The Ordway new era. (Ordway, Colo.) 1902-1927, 1913-02-14
Alfalfa Mill Figures

The average resident has only q
meager conception of the magnitude
of the alfalfa industry OF Crowley
county, though they hear the whistle
at the big mill at Ordway at all hours
of day and night, can see hay stacks
in countless numbers in all directions
and know that large force of men
are employed in the various depart
ments of this institution. owned by
the Colorado Alfalfa Milling company,
for many months after the first of the
three big crops begins moving.
That our own people and the read
ers at distance may form some idea
of what the hay land Immediately ad-
iacent to Ordway produces, We are
giving few figures on the production
of meal at the Ordway plant, which
does not represent the total product
OF the fields, as much of the hay is
baled and shipped at all seasons of
the year, April being the only month
last year, according to the table ap-
pearing elsewhere on this page, in
which no hay was billed out.
In rechecking the monthly reports
of Agent Dannelley since publishing
this table previously, we found that
the alfalfa meal shipmuets did not
agree with the records at the mill and
discovered that during Mr.. Danuelley' g
absence Sc cars had been entered as
other grain products.
During the season of 1901 the
mill ground 366 cars of meal. The
l911-l2 seasons output was 245 cars.
Up to date this season 3S5, cars have
been shipped, 1875 are in storage in
the big warehouses, and it IL esti-
mated that there are 200 carloads yet
to grind, which makes a grand total
of 700 cars handled by this one con
cern. Much of the hay is grown on
land under lease by the company, two
OF their big fields being the Hanna
farm, which has $50 acres of hay
land and is managed by J. X. Thorn
as, producing this last season / 200
tons, and the Westfall farm contain
ing 800 acres of hay land, which
yielded 1900 tons. This place is in
charge of J. II. Portlock. The yield
of both these places has been greatly
increased under the present manage
ment.
The com psny hAsAlecentiy leased
the Burris ranch of 900 acres, the
Ransom farm Of 160 acres and all Of
the land belonging to ths Swiuk es.
tate, and now have a total of 22SO
acres under lease.
a total of $4,000 was paid the
farmers for hay delivered during the
month of November and the pay roll
at the mill amounts to $4,000 a
month this year.
In conversation with Superintendent
Mast We learned that the capacity of
the mill will be doubled by adding
electric power to the other grinder in
case such power il obtained from the
Arkansas Valley company, as has been
contemplated. The $50 horsepower
engine is capable of running all the
machinery and including one grinder,
but that il its limit. Between 13, 900
aud $4,000 tons Of hay have been
ground this season with one machine.
sn average of 100 tons every twenty
four hours. This was exceeded in one
instance, when 1876 tons we're ground
in the same period of time.
Our readers in the east will be in
clined to take this following with a
little salt, but the weigh tickets at
the mill Office will bear out us in
stating that on Wednesday four loads
of loose hay, weighing 10 tons, were
brought in by Mumm Brothers, and
one load delivered by Eli HockstetIet
contained 8 tons and 100 pounds.
Theis speaks volumes for the condi
tion of roads in Crowley county.
1t is estimated that the mill will
finish grinding about the middle of
April.
Considering the dull hay market at
this time and the shortage of CATS,
the farmers who contracted their hay
to the mill have every reason to be
thankful, as the price paid by the
company has not huctuated since the
season began.