The Dillon tribune. [volume] (Dillon, Mont.) 1881-1941, 1886-10-15

Neither Hydrant nor Pump Resorted to
Visiting the Houses Of Customcrs-Ths
Daily supply.
At 4 o'clock one morning reporter |!
mounted Il milk wagon FOR the first time |
in his life, rs 4 milk route tourist
After hitching up at the stable there was |
much rattling of cans, which were finally |
we'll packed in ice in the wagon. and the !
proprietor, whom we shall call David. an !!
honest and amiable man, drove rapidly |
of With his drowsy passenger to the fIar-
temrailroad milk depot
1t was rather early for the average
milkman to be abroad. still. there was .
respectable caravan Of wagons awaiting
their supplies. Two long trains Of cara,
each laden with about 2O6 cans Of milk,
lay upon the tracks IN the well lighted
building and there was seA Of ems up
and down the lengthy platforms. Spec
ulatcrs" walked about, negotiating sales
to those who wero short Of milk for the
day, or bargaining to buy Of those who
had a surplus.
NOT \ DROP or WATER.
Having paid his freight charges David
soon IoNnd his six cans Of milk, which
are daily shipped direct to him from the
farmer, each one carefully locked. The
contents were speedily transferred to the
larger cans in the wagon, and the en,pties
returned to the car. forgot to mention,
that when starting from stable large
chunks of ice were placed in each can In
order to cool it for the reception Of milk.
| But before the milk was poured into then,
this ice and every drop Of water was care
fully thrown out, and l can solennly
hat l~nrn MI wall rH
scum Of cream at the top of each can,
on our route. Ii was good, pure milk, as
one who drank about II gallon of il during
the morning. can testify.
In fact the milk OF the wagon route
men may be more generally relied upon,
than that for sale in many of the grocery
stores, Or even in the milk stores. \
wagon milkmHn is liable to encounter an
official milk Inspector at any corner, who
may whip ont his iactOmcter. and II the
milk is found below the standard. 1t is
s,,mmarily poured into the gutter 1t ia
whispered about that many of the milk
stores and retail grocers have arranged
pretty little methods of avoid ing such
calanities. The wholesale milk dealers
ut forty or fifty cans into il large wagon
and start them Off to supply grocers and
other, through the city, and from somt
little monkey tricks" we saw during our
ride, it would appear that some Of the
milk dealers know the art OF watering
stock as well as the Wall street men.
>rrrLll>G nm: CUSTOMERS.
Hung upon the front of Dayid> wagon
were half 4 dozen lunches of keys, some
fifty or sixty in all, which would admit
him into he houses Of his customers
There is less OF the milkman's "barbari,
yawp than in former days; he IL generally
intrust ell with Il key, with which he open!
his way into the basement or hallway
where he leaves his !i.tl" pail or bottle
This is in the early hours; after 4 o'Clocl
Bridget usually meets him at the base
ment door with Il winning smile and
. pitcher
AN average milk route supplies about
200 quarts daily, and customers average
to take about three pints. Some take b,,
/. Il pint which costs cents, and Others sew
! eral quarts ut cents per quart. Medium
routes should pay their owner if he drive
himself, about 81 per day clear OF cXl'er
penses When milk routes arc bought 81
sold it is usually on Il basis OF 81 for cac]
quart customer, over the cost of the horse
q wagon, etc.
2
! radius OF several miles, took in also, som
more than doubtful localities. In SUE
+ places, gangs of thieves skulkcd abo,l
the corners, ready to pOunce upon SON
s drunken man and rob him OF his val,
ab!es. Street walkers Piled their calling
< Loathson,c human shapes shaMhled Ml
e from the shadows Of huge buil,lings-hol
o rid obscene phanto!ns vi the night. Feti,
n noisonc creatures lay asleep in carts
q dark allcyHays and under stoOps- cas-
q vacabonds who shun the blessed light {
q day.
q But presently there il IL dim and dusk
r sense that night is waning. Belated re-
|. ellers stop us for a draught Of cool and r
n freshins milk. drink it fevcrishly ali
, skurry on: individual noises gradual
i. minglc and are lost in the hum and roo
e of the great city. With the dawn, hos
a lcrs come out to feed their horses; mark
q wagons rumble by; express and cartme
q start with their teams; servant girls a
i pear witt! buckets aud brooms to was
,. their stcu;>; and sidewalks and soon Il
Il hi. red s,,n rises in the east to announ'
~ the brit. OF Il new day.-\cW York Ma
Il ket journal
9 Boston Mourning; Cards.
-, The ot'1cr day Il very dainty y"ul
~ woman in black, with burning veil
: dru,ed as to set OFF her shapcly head an
. neck 10 advantage, entered large static
~ cry store on Washington street, aud sal