The Belding banner-news. (Belding, Mich.) 1918-1973, 1920-01-07
FARMERS Co.
OPERATIVE CONCERN
KEEPS EXPANDING
CLEANERS ORGANIZATION PUR-
CHASES ARMOUR & co. IN
TERESTS IN MICHIGAN

tlon IN Michigan and nelghborlng
states have completed the purchase
of the Armour & Co. interests in
Michigan, according TO an announce
ment of Grant Slocum, founder and
head of the Cleaners, of which there
are more than 10000 in Michigan
alone. The deal hands over to the
farmers not only the biggest and best
elevators in the United States, but a
complete business organization, the
headquarters being at Grand Rapids,
formerly under the name of the Lew
ellyn Bean Company.
The Cleaner corporation with a cap
ital stock of half a million will take
over the buying and selling ends of
the business at once, and Fred Lewe-
llyn, President of the Lewellyn Bean
Co., with his entire staff, in their
present capacities, will join forces
with the Cleaners. The Cleaner Clear
ing House Association, with head
quarters on Russell street, Detroit,
now owns and operates Ia buying sta
tons and elevators, with an establish
nseht in New York City, and numerous
others contemplated.
The great Cleaner chain is entirely
cooperative, and many thousands of
Cleaner farmers are the stockholders
sharing the work and the profits. By
acquisition of the Armor & Co., ter
minals, the farmers control not only
the production of the food products
but also to large extent, the market
ing to the consumers.
Although some farmers have made
profits this year, especially close to
big city centers, thousands have fail
ed" says Mr.. Slocum. "And they
have been practically forced to go in
to the marketing business in order to
keep their heads above the water The
farmers have been hit as hard or,
harder than, any other class, by the
increased cost of everything, especial
ly labor and manufactured products.
With control OF. terminals, the Clean
ers hope to stabilize the farming bus
mess as well as to give the public a
square deal"
Fred Lewellyn has been engaged
in cooperative work with farmers
for many years, and the company of
which he has been president handles
more than any two other organiza-
tions in Michigan. He has worked
in the belief that by sharing the ele-
vator's profits with the farmers great
er and better business is built up.
The Grand Rapids terminal elevator
and bean plant is the most complete
of its kind in the nation. The most
modern equipment has been installed
for picking, polishing, washing, dry
ing, etc, and for the handling and
storing of all products Of Michigan
farms. The Big Rapids terminal ell
evator and bean plant tbs the largest
in Northern Michigan, and equipped
with latest machinery for handling
grain. beans and other farm produce.
The Big Rapids plant will be a ter
minal to serve farmers Of northern
Michigan through local cooperative
elevators and local shipping stations.
1t is expected that many co-opera-
tive elevators owned and operated by
formers will come into the Cleaner
system, which is so planned that the
weak elevators are protected in lean
years by the stronger members of the
chain The leaders of the movement
hope by this means to check the nu-
merous failures occurring to isolateed
cooperative plants. A number of ell
eYators already are expected soon to
come in on the plan.
~"For years it has been the hope of
the Cleaners" says Mr.. Slocum,
"that some day men experienced in
business, men who had spent their
lives in terminal markets, handling
food products for the world, who rec
ognize the tremendous handicap un-
der which the farmers were working.
and join with them in handling and
distributing food in the most efficient
and honest manner, and thus help
solve a great national problem of the
day-high cost of living. The Clean
ers were the first to organize coop
erative elevators in Michigan. But
they recognize that isolated units,
competing with one another, were not
working toward solution of the prob
lem. Thus the great centralized sys-
tenn has been brought on a solid foun-
dation."
After indicating the confidence which
Cleaners had in Mr.. Lewellyn and the
other terminal experts who are join
ing the Cleaner work, Mr.. Slocum said
"At present farmers local co-opera-
tive elevators have no direct selling
and buying agency, but through the
Cleaner marketing system, which has
been in operation three years, the GEN.
trail agency handles the buying, sell
ing and management for all units. 1t
knows what each has on hand and thus
works for stability in the flow OF sup