easy. You'd be mostly, mother- talk. You know what I mean? Like you'd be- -I guess you'd call it baby-talk, whatev? er. You'd be in, like, with the same group of people, that had small babies, or what? ever age the babies would be like that. Well, this was an outlet away from domes? ticated life, you know. Besides being able to earn some money, too, which was good. Bob Liebl(e (Did anyone else in management remain in Cape Breton after Gl left?) No. (What was your role?) I was plant superintendent. And then I ended up the acting general manager during the close-out of the place. (You were with Gl for....) From '46 until '75. About 29 years. (It was because of them Specialists in 341 Welton St., Sydney SERVING ALL OF CAPE BRETON PRODUCTS LTD. Phone:539-4111 • No structural changes • No more painting • Clean from inside FREE ESTIMATES that you came to Cape Breton?) Right, right. (And then when they left--was it time for you to retire?) No, no. But I had gone to Juarez, in Mexico there, to set up some of the things that they were going to do with our product. But no way did I want to go down there. I had two children who were in high school here, and so on. We really en? joyed the place. I didn't want to get in? volved with something like that at all. In fact, I guess it was only a week after I closed the door on the place that my boss, Pat Brady--he was then vice- president in charge of manufacturing-- called me up. He wanted me to go to Sao DON'S FLOWERS Serving Port Hood, Judique, Inverness and Surrounding Areas p. O. Box 179, Port Hawkesbury, N. S. BOE 2V0 Telephone 625-2215 or 625-2717 Cape Breton Mental Health Centre Main Location: 1st Floor, Cape Breton Hospital, Sydney River Satellite Clinics Serve These Areas: North Sydney - Glace Bay ~ New Waterford ~ Neil's Harbour Ingonish ~ Cheticamp ~ Baddeck ~ St. Peter's Please Call 562-3202 or 562-3110 or 562-3333 Services: Psychotherapy ~ Individual Counselling ~ Marriage & Family Counselling Group Therapy - Consultation to Agencies, Schools, etc. Drug Therapy ~ Forensic Assessment ~ Psychological Testing Parenting - Children's Sen/ices Referrals accepted from all sources. You can even refer yourself.