New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1900-10-14
THE PRICE OF MILK.
CITY. CONSUMERS PAY TOO MUCH, BUT
FARMERS GET TOO LITTLE.
TO the Editor Of The Tribune.

FARMERS GET TOO LITTLE.
To the Editor Of The Tribune.
Sir: The consumers of milk in the metropolis
have during the last six months read much con-
corning the production and selling Of milk Prac-
ticay all that they have read has been presented
by those who interested in the milk trade mere
~ as middIemen and Il follows that, their knowl-
edge Of points being derived from but one side,
their judgment will be one-sided. They Will nave
a wrong impression OF what the milk producers
have done and planning TO do, so far as 1t re-
lates to their interests consumers or milk For
example the peculiar institution known as the
New-York Consolidated Milk Exchange announced
that II had fixed the price Of milk from october L
at 81 81 per forty quart in Jersey City. and IT
was announced that that price meant three cents
quart net TO the farmers" OF course, not know
Ing the details of the milk handling business, the
metropolitan consumers take 1t for granted that the
producers receiving reasonable price for their
milk.
That price in Jersey City does not mean three
cents a quart net to the farmers who send the bulk
of the milk to the New-York City market In
order to show the city consumers what the Ex-
change Jersey City price to the country milk
producers it is necessary TO show what the ship
ping regulations
The railroads that carry milk to New-York City
are divided into freight by the Interstate
Commerce Commission and each zone has its rate
of freight established by the Commission On the
Erie Railroad the groups follows Group A,
Tuxedo; Group B. Southield to Pond Eddy includ-
ing both Newburg branches and the Montgomery,
Pine Island and Crawford branches; Group c. Par
ker's Glen to susquehanna. including Honesdale
branch and Jefferson division; Group D. balance
of main line to Hornellsvie. For these groups the
rates follows:
Classification q
Fresh milk or buttermfk in quart cans
Fresh milk IN quart bottles in cents
Fresh milk in pint bottles in cents per o.
Condensed milk or cream in forty quart
Condensed milk or p cream In quart bot a :"
90, d tss IN cents per forty quarts 40 50 So 6s
IN cents per forty quarts, -. SO SO 30 50
Your readers Will at see that very little Of
the milk supply of the city got from points with
in either the o cent the 26 cent freight zone.
The bulk of the supply comes from the % cent and
the 80 cent Now the exchange price is
fixed for the 26 cent zone That means that from
the 81 81 can there must be subtracted 26 cents
a can for the railroad freight. Besides this, an
other charge Of five cents can is made for fer
rage. This is total of 81 cents which, taken from
the Jersey City price, leaves remainder of 81 90
Thus the farmer IN the 26 cent zone would net
three cents quart for his milk If there
other charges levied on it. In that most of
the milk is utilized in condenseries and creameries
so that, in order to net results and aver
age prices to producers 1t is necessary take into
the account the other freight zones and other
charges that prevail in the sections that furnish
the bulk Of the milk
In those zones besides the freight and ferriage
charges there is another charge levied on the milk
Handling stations have been established at the
railroad receiving points in all the important milk
producing counties. These stations handle the
farmers milk and charge them for the handling
The charge runs from cents a where there is
competition up to 20 cents a can where there is
not a competing station within reach At the
majority of the stations the charge is a plump 20
cents can. Thus, in the 80 cent freight zone the
farmer takes his of milk to the railroad and
ships 1t. He must pay three charges upon it-hrst,
20 cents a can for the handling 80 cents for the
freight TO Jersey City and cents for ferriage,
total Of 81 cents At Jersey City he finds
the price fixed" at 81 81. That means that he
receives the difference between 81 81 and 81 cents or
81 cents for the That is not three cents a
quart net" 1t is but 2S5 cents quart net Besides
that. he must wait from four to six weeks for his
pay, for the Exchange which fixes the price" does
not take his milk or guarantee his pay for It.
Now, your readers may ask, and all city con-
sumers may ask: us not that profitable net price
to the farmer who produces milk" If they are to
accept the statement Of the Exchange, 1t is II
they are TO Judge by the actual cost of producing
milk. it is not. AS basis for judgment on this
point the following figures may be used. Counting
In the 20 cent charge for handling at the shipping
stations, the Exchange October price 81 81 per forty
quart can in Jersey City, means TO farmers in
the various freight the following net prices: