Grand Forks herald. [volume] (Grand Forks, N.D.) 1916-1955, 1922-01-06
HOME TOWN Mill
SUCCESSFUL,
SAYS KITCHEN
Sentinel Butte Experiment
Planning Out Well, Says
Commissioners.

Bismarck. y. D., Jan. 6.-BecauSe
of an editorial in a local weekly paper
asking for information concerning the
success of The people Of Sentinel Butte
in running a cooperative mill. Joseph
a. Kitchen. commissioner of agricul-
turc and labor. whi!n at his home fol-
lowing the dinner 70 state officials a,
Beach. investigated the financial . n
dition. MIR. Kitchen is an Officer in
the mill. has been one of the stock
holders throughout the life. of the en-
terprise and has been associated will,
tho mill from the beginning.
At the time of, making the visit.
Mr.. kitcheQ found that the mill was
running moro thar full time to fill all
the demands made Upon it. and that
financially it was in q most prosperous
condition.
The information. requested in the
editorial. as furnished by Mr.. Kitchen
follows:
"Apropos to your editorial of Dc
cember 18th. which we note has beer,
copied verbatim by many newspapers.
entitled. "Anent the Drake Mill'. |
am very glad to supply wou with this
information:
Ten Per Cent Dividend Paid.
The Sentinel Eutte COOPERATIVE
!, Milling Company wa~ organized about
six years ago at $500 per share;
$l2.000.0O required for Mill complete.
No dividend vas paid the first year;
at the end Of second season a cash
dividend Of 1910 Tor both years was
paid.
In the original sale Of stock. APP
proximately $1,000 Of the $40 re-
CURED vas sold. In three years, rol-
lowing the two year.: in which a divi-
dend was declared, a profit equal to
the deficient amount was on hand and
the directors voted to enter a forced
sale of stock to all shareholders for
100 of the amoun Of their Shares,
which would be the same as the sell
ing Of about $4,000 of shares, enter
ing the profits as stock sales. With
the 10ec cash dividend, this makes a
dividend, from the time the mill was
built up to date, of 1926 per annum.
Is Busy and Prosperous.
in making an inspection trip
through this mill on December 30th,
the miller advised me they had al
least 5000 bushels of milling wheat
it and a note for $4,000 given in
making wheat purchases over the
amount the mill had in its working
treasury. This note is all the paper
the mill has out. Out of current
funds they recently bought A motor
for electric power; all taxes including
the 1920 tax had been paid; 65 bbls
Of -four had been sold the day befor>
my visit: the mill had. been runnine
nights but was unable to NEE the
demands for -four. Farmers have
come in over thirty miles M had t.
wait. for -four.
THE miller is paid $1,000 pc,
month: his wife helps some in book.
keeping without any other salary; II
running nights, the extra man get
$500 per day. This is all the help re.
quired.
"The Mill is strictly cooperative
and it's largest market is within d
radius Of 35 miles Of the mill. The
farmer brings his wheat if Of good
milling quality. it is taken and ne re.
ceivcs Hour and bran in exchange
There is no freight. jobber. whole
ale or any other factor TO caus:
complaint, and any observer will no
tice with such a local concern, where
they themselves control and govern
,.they would be TO blame for any losses
and farmers are, o in the habit OF
blaming themselves. I.think a fair
estimate Of the n worth or the
Mill to it's locality, outside of the in
vestment and dividends, in ~effectine
a cheaper price for flour and mil
feeds than would otherwise be OBJ.
tanned would be $4,000