The San Francisco call., 1896-03-31
Biggest Expense Now Encoun
tered Is Found in Deliv-
ering the Milk.
TO INCORPORATE THIS WEEK.
The Company Will Have It's Owr
Blacksmith and Work Shops,
Efecting Large Saving.

Before the end of the present week the
big dairies of San Francisco and adjoining
counties will pool their interests in cor
poration to be known as the Milkm ems
Union.
The object of the new association is not
10 increase the price of milk to the con-
sumner, but to augment their own profits
by decreasing the expenses incident TO the
business. 1t is claimed by those at the
head of the movement that through con-
solidation of the various dairies the cost
of delivering milk, which is the biggest
item milkmen are called upon to shoul-
der will be decreased from % to so per
cent.
The plan as proposed means nothing
less than gigantic trust without the OBJ
iectionable features attached to such a
concern. In fact, under the system as
devised by II. A. Clifford, such thing as
increasing the price beyond the figures
named by the dairymen at the time of
joining the corporation is out of the ques-
ton.
"The articles of incorporation are now
being drawn up" said Mr.. Clifford yester-
day, land in very few days the company
will be formally launched on the milk
world. The main object to be attained is
the reduction of expenses and the doing
away with any cut-throat business. Every
man joining the union will 60 in on his
own merits. That is to say, his interest in
the corporation will be governed by the
paying ability of his business. His stock,
route, wagons and harness will be taken
by the company at their market value,
stock in the corporation being given in
payment. This proposition can be better
illustrated as follows:
10 cans, wholesale trade, at so cents per can
II cans 1 one-quart trade at So SO each per
month -. ,...........-..... 595
! horse valued at 20
wagon valued at. :....................... 100
set harness valued at. at...............-. 10
Iotdl SIooO
This $780," continued Mr.. Clifford,
would represent the amount of stock re-
ceived by the milkman. Now, in order to
be sure that the value of the trade which l
will say has been turned in by the would
be stockholder at so cents per can is really
not less than that, the company accepts
the business with a sixty-day saving
clause. If at the end of that time the
trade holds up to 50cents per can the stock
is issued. Should it fall below that sum
the dairyman is offered exactly what his
route pays, with the privilege of refusing
if he so desires.
Contracts will be made with each man
owning COWS, and turning his route into
the company, each contract being made
for number of years with permission to
the dairyman to sublet his contract if he
so desires.
''Eyery dairy will of course be under the
. control of the company, the latter fixing a
time for milking and imposing such other
conditions as the business might warrant.
There is to be an inspector, whose only oc-
cupation will be to visit twice each month
every dairy belonging to the corporation,
paying particular attention to the quality
OF the food and water given the stock, and
TO see if each ranch is in perfectly sani-
tary condition. Milk received from 9
dairy not up to the standard, or which
sours before a reasonable time, will be
charged to the dairy delivering it.
"Dairymen not owning routes in the
City will be approached with a view of Sc
curing if possible, the control of the entire
milk supply, thus establishing a uniform
price, with a reasonable certainty of ulti-
mately decreasing the cost to the con-
sumner. Under this plan two men with
one horse and wagon will be able to put
out 100 cans of milk between the hours of
3 and A. NJ. The City will be fguratively
cut up in sections, doing away with fifty
or sixty wagons delivering milk on the
same street, and in many Instances in the
same building. In other words three
wagons will be able to do the work of ten.
with only few hours work each day
horse will last for years, his shoeing cost
ing less than 30 cents, instead of 50 as now.
The company will haveits own blacksmith
and general work shops. where all this can
be done, as well as wagons painted and
cans manufactured.
''It can be readily seen what handsome
dividend all this will yield to the stock
holders, in addition to the regular profit
on the milk. 1t is also our purpose to
handle the butter of all dairies wishing to
send to this market. This butter will be
sold on the milk routes, thus bringing a
new and paying industry into the business.
The largest dairies in San Francisco
have joined the corporation, and | venture
the assertion that in less than thirty days
every milkman of Importance will be seek
lug admission. The milkmen need just
such an Institution as this to do away with
the present eynensiYe manner of con-