^S ILLINOIS STATE DAIRYMEN's ASSOCIATION. 



The points I desire to make in the discussion of this question 

 will be more readily comprehended by first describing, summarilyy 

 the factories in general in the northern part of this state, and their 

 proprietorship and management generally. 



There are within a circle having Elgin for its center and a radius 

 of fifty miles, probabl3'' between sixty and seventy cheese and butter 

 factories. Many of these are inexpensive structures, erected hur- 

 riedly without proper regard to their adaptation — either in their 

 surroundings or internal arrangements — to the business. Two men, 

 as partners, are proprietors of seven of these sixty or seventy facto- 

 ries. Two men are severally the proprietors of three each. Four 

 men or firms, are severally the proprietors of two each. Of the re- 

 mainder no person or firm operates more than one, so far as I have 

 been able to ascertain. 



The seven factories of which the two gentlemen are the pro- 

 prietors are in their location distant from each other — the distance 

 between the two farthest from each other being at least fifty miles. 

 Only one of these gentlemen possesses practical knowledge of butter 

 or cheese making. It is impossible for him to receive the milk, make 

 the butter and cheese, or even to superintend the work in each of 

 these factories. Employes of the firm are necessarily intrusted with 

 the business. He can visit each factory once a week or so and give 

 the employes general directions. The factories of each of the two 

 men who severally operate three factories each are also distant 

 from each other, and though each of these gentlemen is skilled in 

 the business, still the work of receiving the milk and making the 

 butter and cheese is mainly intrusted to their employes. 



Of the other factories, I believe it may be affirmed that most of 

 them are under the proprietorship of men engaged in other business, 

 and who are not skilled in the manufacture of butter and cheese, or 

 if skilled, do not make or personally superintend the making of the 

 butter and cheese. The factories generally neither internally nor 

 externally present an attractive appearance, and the employes are 

 far from being models in neatness of attire or person. Patrons of 

 each factory, in numbers from ten to forty, carry their milk in eight- 

 gallon cans to the factory every morning (except in some cases Sun- 

 day morning) ; an employe of the proprietor receives it, weighs (or, 

 when the account is kept in gallons, determines the quantity) and 

 enters the amount in a book. The inspection of the milk, if any 



