The Brattleboro daily reformer. (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1913-1955, 1916-03-08
yERMONTERS DISLIKE
FREIGHT INCREASE
Commissioner Brigham Appears Before
Board on Behalf of Green Noun
tain Farmers.


That the raising of milk in Yer.
mont is Improbable and that the
leased car system of shipments has
tended to create a monopoly in the
business OF shipping milk and cream
from Vermont to Boston and othar.
New England cities, was testified to
by Ebert S. Brigham, Commissioner
of Agriculture IN Vermont, at the in
terstate commerce commission hear
ing in Boston.
Commissioner Brigham submitted
a memorandum of protest from more
than 300 Vermont farmers and
dairymen, signed by himself, C. f.
Smith, master of the Vermont Stat.
Grange and representative of the Yer
mont Dairymen S association, and nv
w. n. Cadv Of the executive com
mittee of the Vermont State Grange.
lie testified that statements fled
with the Vermont secretary of state
to fulfill the requirements of the Yer
mont Dreaming bonding law show that
the total business done by milk firms
located in Boston and vicinity in
Vermont In 1914 amounted to $2,271.-
465.1S. OF this amount, he SAID S2,Ol5.-
256.S5, or r. per cent of the whole,
was done by two corporations, and
more than so per cent for four cor
porations.
He declared that anything that
would tend to increase the cost TO the
farmer Of getting his milk to market
would seriously affect the dairy in
dustry in Vermont, because at present
Vermont farmers are losing money
producing milk and they are only able
to support themselves and their fami-
lies by working longer hours than the
average workman, by producing crops
and feed at wer-than-market cost
and by using capital without interest
charges.
He said that the present leased-car
system OF transporting milk and cream
into the Boston market is unfair and
discriminating, that the Vermont
farmers or even small associations of
farmers are practically excluded from
shipping milk or cream to small
dealers or large consumers in any city
because Of the leased ear system: that
this system, if allowed to continue.
viii perpetuate q monopoly IN the
milk and cream business in Vermont
because it brings about condition Of
service and transportation available
only to the large dealers, against
which the small shippers cannot COM
pete.
He said the Vermont farmers are
already paying a combination of two
local rates on milk and cream. while
the farmers in Maine and New Hamp-
shire enjoy lower rate, although they
may be farther away from the Boston
market lie gave figures Of rates in
confederation
Cross examined by II Carter Hall.
OF counsel for II. p Hood & Sons.
he said he did not know of a single
milk shipping station in Vermont
where more than one New York dealer
picked up milk, while at the majority
OF the stations three, four and some
times i've Boston contractors took on
part Of their supply.
Mr.. Hall developed the fact that
milk is shipped from Vermont to New
York by an open-car system, but that
this system has not proved any more
advantageous than the New England
leased car system. lie tried to break
down Commissioner Brigham s testi-
mony that the leased car system used
for milk shipments from Vermont to
Boston, had tended to create monop-
oily.
Commissioner Brigham said that
while he had produced figures showing
the amount of milk shipped by the
Boston contractors, he did not have
full knowledge of the New York stu
alton. He was asked to file a statement
showing the shipments from Vermont
by New York dealers.
Mr.. Brigham had testified that the
open-car system was desired By the
Vermont farmers for shipping to Bos-
ton. To Mr.. Hall h. said none of tho
Vermont shippers made direct ship
ments to New York under the open
ear system, while this was done fire.
quently TO Boston under the leased
car system. lie said that while prices
paid to the farmers By the Boston
dealers were the same, there was
actual competition between several
| Boston contractors
Cross examined by John F. X
Cusick, counsel for the Whiting in.
terests, Mr. Brigham stated that Yer.
mont farmers are dissatisfied with the
price they are getting Vermonters, he
said, believe the quality of service
| takes precedence over economy; that
| if there is a change in rates, the