Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1916-08-31

Milk for babies and hospitals will be had,
railroad strike or not.
This became apparent today when the
large milk dealers of the city announced
that they had taken steps to procure at
least half their normal supply by motortruck
IL the railroads find it impossible to trans
port milk in the quantities needed. Hos
pitfalls and houses where there are babies
will be served first lt
Philadelphia. drinking from 100000 to
$4,000 quarts of milk day, must be com
tent with half that amount, 1t was esti-
mated. Babies, children and patients, who
drink approximately half the total, will not
suffer. as the entire supply. IL necessary, will
be turned over for their use.
Fleets of autotrucks operated by the large
and small dairies will collect the milk from
the fafms that lie within 75 miles of the
city. The northern Pennsylvania, southern
New York and eastern New Jersey da ry
farms and other more distant milk sources
that in normal times furnish milk to the
city will be eliminated.
The greatest fear entertained by the
daries is the threatened shortage of coal,
which Is necessary for the cooling and
pasteurizing of milk. Another serious
drawback, should the railways be tied up
completely is a shortage in bottles. Sew
eral milk concerns reported being behind
in their supply of bottles. due to labor
troubles and the recent congestion of the
ra lroads with ammunition shipments.
In spite of handcaps, the dairies will en-
deavor to continue an uninterrupted serv-
ice, paying especial attention to family
trade. The presence of babies in house
will mean milk at that door II there is milk
20 be had
"a canvass of houses by our drivers will
determine where the babies are" said G.
r. Lindback. president of Abbott's Alder
ney Diaries. These houses will be served
first Our store and restaurant trade will
be cut down, II necessary. Our supply
will come from our farms that lie within a
radius of 60 miles and I think we'll be
enabled to bring in 30 per cent OF our nor
NAL supply by automobile"
The supplee Alderney Diaries have de-
vised a plan to serve every customer by
reducing the amonnt per capita, according
to c. II. Supplee, owner.
I'VE intend to furnish milk first to ba-
bies and hospitals and then to every Gus
toner, however small the amount may be-"
he said. 81
''It will be a serious problem to operate
q dairy plant II the coal supply is limited
Another problem will be returning the
empty cans to be, rSfilled. Unless the rail-
roads arrange to serve milk as usual and
TO return the cans the motortruckf milk
transportation system will have big job.
For instance, II would be all-day under
taking for an automobile to bring milk
from a farm. say. rs miles distant and
return the cans.
Inc price OF MIX stationary
today in the face of developments. There
will be no advance from the present price
OF 8 cents a quart. dalrymen said, unless
the wholesale price goes up. Philadelphia
pays less for its milk than any other large
city. II was stated.
Anticipating shortage. David c. Clegg.
chief milk inspectorfi today began arrang-
ing for the inspection of powdered milk
should that preparation spring into gen.
eral use. This milk is made" by pouring
boiling water over the powdered prepara-
tion. The resulting fluid must undergo in
spection just as ordinary milk he said.
Only small quantities Of II were found by
his inspectors, but It is believed that should
transportation be severely crippled there
would be a heavy shipment of the COM
pact preparation into the city.
The shipment OF milk, II was said by
Pennsylvania Railroad officials, would
precede all other goods in the event of a
serious railroad tie-up. Freight embargoes
do not affect II, milf being sent by passen-
ger trains.