The San Francisco call., 1898-07-22
JOYS THAT COME WITH CHEAP MILK

dairies, including Ewells, Miller's, Mill brae Company, x l. and Millbrae Dairy. It was expected that through cooperation the expenses of delivery would be greatly reduced and the saving thus made would warrant a material reduction in price,
 At the present time hundreds of wagons are required for the delivery of milk. These wagons cover an immense territory and cross one another's paths at frequent intervals. One man will deliver milk in certain block and may not have another customer within mile. Under the pro posed system the city will be diStricted and only the necessary number of wagons required to cover any district will be as- signed to It.. The reduction will, it is be- lieved, equal over half the present force. The plan outlined calls for depots in various portions of the city. The milk will be sent to them from the dairies and then distributed.
 In this merging of the various interests many unnecessary men will be dispensed with. The benefits obtained will all ac- crue to the consumers, who will thus see the realization of their long-deferred hopes for cheaper but none the less purer milk
 Underlying this movement is said to be a desire to crowd to the wall those deal CTS who for three years past have been retailing milk for 5 cents quart. From the outset 1t has been affirmed that pure milk cannot be delivered at that price. During that period the inspectors repre- senting the Health Department have been unusually active. Hardly day passed without their taking samples of the milk yet they have never found adulterated milk in the possession Of the representa- tives of the better class of dairies now handling 5-cent milk.
 I. Ryder. vice-president of the Santa Clara Milk Company is one of the pion- neers in the movement for cheaper milk. Tt was in October, 1895. that we cut the retail price of milk in half," said MT. Rider yesterday. From that day to this we have had the bitterest opposition from the men who desired the price maintain ed We have been successful from the start and the result has been that the others have had to cut their prices in order to compete with us. At the pres ent time. although their price is supposed to be @ fixed one, such Is not the case. They will accept any amount, from S1 50 to s. in order to hold customer. Our system was to sell for cash, and having our money in hand we had to meet no losses from bad bills. Our sales in- creased at once and we have been able to hold our own ever since. Our success has had the effect of awakening the opposi- ton to a realization that trade was slip move is undoubtedly an effort to enter our field and crowd us out. If they could succeed in their efforts they could force prices back to their old place again.
 They have always claimed that we could not deliver pure milk at cents a quart think the best refutation of this assertion Is that although samples of oul milk are taken almost daily we have yet 10 hear a complaint from the inspectors representing the Health Department. Ar present we are charging 6 cents a quart for milk, as the producers have raised their prices temporarily. This is neces- now paid for feed. When that becomes more plentiful and In consequence cheap CT, the price will go down at once."
 Edwin A. Green, manager of the Mill