The independent-reporter. [volume] (Skowhegan, Me.) 1909-1955, 1924-06-12
SKOWHECAN ROTAR|ANS
HAVE DAIRY DAY
Arrangements In thargelOf +. T.. Har.
riS. Visit 10 the Creamery.
Refreshments Served There

Arrangements In CllargelOi +. T.. Har.
riS. Visit 10 the Creamery.
Refreshments Served There
Tuesday last was Dairy Day in the
Rotary Club and the meeting was in
charge of Elmer E. Harris, who Sc
cured the services of Prof w. =. b.
Lockwood of Boston rs speaker Prof
Lockwood at the present time is sec
rotary of the New England Associa-
ton of Ice Cream Manufacturers, hav-
ing been given leave of absence
from his professorship at Amherst
College, to take up this work and
also that Of promoting and adverts-
ing the food value of milk and dairy
products. After the stirring address
by Prof. Lockwood, a large number
of the Rotarians went to the cream
cry and were shown about the plant,
having the different processes ex-
planned by Mr.. Harris, and as is the
case with all visitors of late. the gem
tlemen were treated with Creamery
Maid" ice cream. and given souvenirs.
With the visit of the Rotary Club,
the creamery has entertained many
persons including the public school
children.
Manager Harris takes great pride
in extending to all hearty welcome,
who visit this establishment. which is
very much up-to-date in every re-
spect as n creamery and ice-cream
plant, it being the largest of it's kind
in Somerset County. Mr. Harris,
who has been connected with the
creamery since February 1895, near
ly thirty years. and for 23 years its
manager, has seen many changes in
darying in Maine and New England
in general. Formerly cities like
Boston, Worcester and others In
Massachusetts were supplied for the
most part with milk from that state
Later when people got to know the
value of this product of the farm, and
due, in part, to improved methods
and equipment in caring for their
product the dairymen from other New
England states were called upon to
furnish large part of fluid milk.
While people have always used milk
to some degree as a part of their food
The time was when cream was con
sidered an eXtravagant luxury, and
ice cream was hardly thought Of as
food, and butter was something to
be used as sparingly as possible. The
creamery in Skowhegan has kept
abreast of the times due largely to
the foresight and energy of its man
ager and officers. Whenever there
was need for enlargement, this has
been done, and when the market
called for a certain kind of dairy
product. measures We're taken to see
that they We're produced. The
creamery was organized in 1884, and
for seventeen years butter making
was the only product turned out
there With the addition of separa-
tor and pasteurizer, heavy pasteuriZ'
ed sweet cream was manufactured tC
some extent. Now most of the pro.
duet sold is of this kind, altho some
butter is continuing to be made. Three
years ago. the manufacture on Il com.
mercial scale. of ice cream was be.
gun, and it was not long before 200
gallons per day were being turned
out and disposed of to dealers in
Somerset County. With the advent
of ice cream mechanical refrigeration
became necessity, and last year two
ten ton machines were installed ne
eessitating a large outlay of money
which was taken care of by the sell
ing of stock and loans, the tota
capitalization at the present time be-
ing $4,000
A new brick boiler house has beer
recently built containing a new AZ
horse power boiler. A well 112 fee
deep supplies the water needed, this
being in addition TO a very fine pure
spring of water that flows into the
factory.
In 1867 the old factory was re
modelled and enlarged to quite an ex
tent Three years ago an ice house
holding a thousand tons of ice wa'
built. At the present time with thu
installation of cold storage, thus do
ing away with the use of so mucl
ice, they have begun the delivery il
retail way to houses. Leon Towl'
has charge OF this department. usnt
truck in making deliveries. Mr.
Harris is assisted by Eldon II. Boyd
factory foreman and Miss Edna Craw
ford. head bookkeeper. The othe'
men employed in the creamery are c
II. Packard, r. r. Homsted, JOIN
Buzzell. l.. L. Smith. f. A. Benner ant
/ l.. II. Packard
For three years the creamery ha
maintained delivery truck in Bos
/ ton and operated n store This ha
been looked after very efficiently b.
Fl. w. Bradley. formerly Of thi
town and Chester Chapman also one,
Skowhegan boy.
| The 81 different routes which ex
tend around Skowhegan in radius
of Is miles are collected from by