The river press. [volume] (Fort Benton, Mont.) 1880-current, 1912-10-16
The Right Way
to Organize.
How Cooperation Built Up q
Large Dairy industry.
49, +

fS~ r =" y - r
In a certain locality, now widely
known for it's progress along dairy
lines, there settled some twenty-five
or more years ago a number of citi.
zens. They were a mixed lot so far
as previous occupation went and of
course saw most things from different
view points. But they had one
thought in common and that was to
make good in their newly chosen To-
cality at what, to many, was a new oc-
cupation, that of a farmer, and in an
agriculturally unproven section. They
started in to raise wheat and their
first efforts were abundantly reward
ed. Later came a dry year followed
by dry years, SO that the out
look was gloomy and a few lost hope
and left. Others turned a large por-
ton of their efforts to acquiring live
stock, and, because of their want, to
milking their semi-range cows, trad
ing the diary butter at the local store
All ouVA uOCCS04IlCS VI 14lC dS tAOy
could not produce from the soil. Cash
was at a high premium; the trade
made with the local grocer was not
satisfactory to either party.
Cooperative Creamery Suggested.
During the winter of 1S94-95 one
farmer who had been back on a bust
ness trip to Elgin brought back word
that they were operating creameries
there with highly satisfactory results
to all concerned and expressed a be-
lief that one might be operated by the
farmers Of their community.
His suggestion was ridiculed by
some and a few of the objections
raised were that it was impracticable
because they did not have the right
kind of dairy cows, that feeds were
not plentiful, the winter too long and
too cold, that ven If they had the
right conditions they did not have the
money to build and equip a creamery.
The omptimist, however, kept up his
line of argument and drew some ad.
herents to his cause.
Finally a meeting a called and
after much discussion a plan of &C
tion vas decided on and agreed to-
The farmers agreed to haul stones and
help lay them UP for the walls, and
the business men of the village agreed
to furnish the equipment for the
creamery, which, when ready to oper
ate, should be on a cooperative basis
During the less busy days of the
early spring and summer the stones
were delivered, the walls raised, and
by early June the creamery was ready
to receive it's first patronage.
Secret Of Success.
must deviate here from this story
10 draw your attention to some
thoughts in connection that, to my
mind, Influenced this community ant
have helped to make it the grea'
dairy section it has since become
The great secret of their success wal
IN the cooperative spirit that wa!
builded into the walls of that "hard
head" building. How many of yo'
who have set your corner stakes TO
fence, lined up between, set posts
md stretched the wire, providing yo'
had taken the pains to get your lin
straight, the corners well braced ant
the wires tight, did not feel afte
that fence was completed, evel
though it was only about a city lot
that 1t was the greatest fence eve
erected by any man at any time
How much greater the satisfaction
than though you had hired some on
else to do ii. So in this creamer,
building, not n but many farmer
builded into that wall much more tina
wall of stone, they built human az
tivity and human interest into it
something you can't get to so full a
extent through the %unfeeling mediur
of cash for shares of stock. And S
the farmers were interested in tina
creamery. It was theirs, and when
was ready to receive their new dail