The true Democrat. [volume] (Bayou Sara [La.]) 1892-1928, 1912-05-25

pers Of East Baton Rouge and East
and West Feliciana parishes Mon
day to proceed against the MissiG-
sippi Valley Railroad Company in Or
der to secure better train service.
President T. C. McK0Wen Of the
dairy association has put this matter
up to the State Railroad Commission,
explaining the great losses that the
dairymen suffer because of irregu-
lar and inadequate train service. It
is likely that hearing Of this mat
ter will be ordered at an early date,
as the milk shippers contend that
not only are they being subjected to
ruinous losses but that the product
is handled in a very insanitary way.
Howell Morgan, of Lindsay, one Of
the largest shippers, is a leader in
the movement. The TimeS-DemO-
crat of Wednesday says
Mr.. Morgan says that the railroad
company is solely responsible for a
large part Of the insanitary milk
that is unloaded in New Orleans ey-
cry day. "The milk received at
Slaughter" he says, ''includng all
that is shipped oyer the WoodViIle
and Bayou Sara branch of the Mis-
sissippi Valley Railroad, is set out
in the sun without any protection
whatever This is an ideal cOndi-
ton for the bacteria inside Of the
cans to multiply so rapidly that half
of the milk is sour before it reaches
New Orleans.
This statement especially applies
to the morning milk shipped on the
Woodyille branch" says Mr.. Nor
gan. ut arrives at II o'clock and
stands in the sun from two to three
hours before the southbound train ar
riyes to take it 10 New Orleans. |
have seen milk waiting in the sun
for this train at several of the 9th
er stations, but the cans are expos
ed for a longer time at Lindsay
than at any other point.
81 doubt very much if any dairics
in the South have ever been han
died with more care and cleanliness
than the diaries in Feliciana par
ish," says Mr.. Morgan. "They be-
long to the best class Of the ante
boil weevil cotton planters, who look
more carefully after the clearly
and sanitary part of the business
than they do after the profits. Yet,
about one-haf who started in the bus
mess have been compelled to get
out of it on account of the losses
sustained between the points of
shipment and destination.
Milk that has been reduced toI
a temperature of 40 to 50 degrees
and kept at that until the moment
of shipment should not sour beforeI
reaching New Orleans, but it does.
Aside from being kept in the sun,
we have evidence that there areI
other causes that contribute to this
result. There is loss in weight on
nearly every can shipped to New Or
leans, and what is much worse. the
New Orleans test is so far below theI
home test that we are convinced theI
cans are opened and part Of the CON
tents stolen. Opening the cans IN
der conditions existing in the cars
affects the action Of the bacteria.
We feel that some drastic action, orr
al least investigation should be made
to discover and punish the guilty
parties, for the protection of the
shippers and in order to insure the
delivery of sanitary milk in thel
cities.
eve pay the railroad 2 cents al
gallon for carrying themlk to New
Orleans. Then, because of their i'm
proper method Of handling it in tran
sit, the milk sours and is returned
to us, for which we have to payi
them 2 cents gallon more. If the
cream was left on the milk that isl
returned we might get a little but
ter out Of the shipment even after
having paid them double rates for
their own negligence. But we find
that the cream has been skinned
off, before the milk is returned"
The dairymen have a we'll estab-
lished case to bear them out on
this point, it is said, 1t occurred on
ly few days ago. The shipper. a.
woman living in West Feliciana par
ish, has fine herd of Jersey cows
and her milk is noted for its rich