New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1907-08-20
NO MILK FAMINE YET.
RTJT SUPPLY FALLS orr.
Shortage Due to Rigid Inspection
and Partly to DrOuth.

The milk supply IN tIllS Ci.y " 80
third less than it in June Ihis appneS
practically to all the dealers in the oorouehs'
and the outlook for an increase in the next Re"
,oors 10 not ancouraging. The Borden, camp
heu and Sheffield Farms companies, wnlch tuf-
n,sh the greater part of the milk used, are pay
ing from one-quarter to one-hat cent Hiofe
quart 10 the farmers They are buying aiili'
and purchasing cows TO guard against d poo
sible famine The cause is said to De the drou'i
Tho grass Is scarce and the COWS are giving ieSS
milk.
+ There is another cause, and one more 10 tie
point It is that the rigid requirements OF ING
Health Department have put many FARMERS OUT
- ,he New York market This fact is admitted
~ the Health Department, and a reporter ior
The Tribune saw letter from an Inspector
which set forth that the dairy farmers IN MS
district were not financially able 10 make 'ie
imnroyements demanded and would discontinue
sh,pping milk to this city. 1t was aoiii''eu Wy
the large milk distributors that the Inspection
WAS more responsible for the shortage imam inc
drouth.
The tnspection this year has been more COM
nrabepstye than usual in that more dairy Farms
have been visited. Farmers. used TO the olu
fashioned methods, never having heard OF such
O thing as disease in milk, could not uioei-
stand wbv they should disinfect the uddefs VI
the COWS before milking: why they should en-
large the stalls; why the mixers should oiSln-
feet their hands. wear white, clean sari''e'
when milking, and why the straw IN inc St'.''
ond .he general surroundings in the OLD stables
should be changed SO frequently Inc ouiei
reu,irement that the mixers snould DC ue7
from disease. puzzled them also. IheS coii',
.rad these things which they called new ranged
notions and decided that the expense would hot
Justify them in complying with the Health De-
nartment's demands. and a result large num-
hers have decided to look for another market
| That I, was said yesterday, was the true cause
| of the shortage
| To add TO the scarcity in this city the Brook
| side Dairy Farm, near Newburg, WAS oeSloS0u
| bv fire. This dairy furnished large supply
and 1t will probably be several days oeloie Il
| win he in condition to deliver its usual quota
| although the managers are saiu W Do a
| their utmost TO keep up their deliveries Two
| large harms and several smaller buildings were
| burned and the total loss was over SZOoV.
| This was one of the diaries that was conducted
| upon the most modern principles, ana 'he PRIV"
uct sold for high price
| The sufferers from the shortage Will be the
soda dispensers, restaurants and notes. fIi-
waite families will receive their usual suppiS
| rich. along unless there should be decided
| drop in the quantity now delivered Ihere 10 ho
| disposition on the part of the distributors 10
raise the price because they have to pay more
| for their milk Should II be necessary to pay
more than is now demanded by the farmers
| rise in the price quart IN TINS city may oo
decided upon. Throughout the state the larfh-
! ers are getting 31s cents a quart, ana IaSl Week
the New York Milk Exchange raised the price
! n can 10 cents to the small dealers In the city
DIR. Thomas Darlington. the Health Commits
! sioner said TO q reporter for The Tribune yes
terday that he thought the drOuth was the prin-
,t,a efo aga Of
other opinions to the contrary Notwithstanding
"At this time of the year there is always
| shortage" he said. The reason for thls Is the
| lack of rain, which results in the partih crying
I'D of pastures and the resultant lack OF 'he
| right kind OF milk producing food for the cows
| This year the shortage of milk Is more pro-
| nounced than usual, and although believe that
| the drouth must be held primarily respohsioie'
the more rigid inspection Of this department has
| much to do with II. This inspection. however
| is a guarantee of health to the puDhc. II 10
| necessary We are not hard on the farmers'
| fsr from II Our demands, summed up, are
| cleanliness and consideration for the health OF
| the cows We must have pure milk Pasteur-
ization. II generally practsed 1t has been saio'
would do the same thing that we are trying 10
do through efficient inspection. Our Inspection
has become SO efficient now that there Is reaiiy
little n fear in the way OF typhoid or other in
| lection"
One of the men engaged In the fight Tor
nasteurized milk winter and early this spring
said last night that the shortage should De
charged to the board of Aldermen. which refused
TO pass the Jacobsen ordinance This required
pasteurization by the city under certain condi-
tons He said that if the ordinance mad been
passed the dairy farmers who now cannot COM
ply with the requirements Of the Health De-
partments demands could ship their milk,
which would have been pasteurized. and thus
all danger to the consumer removed The con-
sensus of opinion seemed to be that there would
| probably be decided shortage of milk for sew
| eral weeks. but that q real famine was not
| within the bounds of protabili