The Redwood gazette. [volume] (Redwood Falls, Minn.) 1873-1940, 1896-06-25
cO-OpERATIVE CREAMERIES.
A Chicago Paper Comments on the
Redwood Creamery.
From the CHICAGO Produce.

From the Chicago Produce.
The creamery at Redwood Falls,
Mimi, has recently closed it's first year
as cooperative institution, and the
fact that it has been a success where
private creameries failed has called
out from that quarter a long article
making prominent the success and
circumstances attending it. The arti-
Gle contains the following:
The creamery was opened on May
20, 1895, and the accounts date from
that time to May 20, 1896. The cream
cry began with about fifty patrons
last summer, the number Of which ran
up to ITO this summer. During the
wear there were sent in l,565,o55
pounds of milk, which netted for the
shareholders the sum of $14, $50. The
butter realized prices ranging at diff
ferent periods of the year from l6c to
23c clear for the farmer. The average
price over the whole year is about 19c
paid to the farmer. The running ex-
penses of the creamery for the year.
including a new separator put in,
were S1,S75. Five per cent is deduct
ed for sinking fund to pay for the
property. This amounted to about
S742, at which rate the property will
be clear in four years. The balance
for the shareholders, after paying the
working expenses and sinking five per
cent, is $l1,763. The net profit over
the old system of making and dispos-
ing of butter is at least $1,000.
There has been a creamery here
since 1891, but the first creamery was
private adventure and proved highly
unsatisfactory to the farmers. 1t was
worked for two years by Fairmont
firm, who gave it up in disgust be-
cause they could not make anything
out of it for themselves or their pa
irons. For two years more it was TAX
en- hold of by a Minneapolis creamery
man, who became bankrupt the Sec
ond year he worked it and was unable
to meet a great many of his debts. 1t
was the farmers turn then to get dis
gusted. They resolved that they we're
forever done of private creameries.and
set about building a creamery for
themselves on the cooperative princi-
pie. They we're fortunate in securing
as a manager Herbert Graham, from
GAINESVILLE, Iowa, who thoroughly un-
derstands all the outs and ms of but
termaking, and who has the knack OF
giving satisfaction to the most fastidi-
Gus.
In the fall of last year, when the
question of creameries was being gen
orally agtated, the story of the success
of Redwood Falls creamery, worked
on the new cooperative principle
spread like wildfre over Redwood
county, and creameries began to rise
as if by magic. Morgan, Sanborn
Brookville, Willow Lake, Sheridan
Granite Rock, Johnsonville, Revere
Lamberton, Belview and Redwood
Falls all have their creameries now
aad all Of these were built within the
space of one short year. Two more
creameries at Morton and Evan, only
a few rods out of Redwood county
the former in Renville county and
the latter in Brown county, both OF
which will have number Of patrons
from Redwood county, have just been
finished All these, Belview excepted
are cooperative creameries.
0. l.. Dornberg, secretary of the
Redwood Falls creamery, was asked
II there is not danger OF overriding the
creamery business and replied; mo
the territory in the United States
suitable for butter making, is limited
In the southern States there is no fee(
for COWS. There is grass, but their
are so many noxious weeds in tn
4
them so as to unfit it for the market
In all the eastern States the price O
land is SO high that it is impossible
for them to compete with the wester
States. The creamery area is there
fore limited to Eastern Kansas, Ne
braska, the Dakotas, Wisconsin, Ill
nois, Iowa and Minnesota.