CHAPTER XL

DAIRYING

For some seventy-five years past the most important crops produced on the Orange County farm has been, and is to-day, milk. This alone exceeds the combined value of all else the farmer produces. All other crops are gathered once a year only, but a new crop of milk is in evidence every day, Sundays and holidays included. Under existing conditions the producer has no difficulty in disposing of all he can make at a market so close at hand that it can be delivered within an hour from the time it is drawn from the cow. Thus it is a continual source of ready and regular revenue.

Prior to 1842 the total, and for many years later a large majority, of the output was turned into butter right at the farmer's home. As a rule the farmer's wife personally attended to churning, working and packing the butter into the tub, all ready to be sent to market.

Orange County butter was a trademark that achieved a wide reputation as denoting an article of superior quality, and the yellow bills issued by the Bank of Orange County were known far and wide as "butter money."

But the Orange County farmer no longer makes such disposition of his milk. To both himself and his wife, butter-making is a lost art. Besides he is no longer a farmer but a "dairyman"' or "milk producer," for his principal business is to supply the market with milk, What farming he does is merely a side issue.

The beginning of these changed conditions dates back to 1842, when the Erie railroad, then hardly out of its swaddling clothes, carried to New York the first consignment of milk that ever reached that city by way of a transportation line.

In 1842 the city of New York contained, approximately, a population of 315,000 and used about 30,000 gallons (3,000 cans, forty quarts each), of milk daily. A large proportion of this was produced within the city limits, very much (probably a large majority) of which was the output of cows kept in stables connected with and fed on the refuse of distilleries and breweries. Very aptly this was termed "swill milk," for it was all that the name implies. The balance was brought in by wagons from the surrounding farms.

Early in the summer of 1842 Philo Gregory, a milk producer at Chester, N. Y., was induced to try the experiment of shipping milk to the New York market. At this time the road was in operation as far west as Goshen, with its eastern rail terminus at Piermont, on the Hudson River, twenty-four miles from New York and forty-one miles from Chester. At this point all passengers and freight were transferred and reached the city by boat. There were many doubting Thomases who contended that it was impossible to carry milk this distance and deliver it in good condition. But the experiment was a success from the start, so much so that there was a continual call for more dairies and a gradual increase in the number of shippers. Orange County milk soon gained as favorable a reputation in the New York market as Orange County butter had previously achieved. More or less sour milk was in evidence from time to time, enough at least to give excuse for the aforementioned doubters to exclaim: "I told you so." Comparatively little trouble arose from this source, however, as nearly all shipments were in merchantable condition when received. If otherwise this was not due to the distance hauled, but the lack of proper care.

In the first few shipments wooden churns were used, these being the most convenient vessels at hand. But tin cans soon came into use. These were of five sizes, twenty, thirty, forty, fifty and sixty quarts each. Although milk was shipped twice a day, morning and evening, it was not considered safe to send what was left over from any one milking. For this reason every shipper provided himself with all these sizes as a means of cleaning out as closely as possible. At this time an ice house was an institution unknown to the farm. To the milk producer of to-day an ice house is regarded as almost as much of a necessity as the milk can or the cow. But in 1842 and for some years later, natural facilities for keeping milk from day to day could be found on nearly every farm. Flowing springs, the temperature of which never rose above about fifty degrees, were then plentiful in Orange County, much more common than now. It was some time after Mr. Gregory made his first shipment that farmers learned to use these springs, and discontinue the morning shipment. It was later still when the majority ceased yarding their cows early in the afternoon and shipping this milking the same evening. Since these early days much has been learned about how to keep milk in good condition for a long time. But even now the great possibilities in this direction are not suspected by the average producer.

In 1843 the road was operated as far west as Middletown, in 1846 to Otisville, and in 1848 to Port Jervis. The only portion of the territory thus traversed that was well adapted to the production of milk lay between Otisville and Greenwood (now Arden) a distance of thirty-one miles. The total amount of milk shipped in 1842 averaged about forty-five; in 1843, 275 cans, and in 1844 some 420 cans daily.

The first regular milk train was run on the 3d day of May, 1847. It ran morning and evening, leaving Otisville at 6.30 A. M. and 4.15 P. M., scheduled to reach New York at 11.30 A. M. and 9.15 P. M. Otisville continued to be the western terminus for the run of the milk train until 1868, when it was extended to Port Jervis. Not until 1884 was any attempt made to develop any of the extensive and excellent milk territory lying west of Port Jervis. All efforts in the direction of securing increased supplies were centered on the eastern (now New York) division. Here, by its branches and connecting lines, it made practically every can of milk produced in Orange County available to the New York market. Prior to twenty-five years ago nearly every producer shipped his milk direct to the dealer. While these conditions prevailed the milk manifest at any station where a large amount of milk was loaded contained so many names of shippers and consignees that it resembled the poll list of an election district. At these same stations now, although loading more milk than formerly, it is unusual to find more than two or three shippers. While the list of consignees has not decreased to the same extent, still it is very short as compared with the former period. The one time shippers are now patrons of the local creamery, from one to three of which may be found at every station.

The first butter and cheese factory, or creamery, started in the State of New York was located near what is now the Crystal Run Station of the Ontario and Western Railway. This was about 1856. It was cooperative, owned and operated by the farmers of the neighborhood. The object was to lessen the labor at the household and also make a more uniform quality of butter than was possible when churned at each individual home. The cream was made into butter, the skimmed milk into cheese and the whey mixed with grain turned into pork. Thus nothing was wasted and the venture proved successful. Other similar factories were started in different sections and inside of ten years Orange County was dotted over with such establishments.

Generally they were operated as co-operative concerns, and quite as generally, due to lack of proper management, were unsuccessful. As a consequence they were either abandoned or passed into the possession of private parties and were no longer used exclusively for manufacturing. More money could be realized by shipping milk. Only such as could not be disposed of in this way was turned into butter and cheese.

This Crystal Run factory was the progenitor of the present day shipping stations from which the New York market now receives approximately ninety-eight per cent, of its milk supply and practically all its cream.

Prior to the foundation of the New York milk exchange, in October, 1887, the price paid for milk delivered at these factories, or shipping stations, was determined by the highest market price of butter. Stockholders in the co-operative factory were paid whatever might be earned, but when milk was purchased outright the producer received the price of one pound of butter for every twelve (or 12-1/2 as might be agreed) quarts of milk delivered.

When the milk exchange began to announce prices (which prevail until otherwise announced) the stations accepted these as a basis and bought at a discount that ranged from ten to twenty cents per can of forty quarts. Later these discounts were lowered from time to time and now range from ten cents to nothing.

Nearly all of these stations are now operated by dealers who use them as a source of supply for their city trade, the balance conducted by parties who have no interest in the city business, but supply such dealers as do not care to operate a place in the country.

In the county of Orange are (including its three condenseries) seventy milk shipping stations, every township being represented by from one to twelve. Mount Hope has the one, Warwick the twelve.

In addition are two cheese and one butter and cheese factory, the latter the celebrated Neufchatel cheese factory of William E. Lawrence & Son, at Chester. In 1906 this establishment turned out 7,000 pounds of butter, 600,000 pounds of Neufchatel and 273,000 pounds of square cream cheese.

From January 1st to December 31st, 1907, the daily average output of milk in the county approximated 9,400 cans of forty quarts each. This was disposed of about as follows:

Shipped to the New York market 6,000 cans, 40 quarts each. Consumed in the county 1,850 " " " " Condensed 750 " " " " Turned into butter and cheese 400 " " " " Skimmed or cream 400 " " " " ______ Daily average production 9,400 cans, 40 quarts each.

For milk shipped from 1842 to 1854 or 1855 producers received the following prices:

Months. Cents per Quart. May, June, July and August 2 March, April, September and October 3 November, December, January and February 4 __ Yearly average 3

In 1854 or 1855 the Milk Dealers' Union was organized for the avowed purpose of determining future prices. This body proposed to (and did) meet on the tenth day of every month and "make a price" for the preceding month. Thus, the producer did not know how much he would receive for his milk until ten days after it had been shipped, distributed and consumed.

This was so palpably unjust and one-sided that producers were indignant and since then have formed many counter organizations and combinations for the purpose of taking the price-making power out of the hands of dealers. All these were failures.

The present system of fixing prices, in vogue since 1882, is more equitable. It is the producer's own fault that it is not the best that could be devised. The Consolidated Milk Exchange, an incorporated stock company, announces prices in advance of delivery. This is merely an offer to pay a specified price until otherwise announced. This constitutes a legal price, inasmuch as no one is under any obligation to deliver any milk, provided the offer is not satisfactory.

With one added feature it would be a perfect way of satisfactorily settling the matter of price, a problem that has for fifty years puzzled the brains of the wisest milk producers in Orange County. That this feature is lacking, milk producers alone are responsible.

When the milk exchange was incorporated and before organization was completed, producers were invited, urged and pleaded with, both by dealers and the more progressive, level-headed producers, to subscribe for half of the capital stock and thus be entitled to equal representation on the price committee. But this they refused. Had the offer been accepted producers would have a voice in deciding prices, a conceded right which for fifty years they have been striving to secure but voluntarily surrendered, when once within their grasp.

Of all the movements for gaining control of prices, the action of March, 1883, was the most notable. Very few members of the numerous associations organized for this purpose were willing to admit that supply and demand had, or should have, any influence in determining the market price of milk. Nevertheless, the keystone of every effort to advance prices was by curtailing the supply. This was to be accomplished by persuading producers to withdraw part or all of their shipments until dealers were brought to terms.

But it was difficult to find anybody willing to keep his milk home and thereby realize two cents a quart, while his neighbors continued to ship and were paid three cents. For this reason every scheme of this kind was doomed to failure.

Early in March, 1883, the managers of the Milk Producers' Association of Orange County, reinforced by their brethren of Sussex County, N. J., notified the dealers that the market price of milk for that month would be three and one-half cents a quart. This brought about a conference of the opposing forces. Dealers offered three cents for the first and three and one-half cents for the last half of the month. Neither party would recede from its position and both resolved to fight it out on these lines.

Producers proposed to withhold all shipments, commencing about the 15th, until dealers were starved into submission. Experience had shown that something more powerful than moral suasion would be required to induce producers to discontinue shipping.

Hence the leaders in this movement determined to use force where persuasion failed. For this purpose a "spilling committee" was appointed for each station and instructed to be where it could do the most good about the time a milk train was due. The orders were not to allow a can of milk to pass into the possession of the railway company. This was to be done peaceably, if possible--forcibly, if necessary.

Pursuant to these instructions, would-be shippers were halted on the highway and ordered to take their milk back home. Some protested mildly, but finally obeyed orders. Some objected strongly and their milk was poured into the street.

But there were still others who were determined to ship or fight. They gave the "spillers" to understand that they would not tamely submit to highway robbery, that they intended to ship their milk, and that an undertaker would be needed to care for any one who attempted to prevent it.

Many drove to cross-roads between stations where by previous arrangement the train would stop and load the milk. It was useless to appeal to local authorities for protection from the "spillers," as they were either afraid or too indifferent to take action.

It was reported that the Governor had been appealed to, and was about to issue orders to the sheriff of Orange County to quell the rebellion, but the blockade was voluntarily raised after a three-days' struggle.

Shipments of dairy milk in Orange and Sussex Counties fell off about twenty per cent., but creameries shipped more than usual, presumably enough to reduce the net falling off to about fifteen per cent. Fortunately no blood was shed in this war, but much milk fell by the wayside. It was not a victory for producers, as bills were settled on the terms originally offered by dealers, three cents for the first and three and one-half cents for the last half of March.