Alma record. (Alma, Mich.) 1878-1928, 1913-06-26
A GRANGE AT WORK
Progressive Pomona Grange In
Pennsylvania.
Owns and Operates an Extensive Rural
Telephone Service, Runs Big Far
and Encampment and Co-operates
In Buying Supplies.
Especial Correspondence


ty, Pa. are noteworthy. There are
twenty-four subordinate oranges In the
county and Pomona grange, whlch l.
the center of the grange movement Il
that central county of the state. Iht
grange hall. located at Center Han
Pa. is the headquarters OF seYera
lines OF cooperative work, all of which
are eminently successful 1t has be
come the evident sign of a new cru OF
educational and social life in the little
village of about 800 souls because the
benefits that radiate from 1t nave
spread beyond the narrow limits OF the
town and have affected the community
for miles around.
Among the noteWOrthy activities OF
Center county grange are the far ano
encampment grounds, owned by the /
grange and Incorporated. Grange paris /
! embraces twenty-eight acres and cost
the grange $4,000. Every year It holds T,
q fair and an encampment. Last yea
| there were 1900 entries in the eXhibi !
ton hall on the grounds. and SINAI
| cash premium is paid on every article
/ placed on exhibition. and paid when
the fair opens. No blanks. no dlsap
| pointment, no contest no prizes II,
horse racing, no gambling. Public
meetings are held daily in the large
auditorium, addressed by eminent
speakers, and every evening entertain
ments are given there by reputable
companies In the encampment are
thousand farmers and their families
living in tents furnished by the grange
fair association. thus combining en-
joyment and instruction.
This grange also operates an eXteu-
sive rural telephone service, the com
pany being Incorporated with $4,000
capital. and the plan OF cooperation
and representation runs through the
whole scheme. The central company
nays all taxes and makes reports 70
4 the state and national governments.
II also pays the rental of exchanges
and charges stockholders yearly
rental of $40 per phone and nonstocK-
holders $l2. There are now about 4ou
phones on the grange lines in the
county. A branch company may be
phones. the branch company erecting
its own pole line. Each such brancn
elects one director to the central com
< pany, and the county grange elects SIN
directors and makes all the rules tc
r govern the company. The county
grange is subscriber to every branci
- company, the price Of the shares De
ing $40 each. 1t may be lnteresuhs
TO know that the cost is about 500 pc
u mile for wire, poles. brackets and set
ting. the price varying with the cost
labor. The success OF the system
remarkable, but 1t could not have Deei
e. so without the personal service featur
r which enters into the plan Each 1arn
II or keeps the line In repair that run
through his property, and there are u
&C salaries. This is the secret or us sue
- cess. 1t is practical, not theoretca
cooperation.
Another one of the activities OF Gel
for county grange is its fire insuranc
- company This was organized neuii
thirty-nine years ago, ana ror 'n'
time the average cost of insurance pe
500. including survey, premium al
nolicv. has been 2023 cents. HeI
IRE again the organization Is represent
tive and cooperative Only grams
members can be insured. III ma
loses his grange membership he mu
withdraw from the company. NO OF
rs Is eligible to office in the company u
Toe less he has property insured Fac
SEC subordinate grange elects one dlrecto
,oc and the directors elect the ofhcers. IL
on county grange elects three audltor
who audit the accounts or the ulre
30 TORS The plan works out adm1raDl
o4c Resides this cooperative insurance, q
90 grange is developing q scheme OF c
90 operative buying which is already sa
90 ing dollars to the grange farmers
!, so Center county. BY buying In lar
M quantities and by the use OF ira
90 cards on approved houses a large ga
ing is made on the necessarles OF ~
and In this manner the cost or nvll
has been materially reduced.
oo This cooperative work In Penns'
40 vapia county can be duplicated In
wv most any county in any state whe
''oo the grange is strong and where su
f'oo operations are wisely and economic
500 " manager. But businesslike ma
3 90 agement there must be. There mt
also be a willingness on the part
farmers to get together in this W
and stay together. And yet II Is
900 one thing that kills attempted COZ
lOc eraion in many places-inability
hang together through thick and Il
and distrust Of one another. But Z
Is not a characteristic Of the gran
PIC farmers of this Pennsylvania tov
sc why should It be Of anyf
&c w. BARROW.