The herald-advance. (Milbank, S.D.) 1890-1922, 1913-08-08
A GRANGE At WORK
Progressive Pomona Grange In
Pennsylvania.
Owns and Operates an Extensive Rural
Telephone Service, Runs a Big Fair
and Encampmert and Co-operates
In Buying Supplies.
Especial Correspondence

The grange activities Of Center coun-
ty, Pa. are noteworthy. There are
twenty-four subordinate oranges in the
county and a Pomona grange. which is
the center of the grang movement IN
that central county of the state. The
grange hall. located at Center Hall,
Pa. is the headquarters Of several
lines of cooperative work, all Of which
are eminently successful. It has be-
come the evident sign Of 4 nsv era Of
educational and social life II. tile little
village of about 900 soils baause tile
benefits that radiate from it have
spread beyond the narrow limits of the
town and have affected the community
for miles around.
Among the noteworthy activities IF
Center county grange are tile fair and
eneampment grounds. owned by the
grange and incorporated. Grange park
embraces twenty eight acres and cost
the grange $1,000. Every year it holds
q fair and an encampment. Last year
there Were 5000 entries in the exhibit
ton hall N the grounds. and 4 smalt
cash premium is paid on every article
placed OIL exhibition. ana paid when
the fair opens. No blanks. no disap-
pointment, no contest. no prizes. 10
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 Il
thousand farmers and their families
living in tents furnished hy the grange
fair association. thus combining ea-
joyment and instruction.
This grange also operates IN extern
siye rural telephone service. the com.
pany being Incorporated with $4,000
capital. and the plan of cooperation
n representation runs through the
whole scheme. The central company
pays all taxes and makes reports to
the state and national governments.
1t also pays the rental Of exchanges
and charges stockholders i yearly
rental OF $40 per phone and nonstock-
holders Si2. There are now about 400
phones Oh the grange lines III the
county. A branch company may be
organized with not less than six
phones. the branch company erecting
it's own pole line. Each such branch
elects one director to the central com
pany. and the county grange elects six
directors aud makes all the rules to
govern the company. The county
grange is a subscriber to every branch
company. the price of the shares be-
ing $40 each. 1t may be interesting
to know that the cost is about $50 per
mile for wire. poles. brackets and set
ting. the price varying with the cost OF
labor. The success of the system is
remarkable. but 1t could not have been
so without the personal service feature
which enters into the plan. Each farm
er keeps the line In repair that runs
through his property. and there are no
salaries. This is the secret OF its sue
cess. 1t is practical. not theoretical.
cooperation.
Another one Of the activities Of Cen
ter county grange Is its fire insurance
! company. This was organized nearly
thirty-nine years ago. and for that
! time the average cost Of insurance per
800. including survey. premium and
policy, has beer 2O2-3 cents. Here
again the organization is representa-
live and cooperative. Only grange
members can be insured. II a man
loses his grange membership he must
withdraw from the company. No one
Is eligible to office in the company I'M
less he has property insured. Each
subordinate grange elects one director.
and the directors elect the officers. The
county grange elects three auditors.
who audit the accounts Of the direc-
tors. The plan works out admirably.
Besides this cooperative insurance. the
grange Is developing a scheme OF co
operative buying which is already say
ing dollars to the grange farmers OF
Center county. BY buying IN large
quantities and by the tlse Of trade
ards on approved houses a large saw
lie IS made on the neeeSSaries of life.
md In this manner the cost Of living
aas been materially reduced.
This cooperative work hi 4 pennsyl-
yania county can be duplicated in al
most any county in any state whore
Tie grange Is strong and whore such
operations IRE wisely AMI economical
1 manager. But ~businesslihe man
agenaent there must Sc. There must
also be Il willingness, on the part of
farmers m get together Hi this way
and stay together. And vet II n the
one thing that Kills attempted coop
A.4. ~4w4E