214 CITY MILK SUPPLY 



for the purpose proposed, the initial icing was estimated to require 

 7,400 Ib. After precooling 4,000 Ib. of ice would suffice to maintain the 

 milk at 50F. for a distance of 300 miles or a 24-hr, run. However, if 

 the car is to be opened at different points to receive milk the temperature 

 will fluctuate in accordance with outside conditions. The cost of icing 

 a car with 12,000 Ib. of ice will approximate $15 on a basis of $2.50 a 

 ton for ice and including necessary labor. By using the same cars in 

 the milk service, the bunkers would retain a percentage of the ice from 

 one trip to the next and thus the car would require on the same basis 

 as above, an average of only about 3,000 Ib. of ice at a cost of $4. Since 

 the necesary space for loading, and the requisite amount of ice must be 

 provided from the starting point of the car to the places of receiving and 

 discharging its load, the length of haul does not materially affect the cost. 



The railways transporting milk into Washington held that the length 

 of haul and the total shipments were such that the necessary number of 

 refrigerator cars could be furnished only at a rate which would make the 

 retail price of milk prohibitively high. 



At the time of the chamber's investigation the Pennsylvania lines 

 carried milk into Washington from less than 30 miles at 1% cts. per 

 gallon ; between 30 and 60 miles at 2 cts. ; over 60 and not over 90 at 2}^ 

 cts. Double rates were charged for cream. The Southern Railway 

 carried milk at a flat rate of 2J^ cts. a gallon which included the return 

 of empty receptacles. 



Improvement in Shipping Milk in Pittsburgh. In 1915 the Depart- 

 ment of Public Health and the Chamber of Commerce of Pittsburgh with 

 other civic bodies entered into negotiation with the railroads carrying 

 milk into the city to persuade them to furnish refrigerator cars for the 

 shipment of milk. The matter was finally referred to the Interstate 

 Commerce Commission and ultimately with the aid of the Bureau of 

 Chemistry the desired improvement was obtained. The situation was, 

 that while part of the milk came from nearby dairies, part came from 

 Ohio and was in transit 8 or 9 hr. The farmers were delivering a good 

 article at the railroad stations but the temperature of the milk in baggage 

 cars ran from 46 to 73F., with most of it well above 65. In many cases 

 the temperature of the milk was much higher than it was at the way 

 stations, the increase being sometimes as much as 15F. The bacterial 

 counts ran as high as 22,800,000 per cubic centimeter and the milk was 

 known to " geyser" sometimes. 



The railroads pointed out that with the milk delivered several times 

 a day, in small lots, at many stations, they could not afford to supply 

 refrigeration and had to handle the shipments as ordinary baggage. 

 Consolidation of the shipments so that carload lots could be quickly 

 taken aboard was essential if refrigeration was to be provided. The 

 wholesalers agreed to furnish consolidated shipments so that the rail- 



