The Breckenridge news. (Cloverport, Ky.) 1876-1955, 1912-03-13
STOCK COMPANY
that IS UNIQUE
Its forty-one Members Are All
Of the Same Family.
IS A CLOSE CORPORATION
Father, Mother, Nine Sons and Three
Daughters, Together With Husbands,
Wives and Children, Take Up Farm
ing on q Large Scale.

Daughters, Together With Husbands
Wives and Children, Take Up Farm
ing on a Large Scale.
Farm and Fireside prints q most in.
teresting account of family in Ohio
which has formed stock company
to take up farming on q large scale.
There are forty-one people in the fam.
lily. Following is an extract from the
article:
The corporation Is called the Kirby
family. incorporated, and is composed
Of the father and mother, nine sons
and three daughters, together with the
husbands. wives and children Of the
younger members of the company, all
aggregating forty-one stockholders.
THE father Of this numerous fami-
ly, William Kirby, is president Of the
Kirby family. Incorporated. while his
wife. the mother of the twelve chill
dren. assumes the duties of vice presi-
dent On the board of directors are
the older sons and son-in-law, they
being selected by virtue of their
greater experience and wisdom in
farm management and business.
1.-The corporation is somewhat in the
nature of an experiment, even in Call
fornia. where many cooperative and
communistic industries have been
launched in times past. An initial tract
of 100 acres of land under complete
irrigation and adapted to intensive
farming has been purchased, and there
on the active stockholders of the COM
pany will find employment. The tract
and such adjoining tracts as may be
acquired later will be planted largely
to orange and olive trees, while poul-
try culture and fine stock raising will
be made prominent adjuncts.
1.-The organization is close corpora
ton. only relatives being entitled to
hold stock, and each stakeholder has
the privilege of employment from the
company. If he so desires, at a regular
wage or salary. Any profits which
may accrue will be realized in the
shape Of dividends, paid at such Pc
RODS as the board Of directors may
deem expedient. The company has
ample capital. coming largely from the
estate of the elder Kirby, in which he
his lifetime. Farm operations of
wholesale and extensive nature are
contemplated as soon as the company
Fan develop its plans. Modern scien-
tifc methods will be applied not only
to the crop growing, but also to the
farm management and to the selling
end of the enterprise.
"ln the way of reducing expense
and labor certain cooperative features
have been adopted. although each fam
right to expend the wages and divi-
lends of its members as it sees fit.
On an elevated portion of the tract al
ready owned large cluster of build
lngs will be erected. In the center of
4 spacious court the dwelling of the
father and mother will be built, and
therein will be arranged a large kitch-
en- and dining hall where meals for all
and workers will be serv-
ed. the food being provided by the
company. The wives and daughters
who help to prepare and serve the
meals will be regular wage earners.
Located around the court will be sep
arate bungalows for each Of the fam
lies and one or more for the unmar-
ried stockholders. Shaded avenues
will lead from each bungalow to the
main building, and the whole grounds
will be beautified by landscape gar
1ening.
This plan of forming a giant CO.
by the head Of large fam
lily, instead of making unqualified gifts
to the sons and daughters, is one which
may well be watched with interest.
Ever since the prodigal son wasted his
fathers substance the problem of d.
Viding she hard earned accumulation
Of a lifetime SO that it might be en-
loyed by the natural heirs and yet con-
served and safeguarded has perplexed
The husbandman. Possibly the family.
Incorporated. and thus bound together
by ties of law as well as by ties of
blood. is the solution.
likewise the cooperation, the elm
nation of waste and misdirected ef-
fort. the loss sustained by buying and
selling in small quantities-might this
1ot amount to sum sufficient to pay
I handsome annual profitr