THE TRANSPORTATION OF MILK 



203 



Harrisburg and Reading in Pennsylvania, and Milford, Princeton, Hightstown, 

 Bridgeton and Salem in New Jersey. But in 1911 the area was extended until 

 it reached points in New York State within a few miles, of Buffalo. In 1910 the 

 Reading System was drawing its milk for Philadelphia over practically as large 

 an area as was the Pennsylvania. 



"Table 64 shows the growth of the business of shipping milk by railroad to 

 Philadelphia." 



TABLE 64. GROWTH OF RAILROAD MILK BUSINESS IN PHILADELPHIA (MERRITT) 

 (Number of million gallons of milk received in Philadelphia) 



In the United States, the shipment of milk by steam railways increased 

 steadily and milk trains became part of the regular business equipment 

 of all railroads tapping the dairy districts. Though the percentage of 

 milk that was brought in by rail increased steadily, consumers were long 

 prejudiced against railroad milk for much of it was produced in an 

 insanitary way, was carelessly handled in transit and was not properly 

 cared for by the contractors who sold it. in many cities dairies persisted 

 within the city limits and in the suburbs. In some cases a considerable 

 percentage of the milk came from slop dairies. Thus in Boston they were 

 forbidden in 1859, but in New York they were not prohibited till 1873, 

 As late as the 90's probably most of the milk came from distances of not 

 greater than 100 miles but with the growth of the cities and the advent 

 of improved methods in producing the milk and shipping it and the de- 

 velopment of proper facilities for handling it, milk has come from greater 

 and greater distances and in better condition till now daily shipments 

 are made from dairy districts 200 to 400 miles away. 



Some Economic Features of Transportation of Milk by Railroad. 

 Harbison has outlined some features of the transportation of milk by 

 rail. "It moves every day in the year and in such regular quantities that 

 the maximum of use and economy is obtained from a limited amount 

 of railroad equipment. This is in marked contrast to the movement of 

 grain and many other commodities which is very heavy at some seasons 



