THE MILK QUESTION. 45 



just listened. I had the pleasure, a year ago this Aveek, of 

 visiting the headquarters of the Onondaga Milk Association 

 at Syracuse, and I am most happy to bear testimony, the 

 strongest and fullest possible, to the correctness of the state- 

 ments made by Mr. Alvord in regard to what that associa- 

 tion is doing. I have a married daughter whose family have 

 been supplied by this association for the last five years, and 

 they testify to the uniform good quality of the milk furnished 

 by them. They have received their milk at a cost of four, 

 five and six cents a quart, at different periods. The super- 

 intendent of this Association, who took me over the whole 

 building and showed me all the details, stated one point 

 which is slightly at variance with one of Mr. Alvord's state- 

 ments, and is more favorable to the milk producer and to 

 the consumer. I think you stated that the milk was deliv- 

 ered by the producers ? 



Mr. Alvord. At the depot. 



Mr. HiLLMAN. The manager stated to me that that was 

 not the case. The wag-ons distribute the milk in the morn- 

 ing, and then, after resting during the middle of the day, the 

 same teams are sent out, in the latter part of the day, among 

 the farmers, to collect the milk, which you see is much more 

 economical than for the farmers to be obliged to bring their 

 milk in ; and this whole expense of collecting and distribut- 

 ing among the consumers and sellers, of collecting payment 

 for fhe milk, and the losses, every expense attending the 

 business, is covered by less than one cent per quart. So 

 that when milk was sold in Syracuse at four cents per quart, 

 the producer was receiving, net, over three cents, and when 

 it was sold at five cents, he got over four cents. That is a 

 case of economical management and cheap handling. It 

 seems to me that there can be nothing more perfect than that 

 method of distributing milk, wherever milk is wanted. 



Mr. Ware of Marblehead. One year ago, I was at 

 Washington, and went throuofh the establishment that has 

 been alluded to by the essayist, I understood him to say 

 that that was the best conducted system for the supplying of 

 milk to be found in the country. Did you say that? 



Mr. Alvord. Where there was a single owner of the es- 

 tablishment. 



