The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1939-12-07
LONG RANGE PLANNING

CnlS area as Qalfy SecIlOn, making
it a more prosperous community thru
out the entire year, was placed within
the grasp of Oakland a month or
more ago when the Carnation Com
pany announced it contemplated plac-
ing a milk receiving station here.
To have learned at this time that
the company had decided to locate
here should be a welcome Christmas
present for farmers and merchants
alike, but such news is not forthcom-
ing. In fact, unless the milk survey
undertaken by several business men
of Oakland to ascertain the COW popu-
lation of the county and the posi-
bilities Of increasing the dairy in
dustry, is more favorable than it
looked last week, then the company
probably will not locate here.
Just why there is uncertainty seems
to be due to several reasons. One is
that a number of the farmers, few
business and professional men Of
Oakland aren't looking any farther
than the end of their noses. They
don't seem to realize that in the long
run, the Improvement of any industry
in this section would benefit every
body.
A certain few look upon it as a
competing business to other dairy in
terests. But if the new industry
could so build up the dairy business
here that every concern got as much
as they wanted, wouldn't the farmers
be better off for having an outlet for
all of their product?
Others are wondering, in selfish
way, what "the other fellow" is GO
ing to get out of it. Some few farm
ers wonder why group of Oakland
business men would be pushing the
project Their view can be explained
easily in the words of L. S. "Pete"
Hartley, agricultural agent for the
Baltimore and Ohio railroad, who
spoke at one of the first meetings
held here in October.
Mr.. Hartley assumed some Of those
present were wondering what inter
est the B. and o. had in a milk sta
ton, especially when Mr.. Melhuish,
Carnations representative, was talk
ing of trucking milk to Clarksburg,
to the proposed condensery there.
SIN order for the B. and O. to survive
we've got to have prosperous COM
munities along our tracks. 1t is our
opinion that an increased dairy bust
ness at Clarksburg and at Oakland
would make those communities more
prosperous. When people are more
prosperous they will buy more COM
modities. The B. and O. is bound to
get some of that business. That's
why we're interested"
1t is just as true of the Oakland
business men. If the farmers are
prosperous, the business men will be
prosperous. If farmers don't have
any extra money, it's plain they can't
spend it.
It's just as true of lawyers, doctors,
and others. If they looked far enough
ahead they'd see that prosperous
community would mean more pros
perity for them.
And yet few see in this proposed
milk station nothing of benefit to
Oakland and to Garrett county's
farmers.
The Carnation company asked only
for milk survey Of the county. They
wanted 500 farmers to fill out blanks
showing the number Of cows they
MIXED. They didn't ask for contracts
to be signed. They merely wanted to
know if the area was big enough and
willing to be improved They asked
for fair trial. On the strength of
this information they were going to
erect station here at cost of about
$4,000, which would be able to care
for present supply, and an unlimited
supply in the future, depending on the
farmers desires to increase their
herds and total output. Thus far less
than 400 farmers have filled out these
blanks, although a number of meet
ings were held, and others were seen
at their farms.
If the farmers saw their opportuni-
ty they would rush to fill out the
blanks. If the business men here saw
their opportunity they would carry
them to the farmers.
If we all looked just a little bit