212 CITY MILK SUPPLY 



Before refilling the tanks with crushed ice and salt the valve is closed 

 again, causing the warm water to rise to a height equal to the top of the 

 pipe. Any surplus water runs off through the overflow pipe and out- 

 side the pipe without egress of air. The valve is manipulated by a rod 

 and universal joints from the roof of the car by removing the plug door. 



When the tanks are cleaned, the round plugs at the bottom are 

 unscrewed about J4 in., when they release the brine; after it has drained 

 off, the plug can be entirely unscrewed and the settlings removed. 



In order that the car can be kept in a sanitary condition the floor is 

 covered with galvanized sheet iron, all crevices being soldered, and after 

 each trip or shipment of milk the floors are scrubbed. 



With this type of car a temperature of 35 or 40F. can be maintained. 



The milk cars that the writer has inspected in Chicago have been 

 very like ordinary baggage cars; in some of them a hinged shelf was at- 

 tached to the side of the car to hold cans. 



Rates of Transporting Milk. The transportation of milk in New 

 England was recently investigated by the Boston Chamber of Commerce. 

 The great milk-producing territory was found to be Maine, New Hamp- 

 shire, Vermont, Quebec and eastern New York, and the great consuming 

 territory to be the 163 incorporated cities and towns of Massachusetts, 

 Rhode Island and Connecticut, which together have a population between 

 5 and 6 millions. About 75 cars of milk move daily in New England and 

 of these about 60 come to Boston. Milk is carried: (1) as express; (2) 

 as excess baggage; (3) in leased cars; (4) under the Massachusetts Saun- 

 ders law by which a per can rate is charged and the railroad unloads and 

 ices the cars. 



The shipping rates that prevail are very different ; some railroads have 

 a single rate, a passenger or a freight rate; others deduct 25 per cent, for 

 all shipments by freight. Some rates are on a zone, while others are on a 

 flat, per mile basis. Some railroads charge the same rate for milk and 

 cream and others charge a higher rate for cream. 



The Chamber finds it probable that cream and some milk will be 

 shipped by express and advises that containers which may be insulated 

 or covered to keep down the temperature be used. The shipping as 

 excess baggage is usually unsatisfactory because of the high temperature 

 in summer and the difficulty of grading but some cream and some local 

 milk is shipped in this manner. 



The leased car system by which the greater part of the milk and cream 

 in New England is transported has tended to give the city milk dealers a 

 monopoly of the business in the buying territory and in 75 per cent, of 

 it this monopoly is already established; the farmer, finding it impos- 

 sible to secure competitive bids, has had to accept the city milk dealers 

 terms. The many short branch railroads along which but one car of 

 milk is produced have helped create this system which tends to engender 



