The History of Orange County New York

by Unknown

Prior to 1842 the total, and for many years later a large majority, of the output was turned into butter right at the farmer's home. As a rule the farmer's wife personally attended to churning, working and packing the butter into the tub, all ready to be sent to market.

Orange County butter was a trademark that achieved a wide reputation as denoting an article of superior quality, and the yellow bills issued by the Bank of Orange County were known far and wide as "butter money."

But the Orange County farmer no longer makes such disposition of his milk. To both himself and his wife, butter-making is a lost art. Besides he is no longer a farmer but a "dairyman"' or "milk producer," for his principal business is to supply the market with milk, What farming he does is merely a side issue.

The beginning of these changed conditions dates back to 1842, when the Erie railroad, then hardly out of its swaddling clothes, carried to New York the first consignment of milk that ever reached that city by way of a transportation line.

In 1842 the city of New York contained, approximately, a population of 315,000 and used about 30,000 gallons (3,000 cans, forty quarts each), of milk daily. A large proportion of this was produced within the city limits, very much (probably a large majority) of which was the output of cows kept in stables connected with and fed on the refuse of distilleries and breweries. Very aptly this was termed "swill milk," for it was all that the name implies. The balance was brought in by wagons from the surrounding farms.

Early in the summer of 1842 Philo Gregorv, a milk producer at Chester, N. Y., was induced to try the experiment of shipping milk to the New York market. At this time the road was in operation as far west as Goshen, with its eastern rail terminus at Piermont, on the Hudson River, twenty-four miles from New York and forty-one miles from Chester. At this point all passengers and freight were transferred and reached the city by boat. There were many doubting Thomases who contended that it was impossible to carry milk this distance and deliver it in good condition. But the experiment was a success from the start, so much so that there was a continual call for more dairies and a gradual increase in the number of shippers. Orange County milk soon gained as favorable a reputation in the New York market as Orange County butter had previously achieved. More or less sour milk was in evidence from time to time, enough at least to give excuse for the aforementioned doubters to exclaim: "I told you so." Comparatively little trouble arose from this source, however, as nearly all shipments were in merchantable condition when received. If otherwise this was not due to the distance hauled, but the lack of proper care.

In the first few shipments wooden churns were used, these being the most convenient vessels at hand. But tin cans soon came into use. These were of five sizes, twenty, thirty, forty, fifty and sixty quarts each. Although milk was shipped twice a day, morning and evening, it was not considered safe to send what was left over from any one milking. For this reason every shipper provided himself with all these sizes as a means of cleaning out as closely as possible. At this time an ice house was an institution unknown to the farm. To the milk producer of to-day an ice house is regarded as almost as much of a necessity as the milk can or the cow. But in 1842 and for some years later, natural facilities for keeping milk from day to day could be found on nearly every farm. Flowing springs, the temperature of which never rose above about fifty degrees, were then plentiful in Orange County, much more common than now. It was some time after Mr. Gregory made his first shipment that farmers learned to use these springs, and discontinue the morning shipment. It was later still when the majority ceased yarding their cows early in the afternoon and shipping this milking the same evening. Since these early days much has been learned about how to keep milk in good condition for a long time. But even now the great possibilities in this direction are not suspected by the average producer.

In 1843 the road was operated as far west as Middletown, in 1846 to Otisville, and in 1848 to Port Jervis. The only portion of the territory thus traversed that was well adapted to the production of milk lay between Otisville and Greenwood (now Arden) a distance of thirty-one miles. The total amount of milk shipped in 1842 averaged about forty-five; in 1843, 275 cans, and in 1844 some 420 cans daily.

The first regular milk train was run on the 3d day of May, 1847. It ran morning and evening, leaving Otisville at 6.30 A. M. and 4.15 P. M., scheduled to reach New York at 11.30 A. M. and 9.15 P. M. Otisville continued to be the western terminus for the run of the milk train until 1868, when it was extended to Port Jervis. Not until 1884 was any attempt made to develop any of the extensive and excellent milk territory lying west of Port Jervis. All efforts in the direction of securing increased supplies were centered on the eastern (now New York) division. Here, by its branches and connecting lines, it made practically every can of milk produced in Orange County available to the New York market. Prior to twenty-five years ago nearly every producer shipped his milk direct to the dealer. While these conditions prevailed the milk manifest at any station where a large amount of milk was loaded contained so many names of shippers and consignees that it resembled the poll list of an election district. At these same stations now, although loading more milk than formerly, it is unusual to find more than two or three shippers. While the list of consignees has not decreased to the same extent, still it is very short as compared with the former period. The one time shippers are now patrons of the local creamery, from one to three of which may be found at every station.

The first butter and cheese factory, or creamery, started in the State of New York was located near what is now the Crystal Run Station of the Ontario and Western Railway. This was about 1856. It was cooperative, owned and operated by the farmers of the neighborhood. The object was to lessen the labor at the household and also make a more uniform quality of butter than was possible when churned at each individual home. The cream was made into butter, the skimmed milk into cheese and the whey mixed with grain turned into pork. Thus nothing was wasted and the venture proved successful. Other similar factories were started in different sections and inside of ten years Orange County was dotted over with such establishments.