The Dairy That Started With 20 Rented Cows and Ended Up With 2,560 Acres

In the Pacific Northwest the rapid development of our resources and enterprises has brought forth some remarkable successes. The Hazelwood Dairy Company, of Spokane, stands as a signal achievement of a combination of energy and native ability of its founders. In 1889 J. Lawson Smith and George M. Brown came to Spokane, just after the destruction of the city by fire. Renting 20 cows at $100 per month from A. L. Smith, they embarked in the dairy business. It was a modest beginning. Mr. Brown drove the milk wagon and worked up the business, and Mr. Smith managed the dairy. They had no ranch—just a barn within three miles of town—and bought all hay and grain for the stock.

The policy of the firm was from the first to guarantee the milk and cream to be exactly as represented. This was an innovation quickly to be appreciated, as it was a notorious fact that the adulteration of milk was the rule among the dairymen. The business, having won the confidence of the people, therefore prospered.

The following spring David Brown, a brother of George, came out from Illinois, where the home property had been disposed of, bringing 40 head of milk cows. The 20 cows of A. L. Smith were then purchased at the good round sum of $50 per head. Additional room becoming necessary, they rented 600 acres 11 miles from Spokane, and through the summer of '90 ran their dairy there. Finding this too far from the city, they changed to a place four miles west of Spokane for the winter, purchasing 52 grade Holstein cows of Smith, Powell Lamb stock. That winter Mr. Smith brought out from Ft. Atkinson 20 head of grade Shorthorns. The spring of '91 found their business growing apace, and they removed to where they have finally made the location of their ranch, six miles west of town, absorbing the Spokane dairy with 65 cows. That year they established a depot in the city on Sprague Street, added another carload of cows from the east and put in a creamery plant at the city headquarters. At this time it required two delivery wagons to handle the trade, and about 250 gallons of milk and cream per day was required to supply the custom. Now it takes 525 gallons of milk, and the milk for cream, 600 gallons additional. The butter business was then embarked in, and skimming stations established at the principal tributary dairy points. So marked had the reputation of Hazelwood become that the butter product found an eager demand.

In 1892 the headquarters were changed to the present location, No. 12 S. Post Street, the creamery plant enlarged and improved and increased facilities secured. In the meantime Mr. Smith, who had taken the management of the farm, was making an equally creditable showing. The number of dairy stock had been increased to upward of 300 head, and the limits of the ranch extended until today it embraces 2,560 acres, all but 800 of which being the property of the Hazelwood Dairy Company, with improvements of the most modern and substantial character.

In 1893 a complete plant for the manufacture of ice cream was added, and like the milk, cream and butter, the name was its best endorsement. The first season the heaviest sales in one month were 300 gallons. This year the maximum was 2,500 gallons per month. C. P. Mustain, in charge of this department, is an expert of 15 years' standing. At the present time 31 people are employed in the different branches of Hazelwood. Six wagons are kept busy delivering orders.

A large and growing business is done with the mining camps to the north. A branch is maintained at Rossland, and milk, cream, butter and eggs shipped there.

In August of this year the company commenced dealing in eggs, and a gratifying patronage is already evident. During last month 500 cases were sold, and for the month of September they promise to reach 1,000 cases, and as they are sold under a guarantee they readily receive a premium over the regular price.

While the representative of Ranch and Range was in the office of the Hazelwood Company last week, H. N. Cobb, assistant superintendent of the Pullman car service of the Great Northern, called and gave an order for dairy goods and eggs, stating that only the best of reports came in from the cars regarding the quality of everything ordered from Hazelwood.