Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1919-06-17
Report on Turner Center.

Report on Turner Center.
| Milk producers are anxious to know
more about the Turner Center dairying
association upon which some iudividu uals
connected with the N. E. NJ. P. A. have
an option. Manager Pattee has made
public the following statement:
Much interest Is shown, and some
impatience, in the progress Of negotia-
tions for the taking over of the Turner
Center dairying association by the milk
producers. A QUESTIONABLE was sent
out In March to all Turner Center
patrons asking them whether they be.
lieved that concern should be owned by
the farmers. Nearly thousand replies
were received and all except about Q
dozen were In favor OF farmer ownership.
Assuming this to be the prevailing
opinion, the holders OF the option en-
ployed s. b. Howes, for about 80 years
manager Of the Deerfoot farms, one of
the best known and most efficient milk
concerns in Boston. man Of conservs-
tive judgment and thoroughly familiar
with real estate and machinery values,
to inspect and appraise the physical
assets of the Turner Center association.
Mr.. Howes' report cannot be given in
detail at this time, but We quote the fol-
lowing from his conclusions:
"In going over the Turner Center sys-
tenn, have received certain Impressions
which may be of interest to your COM
mittee. l have been very favorably
impressed with the way the business is
conducted and the excellent spirit shown
by the employees, many of whom I met
in the course Of my work. This spirit
is highly creditsble to them, but 1t also
reflects the spirit of the management.
The concern has definite business
policy, but within this limit the men in
charge of the various plants are given
considerable freedom of action which
tends to increase their self-respect and
make them feel that they are not merely
part of the great machine but to them is
due to the extent of their responsibility,
the success of the business. They are
encouraged to think and to make sug-
gestions with the assurance that these
suggestions will have thoughtful consid-
Grafton by the management. Most of
them have been long in the service and
all show great interest in their work.
A system of reports sent to the general
Office keeps the management in close
touch with every agency for the pur-
chase or sale of it's product.
"The management itself, while it may
be called conservative, is not by any
means reactionary or timid. Its policy
is to buy up-to-date dairy machinery and
good Office equipment. To illustrate,
nearly every Office is supplied with
typewriter and one or more adding
machines, not usually found in country
milk receiving stations or creameries;
they have the latest thing in pasteuriz.
ing machinery and other dairy appara-
tus, the best make of wagons and good
trucks. When they cannot buy the
machine they need, they make it. Their
rotary can washers and hydraulic butter
printers are of their own production.
When the ice pond is too far away for
teaming and freight makes the cost too
high, they buy scow and tender and
bring the ice across the bay or they
build pond of their own; when fuel is
scarce they buy a woodlot; when lumber
is needed they buy timber lot; when
the creamery does not pay, they put in
an ice cream plant. They are always
ready to adopt q new idea and they make
few mistakes"
Robert Douglas & Co., one of the lead
ing firms of certified public accountants
in Boston, were employed to examine
the books and accounts Of the Turner
Center association. Their report is in
the hands of the committe and has not
been released for publication. Naturally
much Of their report is of such nature
that it's publication would be of great
interest to competing concerns and for
the present at least, it must be regarded
as confidential. Meanwhile the n. E. N.
P. A. committee with the aid of students
of CO operative organization, and legal
is trying to formulate plan
for acquiring and operating the Turner
Center system as the beginning and
part of cooperative marketing orgsniza-
tion, capable of expansion throughout
New England.