New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1890-01-30
CHICAGOS SIMPLE SERVICE.
NO B1IDDLEMEN BETWEEN THE PRODUCER
AND THE RETAIL SELLER

~@N|~Af<-'
AND THE RETAIL SELLER.
PRICES FIXED TWICE YEAR - COMPETITION
THAT FAvoRs THE FARMERs-cATTLE
FED on ENSILAGE AND GLUCOSE.
Chicago ILL.,, Jan. % (Special.-In many re-
spects the milk-supply system of Chicago is based
upon principles of provincial simplicity; yet the
prices which the farmers and mil1-producefs get
for this commodity is remarkably good, compared
with New-York, Philadelphia and other Eastern
cities. The milk producing region from which
Chicago receives its supply is confined 10 radius
of sixty miles, and includes territory in Illinois,
Wisconsin and Indiana. Fortunately for the milk
producer, this region is grdrOned with railroads,
and the accessibility to market and the natural
railroad competition not the least among the
farmers advantages. Northern Illinois and
Southern Wisconsin TEEN with milk farms, and
the great butter and cheese factories of the Fox
River Valley southwest Of Chicago, offer com
peting market with Chicago for the milk of this
territory. In these great creameries. whose
speciality is the manufacture Of the famous Elgin
butter" the demand for Jersey milk is constantly
increasing and it is probably this fact, more than
anything else that precludes the success of any
f'NNNS
on this commodity
The So. 600 gallons of milk which Chicago con-
sumes daily passes through the hands Of but two
sets of men-the farmers or producers and the
men who sell it from the wagons. The dealer
makes contracts with the producer twice a year
in May and November May is the beginning Of
the so-called summer season. and November of
the winter season. One price is agreed upon
for the first three months of each Of these seasons
and another price for the last three months, so
that in the matter Of prices there really four
seasons in the Chicago milk market. The farmer
and purchaser both sign a contract, by which the
farmer agrees to furnish and the purchaser agrees
to receive. so many Of milk daily at GER
tain stipulated price for the first three months
and another stipulated price for the last three
months of the season. The farmer goes from
dealer to dealer in search of better prices before
his contract is made; and as there are 600 OF
these dealers in Chicago, it follows that compe-
tition naturally enhances the price of the produce
Although there 600 OF these dealers IN
Chicago it is probable, however, that One-half
the city is supplied by score of large dealers
who have been long established and whose routes,
each in their ramifications aggregate hundreds
of miles daily Yet the numbeI of purchasers
is by no means limited, and the farmer has never
had cause to complain of being placed at the
mercy of a milk trust. The great disadvantage
TO the producer here is that he is to great eX-
tent placed at the mercy OF the dealer with whom
he contracts as settlements are only made
monthly. and it frequently happens that the
dealer fails in business or absconds. in which
case the farmer loses his whole milk supply Tor
thirty days or less.
The average price paid the producer for milk
delivered to the dealer in Chicago is at this
season of the year, 81 % per can of gallons,
or nearly 1-2 cents per quart The consumer
paws from > to 6 cents per quart. so that the
dealers profit for handling is a large one. De-
Quoted from the price which the producer re-
ceives for his milk in Chicago is l6 1-2 cents per
s-gallon can, the average charge for freight by
the railroad companies within the so miles radius.
Thus. the net price which the farmer receives is
about cents per quart. During re summer sea-
son the farmer receives from 90 cents TO 81 per
s-galIon can. or cents per quart. After pay
ing the expenses of shipment therefore, he only
receives an average price of 2 1-2 cents per
quart during that season of the year. The low
.st price which the producer ever received for
milk here was several years ago, when il dropped
10 So cents per 8-gallon can for a short time In
Ill dealings between the producer and the city
merchant the can containing gallons is the
init of measure. During the summer months the
chicago consumer pays an average of 5 cents per
luart for his milk.
The fuctuation between winter and summer
prices of milk is probably less in Chicago than in
my of the other prominent cities of the country.
This is due TO a great extent 10 the fact that the
laryman keeps certain number of cows which |
alive in the late fall that they may give milk !
Turing all the winter season. The character Of |
punishment also contributes largely to the milk
living qualities Of the western cow.
The principal milk producing food is ensilage. |
he corn during the summer season is planted in
ows or sowed very closely together, so that its
ankness prevents ii attaining height of more
han three Of four feet and retards its develop
ient. While the corn is in this green state it
cut close 10 the ground bound in sheaves and
tored away in granaries as nearly alright as
ossbe. Thus, il retains all the fragrancy OF
IS summer growth, and the milk Of cows nOur-
,hcd upon ensilage has an the flavor OF that Of
rass- fed cows and is equal in richness and but
reproducing quality. Another milll-producnS
lod is glucose" as II is called by the farmers,
ut which is really the refuse Of sugar factories
nd malt houses This is only fed however. 70 J