Audubon County journal. (Exira, Iowa) 1884-1993, 1911-09-21
A Great Creamery
Building Experience
Dairy and Agricultural Engineering Experts Of Iowa
State College Undertake Notable Work

The dairy and agricultural eng-
neering departments Of the Iowa
State college at Ames are conducting
the largest experiment in creamery
building ever undertaken in Iowa or
elsewhere-an experiment that In
wolves the building Of four modern
structures, costing from $4,000 to
$4,000 EACH
These creameries will be built by
four different local companies, three
Of them cooperative, and the fourth
private corporation The state col
lege experts furnished the plans and
specifications for the structures with
out cost and they will supervise the
construction without cost One cream
cry is already started at Massilon in
Cedar county; the second will be
erected at once at Gowrie; the third
is near completion at State Center and
the fourth is we'll along toward com
pletion at Hartley. The first three
named are cooperative creameries;
the last is private corporation.
The purpose of this extension ex-
pertinent Is to give Iowa farmers ac-
curate information on the fair and
honest cost of different types of
creameries and to show them1 Just
how to take every step, from begin
ming to end, in organizing and build
ing and operating. 1t Will give farm
ers check on excessive charges for
creamery construction and equipment.
Furthermore, the college hopes to en-
courage the substitution of fireproof
structures for the firetraps which
creamery societies have built so
largely in the past
There is need for full information
on the subject of creamery building
COSTS" said Prof. M. Mortensen, head
of the department Of dairying at the
state college. The results of our work
will be published later in bulletin
which will explain every step from
the organization to the starting of
the machinery. The plans of each
plant will be given in full and the
cost of every bit Of material will be
set forth. The bulletin will be a
complete handbook on creamery. or.
ganizing and building, based on actual
experience"
The plant at Massilon will meet
the needs of the average dairy com
munity. 1t will be 30x8O feet. in
size; 1t will utilize the milk of from
600 to 1000 cows; it will be built
of cement blocks with freproofed in
terror and roof; 1t will be fitted with
modern machinery and complete ice
house. The Massilon association,
comprising about 100 farmers, will
spend approximately $4,000.
The Gowrie association, comprising
$50 members, % from town, will build
plant 40x60, equipped with refrig.
orator and ice-making plant and ice
cream machinery additional. Its ca
| pacity will be 1000 pounds of butter
daily and 1t will use the milk of
from 1000 to 1000 cows The mate
rails have not yet been determined
| on.
The plant at State Center will be
one of the most efficient and largest
in Iowa. One Of the rich and sue
cessful cooperative companies of the
| west is building 1t to replace an old
plant. 1t will be 40x6O feet, with a
24x30 power plant 1t will be built
on the gravity system of hollow tile
and asbestos shingles. This associa-
ton, comprising 200 members, has
made a unique record raising hogs
as a byproduct, feeding them on but
termilk. In 1910 the dividends from
the hog pens, containing some 3vJ
hogs, amounted to $4,000.
The Hartley plant is going up in
the business district. 1t will be 5Oxs5
feet, built Of brick and thoroughly
fireproof.
A Dreadful Sight