The Kalispell bee. [volume] (Kalispell, Mont.) 1900-192?, 1902-01-29
Will BUILD
A FLOUR MILL
Result of An Enthusiastic
Meeting Of the Farmers.
OPPOSE MONOPOLY
The Convention Was Held IN the Court
House Last Saturday and An Intense
Interest Shown.


Interest Shown.
Last Saturday seemed very cold
day to most people, but it was not
a cold day for the. farmers of the val
ley. for they turned out in great num-
bers to attend the meeting held at
the court house in Kalispell on that
day Every seat was fillea and num-
bers were obliged to stand.
The meeting was called to order by
J. V. Harrington, who briefly stated
the object of the meeting to be the
organization of the farmers for the
purpose of breaking the monopoly
now enjoyed by the Royal Milling
company in the handling of grain in
the valley.
On motion, Mr.. G. H. Brintnall was
elected as chairman and w. P. ia
quette, secretary.
By request, a brief statement on
the cost of constructing and operat-
ing a mill and elevator was submit
ted by w. E. Schirmer, who, until
January /, was miller at the Peplow
mill.
Mr.. Schriner estimated the cost of
constructing a mill of 100 barrels per
day capacity at $4,000, and the cost
of an elevator of 100000 bushels ca
pacity at $4,000.
His estimate was as follows, the
barrels capacity:
Cost of labor per Darrell. ...... .25
Cost of power per barrell.. 80. .OS
Cost of interest per barrel. .... .06
Cost of insurance, taxes per Dbl. .O6
Cost of selling per barrel. 80. .05
Cost of repair etc., per barrel. -. .05
Total cost per barrel. ....... 10
Earnings of such a mill at present
prices, total production per day:
80 barrels first grade flour
at 1920. =. =. go. ... $4,000
20 barrels second grade flour
at 30. SO. ........ oO.Oo
8,4OO pounds of bran and
shorts at Csc. =. .. ..... $500
S45060
Cost of wheat to make 100
barrels -four, 446 bushels,
at SIC. e.. .... O.. ... .$242.32
Cost of milling and selling. 1000
$4,000
The above figures are based on
figure the result on the prices paid
for flour by the farmer, the profits of
the mill are much greater.
Suppose one of you farmers sell
enough wheat to the miller to make
a barrel of flour, and then you go
back to the mill to buy the product,
let us see what the result will be:
To make a barrel of flour you sell
2-3 bushels of wheat, for which you
receive $2.42, at So cents a bushel.
To buy the same wheat back after it
is manufactured you will pay as fol-
lows:
1868 pounds first grade flour
at SIS per barrel. ;. ..$4.00
1872 pounds second grade
flour at SO. y -. ........ .588
"a pounds bran and shorts at
Csc per cwt -. ......... .546
Total. ....... $5.134
Difference between the amount
which you received for the wheat to
make barrel of flour and what you
pay for it after it is manufactured,
$2,71 over 100 per cent to pay for
grinding, amounting to $271 on 100
| barrels, the daily capacity of the mill
Continuing, Mr.. Schirmer said. 81
have been asked to make some sug-
| gestion as to the best method of Sc
curing the establishment of another
mill. There are two ways that can
be followed and as to which is the
better am not prepared to say; that
is merely a matter of opinion any
way. One method would be to sub.
scribe the necessary capital and
build the mill yourselves, and the
other is to offer bonus sufficient to
induce some person or corporation to
take up the enterprise. If the latter
plan should be followed, you would
want to know that the parties tax
ing the bonus were not in collision
with the Royal Milling company, OF
controlled by that corporation. What
you want is competition, and that is
not easy to secure. A big company
may try to squeeze a little one, but
two big companies are not going tc
fight for business. thew are more ami