The Baltimore County union. [volume] (Towsontown, Md.) 1865-1909, 1900-01-20
BAEr1MoRE o1rY's MILK WAR.
Not the Peoples Fight, But They May
Be Gamers in the End.


The much-heralded milk war between the
Milk Producers Association, the Milk Trust
and the Milk Dealers Protective Association
began on scheduled time in Baltimore last
Monday morning with the honors in favor of
the Milk Producers Association. At all OF
the railroad depots the usual line OF milk carts
had been drawn up, but only those who had
signed agreements with the Milk Producers
Association previously were allowed to take
much of the milk. At Camden Station and at
Hillen Station every gallon of milk received
was consigned to the association, so the officers
of the association said. At the Baltimore q
Lehigh depot it was the same. OF the milk
received at Calvert Station, over eighty per
cent. was consigned to the association. In all.
the officers of the association claim to have
received 5000 gallons, and, as the normal out
put at this season of the year leaves only about
5000 gallons to be accounted for, it will be
easily seen that they had the whiphand on
Monday.
1--WE are fighting only the combine headed
by Mr.. Asa B. Gardiner, Jr., and the combine
headed by Mr.. Gardiner is fighting us for all
that it is worth :" said Mr.. James B. Council
man, secretary. "Wehave no complaint against
the retailers, and they have no ground for
complaint against us. At each OF the depots
were two members of the Milk Producers AS
ISOLATION and three policemen. This was to
guard against any confusion which might
arise, and the scheme worked beautifully.
We have simply to carry out the plan of CAM
paigu already announced"
The situation is this The dairymen or re-
tailers who have their own COWS, or who can
stand the expense of having milk shipped to
them from Philadelphia or Washington, can
supply their customers without trouble. The
smaller people, especially the retailers, are
obliged to sign the agreement offered by the
Producers Association or do without milk.
SCENES AT THE DEPoTs.
The scenes at the depots at which milk is
received were very interesting on Monday. AT
Calvert Station, for example, there were at
reception and subsequent delivery OF the lac
teal fluid OF this number something over
thirty per cent. were without the signed agree
ment with the association and we're not al
lowed to receive milk unless it was specially
consigned to them. Quite number were
ready to sign the agreement, but in the con-
fusion and hurry of supplying those who were
already entitled to receive what they wished,
Mr. William B. Crowther president, who was
present at this depot in person the greater part
of the morning, referred them TO the once 10
the Atlantic Trust Building, where they could
sign the agreement at their leisure and then re-
turn for the milk.
The depot was filled with throng of the in.
terested and the curious as the 0.l5 O'CLOCK
train pulled in for it was on this train that the
chief supply of the day was due. There were
probably over five hundred cans i'll all. AS
the box cars were opened up there was press
from all parties concerned. Those who had
signed the agreement were anxious to see how
the new scheme would work and to get their
milk in hurry so that in event the supply
ran short their customers would not suffer.
Those, on the other hand, who were not armed
with their paper which gave them tie right to
obtain their daily supply, wanted to plead
with those in authority and to satisfy them
selves by actual observation that they were up
against a cold. hard world. Three stalwart
od on
trouble in keeping the crowd moving and in
clearing space enough to permit of the unload
ing of the cars, had nothing else to do. The
representatives of the producers were busy, OF
course, and the representative OF the combine
were conspicuous by their absence.
The retailers were very much disappointed:
1t was made plain to them they, could not
serve two masters, that they must cleave to
one in order to continue IN business.
GALLONS OF MILK SPILLED.
Some of the milk which came into Calvert
| and Hillen stations was condemned by the
Health Department, and was emptied into the
cutters on the advice of City Solicitor Carter.
The fluid so spilled was below 10.2 in SPECIFIC
gravity. Ninety gallons were spilled at Hllien
Station and forty-five gallons at Calvert Sta
ton. President Crowther protested against
such action on the part of the Health Depart,
ment and claimed that the milk could be used
| in a creamery for making butter, etc., and Tor
time it looked as though there would be
merry little war in the courts between the as
ISOLATION and the city. Injunction proceed
er Jones appealed to the City Solicitor. The
| association secured the services of Mr.. Francis
| T. Homer and it was claimed that the city had
not the legal right, under existing ordinances,
| to destroy milk intended for the creamery. "A
| friendly test of the law will be made in the
courts. Meanwhile, Prof G. w. Lehman,
| city analytical chemist, will make close ex-
| animation of the milk so spilled. If the law
| on the subject is not perfect enough it Will be
repealed and made stronger. 1t is claimed by
prasid ont -Gr4uthar that-nna- aamrlla- OF -tha
| teen per cent cream test, full one per cent.
| above the city test He further said that
| SKINNED milk, according TO the city's lacto-
| meter test. shows better reading than pure
| cream, and that the result of the test did not
| indicate impurities in the milk. The Pro-
! ducers' Association took steps to have an in
| junction against the city filed restraining them
| from dumping milk until after there has been
chemical test made by the city chemist.
Mr. Crowther said I'VE shall win this fight,
| and the effect will be to enable the farmers TO
get little profit on their milk, which now
sells for barely enough to pay for good feed,
| without any allowance for the labor involved.
| We shall do this without costing the Balti-
more public one cent more; and, If we are
forced to, we can take the entire distribution
| of milk into our own hands and distribute it
| to customers throughout the city at a cost of
| half cent gallon. This price would enable
us to undersel all competitors"
| HOW MATTERS STAND NOW.
The american of February, 10Th inst, says
"There were no new developments in the stu
alton yesterday as regards the milk war. In
fact the war has about ceased, if the statements
of the officers of the Milk Producers Asssocia-
ton are to be credited Mr.. Councilman, sec
rotary, said yesterday afternoon I'VE are in
control and expect to remain so. The people
who have diaries and enough COWS of their
own to supply their customers can do 80 If
they will, and the retailers can import milk,
but they will find it expensive. We have
about concluded not to discuss the matter in
the public prints any more, for we find that it
merely arouses the antagonism of the opposi-
| ton. and having won, we are content to stop
talking"
The Troublesome County Debt.---The