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ILLINOIS STATE DAIRYMEN’S ASSOCIATION. 
President, and It. It. Stone, Secretary. This association has done a great work 1 
dairying in the Northwest. About this time the Elgin Dairy Club was organize 
With Dr. Joseph Tefft, President. This also done much to remove the stumbli 
blocks that hedged our pathway to success. In the spring of 18f2jhe matter of < 
tablishmg a creamery in Elgin begun to be discussed, originating with Dr. Tefft. 
company was organized and Dr. Joseph Tefft sent east to look up the styles of buil 
in use th ere - Upon his return a site was selected, and what is known 
the Elgin Butter Eactory was built. Rather late in the season we commenced 
take in milk. Your humble servant was engaged to superintend the manufacture 
the butter and skimmed milk cheese. It was here with the help of some of t 
stockholders’ wives that we made the first creamery butter west of the lakes, 
fair start was made the first season, and the year following there were 80,000 poun 
of butter made, 60,000 pounds of which went to the government through Richar 
& Good, of Chicago. In the winter of 1873, the Illinois State Dairvmens’ Associ 
tion was organized, with J. R. McLean, President, and D. L. Eldridge, Secretai 
I his association, although organized to promote dairying in the state of Illinois, h 
done a noble work for the northwest. In 1872 the Elgin Board of Trade was orga 
lzed, and of its wonderful growth and usefulness all readers of dairy literature a 
familiar. Will simply state that its first year’s transactions amounted to $51,0( 
whilst the transactions of the past year amounts to $2,700 000. Wherever dai 
goods are handled in the world the Elgin Board of Trade is a household word, 
overcoming the great obstacles that lay in our path to success in dairying in f 
west, we had no greater help than the western agricultural press. We rememb 
with gratitude their efforts to help us on. They early saw that with proper directs 
this branch of agriculture would become a power in the west. We remember tin 
early visits to our factories. We have in our mind the very first in the person 
a young man, modest in his bearing, but determined to go to the bottom of ever 
thing pertaining to dairying in the West. He introduced himself <gs a representati 
of the Western Rural. He has never since let an opportunity pass unprepared to he 
on this great work. He has served as secretary of the Northwestern association, ai 
now fills a professor’s chair in your agricultural college, at Champaign. We refer 
Prof. G. E. Morrow. We have another in mind who came to our factory the san 
season in search of points upon this great question. He was older than the oth< 
grave in appearance. We took him for the newly-arrived Methodist preacher. I 
introduced himself as a representative of the Frairie Farmer , and as the years ha 
gone by this man has never lost opportunity to further the dairy interests of t 
west. We refer to Prof. Rodney Welch. There was still another, younger than t 
others, who at the early period of this great work found that if he would wisely co 
duct the dairy department of our local paper, he, too. must post himself. He off 
came to our factories for points upon which to write. He buttonholed us upon t 
streets, asking us all manner of questions about rennets, curds, acids and of thin 
animate as well as inanimate about cheese. And as the butter question came up a 
later day, we find him ready to advise, and from the bountiful feed of cheese, butt* 
milk and cream, this boy has developed into a full-grown man. Wherever dairyi: 
is carried on in the known world his name is familiar. We refer to your worthy se 
retary, Colonel R. P. McGlincy. 
All honor to these men and the press they represent. And I hereby tender n 
personal thanks to them for the good works spoken for me in bygone days. There 
another of whom we would like to speak, not connected with the press, whose nar 
will stand prominent when the history of dairying in Illinois is written up, and 
whom it can be said that no other man in the state has given more time gratuitous 
to the advancement of this great work in the west. He was older than the re 
of us ; he could reason scientifically upon the great questions that hedged our pat 
way to success in associated dairying; he has honored your Board of Trade and co 
ventions as your president; he presides over the deliberations of this body to-da 
We refer to Dr. Joseph Tefft. We call to mind with moistened eyes those th 
fought with us in those early days of dairying that since have crossed the dark riv 
to their long home, among whom were Robert Stewart, T. K. Wait, J. R. McLet 
and H. A. I ord. These were men that laughed at impossibilities. In calling the 
men to mind it awakens a feeling akin to that when I remember my own brothe 
that fell upon southern battle-fields. 
We would like to speak of the moral and financial bearings that a successful e 
tablishment of this branch of agriculture has had upon the state of Illinois and tl 
West, but will not trespass upon your time. Will only say that it has been our priv 
lige to live to see this form of dairying increase the price of butter from ten cents p] 
pound to thirty cents per pound, and cheese from six cents per pound to twelve ceni 
per pound. We have seen the farms cleared of mortgages and hovels give place I 
costly dwellings, and sheds to expensive barns; we have seen the children ot tl 
dairyman emerge from ignorance to knowledge and respectability. It carries with : 
