The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1899-01-23
Some of the Good Creameries
Do For Kansas.
Many Farmers Would Have
Gone to the Wall
EXCEPT FOR DIARIES.
Creameries at Osborne and Be-
lott Are Cited.
Much of the Growth Due to
Two Swedes.

Beloit, Jan. 23.-M. s. Atwood, presi-
dent of the First National bank OF Be
lott, is large stakeholder in creamerles
in northern Kansas and has been in
terested in the revival of the industry
in recent years.
LESS than five years ago two broth
ers came to Kansas from Sweden" said
he today. "They were w. f. Jensen
and A Jensen, both experts in the dairy
business, who understood the best ma
chinery methods in the old country.
The dairy business in nearly all parts
of the state had been in the decline for
several years and many creamer1es
were standing idle. In most places the
plants were owned by banks that had
held mortgages against old companies
that had failed. They were discouraged
by former ventures and feared to make
new investments along the same line.
"a. Jenson went to Manhattan and
started in the creamery business. He
was successful. w. F. Jensen began in
a small way in a small town and, with
the most limited opportunities, was also
successful. When he came to us with
a proposition he made a favorable inn
preston. Although he could scarcely
speak the English language he con-
WINGED us he had new ideas, and good
ones, that might solve the problem of
the disposal of the plant we had on our
hands. We backed him and he accom-
plished all and more than we had hoped
for. His success stimulated others in
the state and many have come to Beloit
to learn the system of the SwedeS, with
successful results. They now have
wide reputation. It may be truthfully
said that at that time conditions were
ripe for a revival.
1.-The farmers for years had held the
milk business rather in contempt. They
were bent on making fortunes in a. year
from big wheat crops and paid little at
tentiOn to minor but important features
of economic farming. This illusion
passed away after several unsuccessful
wheat years and farming became diver
sified from necessity. A year or two ago
a hundred farmers in my locality would
have gone to the wall If it had not been
for the milk which they sold daily to
the creamery. Now, when they have
plenty of money in the banks and pros
poets for abundant crops, they have not
forgotten the lesson.
with an investment of 81. 200 the two
creamer1eS at Osborne and BelOlt, con-
Quoted by the Swedes, have a paid-up
capital of 1000 and they are arranging
to increase it to $4,000. Within the last
year they have bought much as
100, 600 pounds of milk day. CreamerieS
all over the state can make almost as
good a showing They market butter
by the carload in all the large cities of
the United States. Kansas butter is al
ready famous and brings on the track
within half a cent of the Chicago and
E1gin markets. Winter butter gets the
preference against any other state. 1t
is said by some to have distinct flavor
due to the fact that the cattle have
green pastures on growing wheat. Kan
sas cattle as a rule are not fancy stock.
There has not, consequently, been a
great investment made in it by the
farmers. The best grade of cattle, Sc
lected primarily for breeding purposes,
have been taken for mixers. The next
report of the state will show statistics
on the Importance of the industry, pre-
dict, more surprising than was the
last"