The Milk That Made Kent Grow

The plant of the Sanitas Condensed Milk Company of Kent is in operation and manufacturing a product of cream known as baby food. It consumes approximately 12,000 pounds of milk daily. The plant is an addition to the works of the Pacific Condensed Milk Company, which has been established for the past three years. The old plant uses probably 60,000 pounds of milk daily. The supply comes from the White River and Stuck Valleys, and represents a portion of the great industry of this section.

Six large milk wagons are used by the company to collect milk from the several farmers supplying the daily materials for operating the plant. Every farmer is supplied with cans for depositing the milk. The cans are set at convenient places by the roadside and the collectors gather them and haul the milk to the condensery. Once a month is pay-day, and some of the milk men draw large checks. The prices paid range from $1 to $1.40 per 100 pounds of milk. At present the higher figure is about the average for milk testing 4 per cent butter fat.

The Pacific Coast Condensed Milk Company began business at Kent three years ago. The plant was small and but little business was done for some time. Now it has a large plant here and another in Forest Grove, Oregon. The Carnation brand of condensed milk is sold in all sections of the Northwest and, wherever the railroads or steamships can carry it, to foreign lands. The shipments are approximately thirty cars per month, and the business is held back only because there is not more cream to purchase.

Carnation condensed milk is made by a process known only to the proprietors of the factory. It has sugar added to the milk and is sterilized and reduced by evaporation to one half to one quarter the original quantity of cream before being packed for market. The cans are of uniform size, weighing 16 and 20 ounces each. Those of the 16-ounce size are generally exported, because that size suits the average trade better than larger cans. The process of sterilizing insures sweetness of the milk and prevents any decomposition even after the cans have been opened for a time.

The development of the dairy business through the creameries and condensing plant has made Kent rise from a dull village of 700 people to an enterprising business center of 2,000 inhabitants. A few years ago the farmers were poor because of the failure of the hop business, in which many were directly or indirectly interested. They began with a few cows and have gradually become the financiers of the valley. They have no mortgage hanging over them and are ready to make loans to their less fortunate friends among the business men.

The farmers keep all breeds of dairy cattle. Some prefer the Jerseys because of the rich milk and high test in butter fats. As a general rule, the graded Durhams, of the milk strain, are considered the best all-purpose cows. They return from $5 to $12 each per month for milk, and when not profitable in that way can be sold for beef. No record of failure of any man who entered into the dairy business in this section has been reported.