Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1904-10-26
DECIDE UPON PRICE
MILK SHIPPERS TO CHARGE MORE
FOR PRODUCTS.
Eighteen Cents Per Gallon for Seven
Months, Fourteen Cents Re-
mainder Of Year.

manner OF year.
The milk-shipping farmers in the vicinity
of the District of Columbia today formed q
union. and at a mass meeting held at 719
9th street northwest determined upon an
increase In the price of milk delivered to
dealers in the District Of Columbia. A reso-
luton adopted explains itself. 1t sets forth
that 1t be the sense of this mass meeting
that the minimum price for standard milk
Containing 81 per cent butter fat). deliv-
cred at the depots In the city of Washing
ton, should be 10 cents per gallon during
seven months Of the year (from October to
APRIL fnclusive). and ii cents per gallon
during the remaining five months Of the
year from May to September. inclusive)"
The average price obtained last year by
the shippers, 1t is stated, was II cents dur
ing six months and IS cents during the six
summer months. The increase, therefore.
Is cent per gallon during Ave of the
summer months. an increase of cents Der
gallon during October. and an increase OF
1 cent per gallon during the Remaining
six winter months. 1t was estimated bS
one prominent shipper that this action
probably would result In the price to con.
sumers being increased to about cents pei
quart. ~
The increase noted above was the last &C.
ton taken at prolonged meeting Of the
Milk Producers Association of the District
OF Columbia. Maryland and Virginia, which
was called to order this morning at II
o'clock by its president, ]. w. Roberts OF
Alexandria. More than 200 shippers were
present from a dozen counties in the ter
r1tory covered by the association.
adjournment was taken at o'clock this
association adopted a constitution and by-
laws. took steps looking toward incorpora-
t1on and determined to make the oreaniza-
tor permanent. 1t was stated that 1OOOO
sanons OF milk, daily shipment. were rep.
resented. The bylaws provide that the or.
81 h1Zation must contain in it's membership
the representation of at least three-fourths
OF the total milk shipped into the District.
Mmen this is completed the constitution
Will become binding. In the meantime the
members have informally agreed to stand
by the action taken.
Mr.. Thompson's Quotations
Soon after the meeting was called to or
der Mr.. Corbin Thompson a local milk
dealer. stepped to the platform and an
nounced that he had come to the meeting
OF the shippers, upon special invitation. ia
answer certain questions which had been
propounded at a prior meeting, and which,
at that time. he had been unable to answer
because of not having authoritative fig
ures at hand. He then proceeded to quote
from report Of the New Jersey state
board Of agriculture, which, he said, show
ed that standard milk could be produced
for cents per gallon.
This statement caused an uproar
1.-The man that compiled those figures
never saw a cow or a pint Of milk" in
terrupted Mr.. Snauffer Of Frederick. milk
cannot be produced to be sold at less than
15 or 10 cents per gallon"
"An right" responded Mr.. Thompson,
make 1t 16 cents as the fair price,"
Are you going to charge the consumer
through the dealer, 40 cents gallon or ~
cents per quartz
Another dealer doubted that 10 cents was
a fair price, and Mr.. Thompson went down
in another pocket and brought out a copy
of the Milk Dealers Reporter, q journal
which he said was authoritative, and which
no one at the meeting disputed.
According to this journal the Milk Deal
ers' Union of Chicago has completed con-
tracts for the ensuing six months, in Chi
cago and vicinity, at the rate of 16 cents
per gallon, cents lower than the price
determined upon at the meeting today. Mr..
Thompson also showed that the firm of Gail
Borden has contracted for its winter sup
ply of standard milk this winter at 16
cents
Not Received With Favor.
lneSe nSureS were unpopular, apparently,
and one shipper, Mr.. E. E. Thompson, in
formed the chair that the meeting was for
shippers and producers, and he did not
know what right dealer had to be pres
ent. Mr.. Thompson was vouched for, how
ever, but Immediately excused himself and
left the hall. Before going he took occa-
sion to say that II the price commended for
by the shippers prevailed ne will sell out as
a dealer and go into the producing bust
ness.
This was greeted with dozen shouts or
'Fll sell you my farm and cows" etc.
One old farmer nudged his neighbor and
declared: Il will get more money for my
milk this winter or 1 will give somebody
my farm"
This was the sentiment of the meeting.
1t was plain from the start that the price
would be increased, although it took three
hours for the shippers to determine the
amount of increase.
A committee appointed to suggest rates.
returned with a suggestion that a sliding
scale, from Is 20 20 cents, according to the
amount OF butter fat contained in the milk.
This was voted down. Then a dealer pro-
posed the rate IF IL cents as a minimum
rate for standard milk. all the year round
much arguing. Then Mr.. ]. e. Donovan of
Fairfax proposed the rate which was adopt
ed. unanimously
Chas. F. Darby. in the course Of one OF
his addresses declared that the health de-
partment should have better facilities for
analysing milk shipped into the District so
that IL a shipper claims per cent milk
the dealer who buys the milk cannot claim
1t was 31s per cent. and make his pay
ments accordingly. No action was taken in
this regard, but the subject will be taken
up later.