Orleans County monitor. [volume] (Barton, Vt.) 1872-1953, 1910-06-01
MILK PROBERS
FILE REPORTS
Railroads Criticised For Man
ner In Which They Lease Cars
UNFAIR TO The PRODUCERS

UNI HIll ~ lHI TnUUUUEn0
Five Contractors Control Boston Mar
ket and Are Getting Fair Profit,
While Farmer Cannot Make Money
Upon Less Than -Four Cents
Quart For His MiIk-Inspection In
Boston Declared to Be inefficient
Boston, May 90. -Recommendatio
that the present system of leases OF
milk cars to large contractors on the
part of the railroads should be ended
and that the railroads should carry
milk just as all other freight we're
the principal findings made last night
in report by the joint special COM
m1ttee which has been investigating
the production, transportation and
marketing of milk.
The committee, in a lengthy report,
finds that the five large Boston con-
tractors, if they act together, can ex-
ercise monopoly over the price paid
to the producers and the prices
charged to the consumers
It finds that the milk inspection in
the city of Boston is manifestly in,
efficient and that this work cannot be
satisfactorily done. by the health Of
ficials of the cities and towns and
should be vested in a central au-
thority.
The contractors, according to the
report, are getting a fair profit on
the amount of money that they have
invested; the producers, at the prs
ent prices paid, are not, states the re-
port, as the farmer is unable to make
a profit upon less than 4 cents quart
for his, milk
/ The railroads are scored for the
manner in which they lease cars to the
contractors, and the lack of facilities
for the producer to ship his milk in
competition and under the same con-
ditions is termed intolerable.
The committee finds that the con-
tractors, ucon their own admission,
try to restrict the supply by lowering
| the price to producers during the
summer months
The committee favors a bill now be-
fore the legislature to repeal four
statutes covering the conduct of the
| milk business in the state, which
would give to the railroad commission
power over the freight of milk.
The committee believes that an in
vestigation should be made of the flat
rate system" of New York and that
! it should be accepted in this state If
| it proves to be for the interest of the
public.
Whether there is active competition
among the contractors for markets
the committee finds to be problemati-
cal, but it does find the system OF
leasing cars to contractors tends tc
restrain competition.
The majority report is signed by
Messrs. Mellen, Warren, Gardner
Avery and Bean The minority re-
ports, submitted by Messrs. Tink-
ham and Meaney, agree generally
with the majority report, but both be.
lieve that the present system of in
spection is so inefficient and ineffect.
i've that there shovld be immediate
corrective legislation.
Senator Meanev, in addition, be.
lieves that Immediate steps should bl
taken to correct the present inequali
ties of the transportation system. H,
favors the open car and the fla
rate"
The committee was appointed Ma,
and began to hold public hearings a
| which all sides of the present mill
controversy were heard, the produc
ers, the contractors and the consum
ers.
Besides the hearings, the plants o
the contractors have. been visited AM
observation has been made of tn
method of handling milk.