The Washburn times. [volume] (Washburn, Wis.) 1896-1976, 1921-01-13

The Times aast week aevidelztly
stirred up quite aslrrnet's nest when
we published the prices ofsrilk and
cream at Milwaukee and other Wis
consin points as comparison with
the prices being charged by milk
dealers at Washburn. and as a re-
suit of the article, we gave thesNews
editor another opportunity to be-
moan his defeat at selectionAsnd 4 a
chance to lambast Messrs. Nelson and
Lenroot. whom She took OPT ortunity
toacouple up With the article.
In giving the. prices charged for
milk at milwaukee and other<A AViscein-
sin points we gave them as present
prices after January 1st. 1921 while
the News misleadingly published the
figures for December as taken from
She report of the Division OF mar
kets, which in almost every instance
were higher than the Miiwankeesprie
at that time, being lie while the
Madison price was the same, both Of
which have been dropped to the Ice
price since that time. =
We had nc intention whatevers1of
charging the milk dealers ofS Wash
burn with profiteering, for the Lord
knows that they are not getting rich
and are making but living at the
most, but on the other hand every
family in Washburr Is using milk
and they are entitled 10 any Swing
which it is possible to give.
Since the publication Of che ar
ticle the Times man has talked with
feed men, with milkSdealerx who are
affected, with officials Of the creamery
association, and all agree with feed
continually dropping that it mia be
possible to reduce the price Of milk
and cream as has been done, in other
cities, and one milk dealer even says
that If the prices. are lower by Jan.
10Th the, new prices viii go into
effect.
When milk prices were advanced
to their present level there was srea-
son for the advance. Feed prices
were high, farm labor was out Of
reach, and everything going into the
marketing of the product was at its
highest level. The decline ins the
price of feed is Just now being felt
the decline being about SO I-3 per
cent from the high price, except on
hay which is now $1,000 hess per ton.
For the information of our readers
and for the milk dealers we give
present prices OF feed at Washburn,
which are <as fcllowse
Oats were $500 per sack. now sStt:65.
Bran was $500 per- sack, now $500.
Shorts were ss.25 per sack. now
$500.
Dairy Feed was $3.75 nd. now
$3.00.
Hay was $500 per ton in the spring
of 1919, now s24:00 and $1,000
per ton.
Cracked corn was $500 nd. now $3.50
Corn meal was S4.0es nd now @2.5C.
There is no hay being shipped
into Washburn atathe present time;
in fact there is a surplus OF hay in
this region. so that despite the In
creased cost Of stranspaxtation
charges prices of other feed have
been lowered materially and there is
indications of further drop.
The trouble has always been iI
Washburn that there are too many
people engaged in the milk business
The overhead for marketing the milk
is too great where milk dealers are
covering the same territory with
their small output Of milk.
A Capitalization plant for ths
handling of the milk for the aWact
burn territory would have the effec'
of reducing the price Of milk to ths
consumer and at the save time give
the farmers the same price 4foi
his product which he now receives
for this would bring the delivery o.
the milk under the zone cost and thus
save covering the same territory.
At the present time there are
number of milk dealers who come Il
the city each gsorning with tAeirnraill
supply and cross and re-closs. eaci
others territory. The greater par
of the day is wasted By team ainc
driver in each case in sthey ssaisef,
of the milk.
If the milk supply could be handlet
through the Creamery Association
which is the farmers own institution
the price to the consumer could b,
materially reduced while the pric,
paid TO the farmer would be as grea'
as it is at the present time.
In Milwaukee and ssther :, point