Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1912-04-02
DOWN The CHESTER ROAD.

ris, the capable and efficient manager
Of the Yorkville, Creamery association,
who furnished the conveyance along
with his own agreeable company, the
editor Of The Enquirer made a trip
over the Chester road to McConnells-
vile last Saturday afternoon. The
main object Of the trip was to see Mr..
|J. T. Crawford's modern dairy barn.
with it's appointments and the herd Of
mixers from which he is supplying the
Yorkville creamery with such large
quantity of cream; but in addition to
these things the trip furnished several
other subjects of interest, some Of
which are entitled to more considera-
ton than they are likely to get at this
time.
For one thing. the north and south
road between Yorkville and McCon-
nellsville, is worthy Of especial note.
There were some pretty discouraging
reports from this road during the win
ter; reports even to the effect that the
road was as bad as 1t used to be. These
stories, however, could have hardly
been correct. That the road has had a
most trying winter there Is no ques-
tion; but 1t was not as bad as 1t used
to be. Under conditions that prevailed
at times during the past winter, the
road, at other times 1t would have been
abandoned It has not been that bad
for a year or more. The condition of
the road last Saturday may properly be
described as very good. There are
some ugly washouts cutting into the
heavy fills that the roadmakers put at
two or three places; but the wind and
the sun had been busy with the road
way and generally 1t Is very good. It
anywhere along the entire distance,
except at two or three places for
a few yards. But by this 1t is not
understood that the whole road Is as
good as the first two or three miles out
Of Yorkville. There are places where
there Is too much sand and places
where there Is too much clay. The
road lacks a good deal of being perfect,
or even satisfactory. Probably as good
as can be said is that it is great big
Improvement over what 1t used to be.
Mr.. Crawford's dairy barn Is located
lust within the eastern incorporate
limits Of the village. Mr.. G. H. Sher-
rer, the dairyman, was on duty, and
he showed US quite a good deal that
was worth while. The barn Is certain
/ ly an object lesson for those who are
seeking knowledge along dairying lines
and visitors will also find that Mr..
Sherrer is almost as thoroughly up
with his business as any man In this
section. He has been living in more
or less close association with live
stock, principally cattle, during the
greater part of his life, and for the
past year has been reading all the best
Literature available on the subject Of
dairying. Applying with his own good
Judgment the best ideas Of other men
of experience, and possessed Of an en-
thusiasm that makes him look upon his
cows and calves as particular pets and
friends, he Is meeting with splendid
success in his very interesting work.
The dairy barn is sensibly located on
a hillside, with the drainage away
from the nearby well and milk house.
1t Is Of L-shaped construction, the
milking stalls being in the stem of the
l. and the feed room and shelter be-
ing in the extension. While Mr.. Sher-
rer was not asked for any figures, a
guess that would make the stem por-
tion, containing the milking stalls
25x50 feet would not be far wrong and
the shed portion Of the building Is
something like 30x40 feet. The feed
room is about 15x2O feet The section
that includes the milking and feeding
stalls has a concrete floor and feed
troughs, one trough on either side, and
there is accommodation for twenty
five cows. In the centre Of the cow
shed is a concrete reservoir with walls
about two feet high, and holding sew
eral hundred gallons Of water. The
roof Of the entire building Is tin.
Mr.. Sherrer had no idea Of the cost
Of the building, but said that the lum-
ber had been cut on the place, and
that practically all the work had been
done with such labor as was available
on Mr.. Crawfords farm, including his
own, with special labor picked up
around McConnellsville and Mr.. Nor
ris, who has good ideas Of such things,
gave it as his opinion that outside OF
the concrete work and the roof, the
cost of the barn did not exceed s100
What the concrete work and the roof
cost, he had no idea, but he was very
much pleased with the building, which
Is we'll lighted, we'll ventilated and all
that could he needed for this climate.
although it would hardly do for the far
north
The milk house is directly in front
of the barn. 1t Is a neat little build
ing, about 1Ox12 feet, with tin roof and
concrete floor, and behind 1t Is the
power and light room. Power for
pumping and running a dynamo Is fur
nished by a small gasoline engine. The
pump furnishes water for the milk
house and also for the cowshed, and
the dynamo furnishes light for the
barn. Lights are necessary for the
reason that the morning milking Is
done before day, especially in winter,
and electric light Is used because Of the
minimum danger from fire. Water for
sterilizing the milk vessels and clean
ing up the milk room Is heated in a
boiler near the power room, and al
though not yet complete the entire
plant is building along sensible, prac-
ticable and economic lines and 1t is
wonderfully convenient.
A large pasture extends back from
the rear of the barn. and although
there is very little in this pasture for
the cows to eat at this season, 1t Is
not difficult to imagine the cool shade
that the trees will furnish through the
heat of summer, and the large fields Of
clover, rye and oats, and another field