Putnam patriot., 1916-04-07
Elk PARTE HEARING ON MILK QUESTION
Farmers Testify Relative To Leased Car System of Shipping
n. Price Paid Below Cost To Produce Ask For Oper


interest not only to the farmers in
whose interest it WIS held, but to the
whole of eastern Connecticut as well,
for if the facts as adduced are taken in
the light in which they were appar-
entity meant to be taken the number of
cattle on our farms have rot only
already been materially reduced but
are still on the decline. This, accord
ing to experts who testified, is one of
the worst blows to farming that could
be dealt, for on the production of milk
and the dairying department of the
farm depends the success of farming.
The question in issue was whether or
not the leased car system, under
which milk is at present marketed, is
responsible for this condition, and as
TO whether an open car system would
relieve the situation. 1t is believ ed
that the open car system would greatly
help the situation and it is for this
reason that the interstate commerce
commission was appealed To.
The recent report of the Boston
Chamber of Commerce, based on a
milk survey of New England, is what
started the agitation along this line.
The meeting in Putnam, the only one
to be held in Connecticut, was brought
about through the cooperation of the
Connecticut Dairy mems Association,
The State Board of Agriculture, the
grange and the WIndham County
Farmers Association, who jointly pre-
vailed upon the commission to give
hearing to the milk producers of this
section. Lawyer Herbert Knox Smith
Of Hartford WIS retained by the above
mentioned bodies to represent the in
terests of the farmers. He was assisted
by LAWYER K. G. Morse of Putnam.
After the hearing closed Mr.. Smith
was highly complimented for his pre-.
sentaeion of the case. A number pre-
sent, who had attended all meetings SO
far held, stated THAT they had never
listened to SO intelligent body Of
witnesses as appeared at the Putnam
hearing.
The hearing was before George n.
Brown of Washington, ID. c., ex-
aminer for the comm ission and the
commission was represented legally
by Lawyer Carl j. Garten. Others
who appeared and ,propounded ques-
lions were John G. circuit, secretary of
the Boston Chamber of Commerce,
Lawyer John f. Cusick, representing
the Elm Farm Milk Company and the
Providence Dairy Company, w. Il.
Cole of the Boston Il Maine road, A.
b. Smith general passenger agent OF
the New Haven road, Fremont Whit
ten, who has charge of all milk ship
ping for the road, and George Albree,
large independent milk producer of
Concord, Mass, who is fighting for
better conditions. All of the witnesses
testified under oath and the testimony
was taken by stenographer.
George III. Kimball of Pomfret was
the first witness and he testified in
substance as follows: He kept 30 COWS
and had been producer for % years.
He sells to the Elm Farm Milk Com
pany of Boston and had never sold to
any one else. He received contracts
from this concern with the prices all
filled in and he signed them. The
winter prices were 40 cents per II
quart can for October, November end
December, 81 cents for January, SO for
February, and So for March. The sum-
mer price last year was 81 cents Tor
April, July, August and september
and % cents for May and June. TO
provisions for bonus is made for aodi-
tional butter fat or solids. There was
bonus for bacteria and cleanliness
which went into effect last winter. he
had never had any competition for MS
milk from Boston. He recently had
more advantageous offer from Provi'
dence, the milk to be shipped BY troll
ley. The number of milk cans put on
the car at Danielson, where he ships
from, are steadily decreasing because
there is not the profit in milk there
was formerly.
Asked by the examiner what ne
wanted he said he wanted some ar
rangement to get more for his milk.
He could not say whether the open
car would solve the problem or not.
Charles w. Williams of Killingly
has been Is years in the business Keeps
Is TO IS cows. He had chance in
1906 10 ship 10 cans day to hotel Le-
nOx in Boston at an advanced price
but it was found that the milk coula
only be shipped by express at an eA'
horbitant rate and then WIN
cut icing. He estimated the cost
Of producing milk at cents not III
Guiding labor. He thought il an open
car was provided SO that milk could De
shipped it would bring other buyers
TO this section. He also said that
herds were being decreased and that
In some instances milk production
was being given up entirely.
Chester Z. May of Woodstock has
been producer for forty-two years
formerly having from fifteen TO thirty
COWS. He now has but three as he