River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1913-08-14
How To Get Rid OF Washday
BY ]. A. WYE
From Farm Stock and Home.

By j. A. WYE
From Farm Stock and Home.
A new cooperative movement ha
seized the farmers surrounding tn
village of Chatfeld in SoutherI
Minnesota, The farmers wives
usually the last to receive consider
alton in this busy strife for money
making on our farms, are the one
who are mostly concerned. Through
IL the farm home has been relieved
OF its heaviest burden, that of BLUE
Monday"-wash day. A co-opera
tive laundry, owned and managed
by the farmers in connection with
their creamery is the latest innova,
ton for better things on the farm
and in the farm home.
The idea of farmers co-opera-
tive laundry in Minnesota is a nat.
ural outgrowth of the large number
OF farmers cooperative enterprises
within the state. About seven years
ago a man by the name of Chapman,
who was then butter maker at the
Chatfield creamery, one of the first
cooperative reameries in the State,
took an old churn and fitted it with
betting and shafting to run as a
washing machine in the creamery
engine room. This was the begin
ming of the practical development
of farmers cooperative laundry.
The economy of operation at once
appealed TO the creamery manage
ment, but as they had just over
hauled their plant and were in debt,
1t was not considered advisable to
develop the idea any farther at that
time.
SETTING THE BALL TO ROLLING
The creamery had been paying
dividends from the sale of butter.
milk, which averaged from $3.50 to
$500 year. Not long after the
erection and operation of the i'm,
proved washing machine, the direct
ors recommended to the stockhold-
ers that they pass their dividends
and allow them to accumulate as a
surplus to be used for renewals or
other betterments. In 1912 this ao-
emulation had amounted TO over
$4,000. Chatfeld waa fortunate in
having another farmers organiza-
ZION. known as The Farmers Club.
1t was, and is potent factor among
the farmers for carrying out meas
ures for their betterment. The off,
GERS of this club as we'll as those of
the creamery thought that the time
had come to operate farmers laun-
dry in connection with the cream
cry, And that in order to make
such an org anization successful,
the good will and support of the
townspeople woald DO necessary as
we'll as that of the patrons of the
creamery. To focus the project, a
big picnic with program on CO.
operation was arranged. 1t was
we'll advertised and largely attend
cd. After an enjoyable dinner came
the program. At it's close those
present were asked to vote on the
advisability of establishing a CO.
operative laundry. No constitu
tional provision could debar women
from voting here. The result was
an emphatic expression in favor Of
the laundry.
A committee was appointed, an
organization perfected within few
days, and prominent citizens began
to canvass in tie village and among
the farmers to induce them to take
stock in the new compay. The ef-
fort was at once successful. Two
hundred and twenty-four families
agreed to have their washing done
at the new laundry, and subscribed
So, 5000 in stock towards its estab.
lishment in amounts varying from
S. to SIS.
WHERE THEY ACTED WISELY
The new organization was made
entirely distinct from that of the
oraopoarv brt the ofScers 0f the