E. C. RINDGE MODEL DAIRY FARM

 

MILKING THE HEIFER THAT WORE A SLEIGH-ROBE.

The Cortland Democrat, Friday, December 16, 1898.

MODEL DAIRY FARM.

A PLEASANT VISIT TO THE HOME OF MR. E. C. RINDGE.

The Work Required to Supply Cortland with Milk—An Industry That Commands Much Capital—His Excellent Facilities for the Business.

   Cortland people who every morning receive their quart of rich milk for the insignificant sum of four cents have but little conception of the capital required to conduct a large dairy, and of the work necessary to get the product distributed to hundreds of patrons throughout the village. Rain or shine, hot or cold, in blinding snow storm or deep mud, the favorite milkman makes his rounds as regularly as the clock, now and then halting a moment to chat with the housemaid, or to make a sale of checks, a system which is in vogue everywhere, as by this method the making of change every morning is avoided. The housewife has but to deposit a small bit of cardboard calling for a given quantity of milk in a pail or pitcher, place it outside the door and the milkman does the rest. Returning possibly within five minutes she finds the little check gone and in its place is the delicious milk. This is the story of one end of the route, and now let us investigate one of the head centers of the dairy products, from which much interesting information may be obtained.

   One of the largest dairy farms in Cortland county is owned by E. C. Rindge, and is located northeast of the village not far from the county farm. It is possible this location was selected by design with the view of having a handy refuge at the poor house in case the dairy business proved a failure, but Mr. Rindge with push and energy can look down upon the charitable institution with complacency, as his success is assured and the old homestead will be his abiding place as long as he lives.

   The Rindge farm, as it is called, consists of about 230 acres of as rich land as is found in Central New York and the buildings are especially adapted for the dairy business. On a level partway up the hill road leading from the county house to McGrawville is a farm residence built in the style of years ago, with modern improvements in its architecture. It is the home of Mr. Rindge. It was here that he was born and where four generations of the Rindge family have lived, with a fair prospect that one or two more generations at least will cling to the old homestead. Mr. Rindge is emphatically a dairyman and his family heartily seconds his work in this direction. All improvements about the farm and buildings are made with an eye to the interests of the cow and the best method of securing satisfactory results.

   On the west side of the road are located a series of buildings which comprise barn, milk house, ice-house, silos, and other necessaries of a dairy farm. The barn proper was built by Mr. Rindge's father, but the numerous additions made by the present owner have wrought such a change that the original structure can hardly be recognized. Mr. Rindge has now about eighty cows, and his stables will accommodate thirty or forty more. The stables are warm, and the long passageways are laid in cement similar to that used for the village sidewalks. At present his herd is continued to no one particular breed, but Mr. Rindge has an abiding faith that Holsteins are excellent milk producers and he now has several fine animals of that breed. He recently bought a registered Holstein bull calf of Messrs. Smith & Powells, Syracuse, paying a price that to the reportorial mind seems exorbitant. A new system of watering cows has recently been put in operation and this is worthy of special mention for the reason that the plan is novel and may be classed as one of the most humane devices ever put to use. Between every two stanchions are placed patent tubs connected with pipes running direct from a spring of pure water. These tubs are so arranged that they cannot overflow but remain nearly full and whenever a cow wishes to drink it can do so. This invention does away with the old formula of turning out the stock to drink and shows the excellent care Mr. Rindge takes of his dumb animals.

   Much of the work about the barn and milk room is done by machinery, the power being furnished by a boiler located in a building isolated from the house and barn. The boiler furnishes heat for the entire house, only one stove being necessary and that for the kitchen. In a room near the butter factory is an engine connected with the boiler house by underground pipes, and by a system of shafting. The separator, churn and butter worker are all run by steam power, which also carries a feed mill for grinding the oats and other grain for the stock. Two large silos are filled every year and the work of cutting the corn and elevating it to these silos is done by the same power.

   Mr. Rindge has three teams delivering milk in this village, one of which is in charge of W. B. Rindge, a brother, whose trips regulate many clocks on his route, so nearly on time does he make his appearance every morning. And here is where the long days come in. To allow the teams to start out on their trips at or about six o'clock (which in the winter season seems very early) the men employed to do the milking must begin their work at four o'clock and the same operation must be gone through with again late in the afternoon.

   Thirteen horses are kept on the farm, this number being necessary for the team work, peddling of milk and for carriage driving. It is proper to say at this point that Mr. Rindge's dairy business is not confined to the cows owned by himself, as during the summer season, at least, he buys the milk from a large number of farmers in that locality, and works the cream into butter, his shipments of this commodity extending all over the country.

   In spite of his multitudinous duties about the farm Mr. Rindge finds recreation in visiting the Tioughnioga club rooms of which he is a member, at least once a week, and if a stray fox happens on his premises all business, as far as he is concerned, is dropped and a chase is made for Mr. Reynard, not always with success however, but he seems to enjoy the fun just the same.

   The DEMOCRAT reporter was very handsomely entertained by Mr. Rindge's family on the occasion of a recent visit to his home, and during the day he visited the county farm, an account of which must be deferred until next week.

 

HERE & THERE.

   Hunters keep Griffith's café busy serving game suppers.

   Hoyt L. Conary at Normal Hall to-night. He's funny. Don't miss it.

   A Cortland sportsman landed sixteen rabbits in one day's hunt last week.

   The Cortland Savings bank has declared a 3 1/2 per cent semi-annual dividend.

   Last Friday Justice Parker sentenced two tramps to the penitentiary for four months each.

   The men of the Universalist church served an excellent chicken pie supper Wednesday evening.

   We are now ready to receive about twenty cords of wood on subscription and allow market prices.

   President McKinley on Wednesday sent to the Senate the nomination of A. S. Brown for postmaster at Cortland.

   Ice six inches thick and entirely free from snow is now being housed in Ithaca, a very unusual circumstance in mid-December.

   The Cortland Political Equality club will meet with Mrs. M. H. Yale, 40 Prospect-st., Monday, Dec. 19, at 3 P. M. All ladies invited.

   The students of the Conservatory of Music will give their first regular monthly public recital in the Y. M. C. A. rooms Monday evening.

   Don't forget the party at Freer's hotel, Higginsville, next Friday night. Daniels' full orchestra will be there and Watts will have on his best smile.

   Mrs. Simon Flanders, a lady 70 years old, died Sunday evening at her home west of the village. The funeral was held Wednesday at 10 o'clock.

   McKinney & Doubleday report the largest number of sales in the history of the firm at their opening day on Tuesday. They have an elegant holiday stock.

   Smith & Beaudry held their holiday opening Wednesday and the store was visited by an immense crowd, all pleased with the goods offered.

   Mr. Andrew J. Sweet, for years a prominent merchant and resident of McGrawville, died at his home Wednesday night. He was a prominent Mason, and Odd Fellow.

   The Ithaca band is contemplating a concert trip for a week in February. If the scheme succeeds they will make a circuit taking in Trumansburg, Geneva, Auburn, Cortland, Binghamton and Elmira.

   A big "Humpty Dumpty" company with their own band and orchestra, and a carload of scenery at the opera house tomorrow, matinee and evening. 10 and 20 cents to matinee, 10, 20 and 30 cents in the evening.

   A finer start for winter could not be asked for. There is excellent sleighing and a good body of snow covers the ground. Norwich papers tell of a man who drove to town the first of the week on runners and was stuck on the bare ground.

   Lewis Rood was arraigned Wednesday before Justice T. H. Dowd on the charge of illegal voting. The case was adjourned till 10 o'clock this morning.  G. F. Jones of Homer, swore out a warrant Wednesday charging Webster Burgess with the same offense and alleging that he voted both in Homer and in Cortland on Nov. 8.

   Mrs. C. H. Jones, the hair dresser, was struck by a horse on Main-st. last Saturday morning. She was thrown down and one runner of the light cutter passed over her body. Fortunately she was not injured beyond some bruises but a crayon picture of her deceased son was stepped on and spoiled by the horse. The driver made generous offers of assistance and offered to pay for a new portrait. There were no bells on the rig.