Читать книгу History of Fresno County, Vol. 6 - Paul E. Vandor - Страница 29

An industrious young man who has become manager of the Riverdale Cooperative Creamery Company is James H. A. Jorgensen, a Danish-American who served an apprenticeship in all the branches of milk production and the making of milk products, as practiced in Denmark. Such has been his success in butter and cheese making, condensing and evaporating, and the manufacture of casein, that his creamery has become one of the largest and finest in Central California, capable of handling the milk of from 3,000 to 5,000 cows, or 75,000 pounds, including 6,000 pounds of butter, per day in the most scientific and sanitary manner.

Mr. Jorgensen was born in Denmark on August 6, 1886, and at fourteen years of age entered as an apprentice the creamery and cheese factory at Nyborg, after which he attended the Danish school for the science and art of handling milk products. Prior to his matriculation there, Mr. Jorgensen had four years of practical experience, and when he had finished his studies, he received the school's diploma certifying to his having completed the work with honor.

Once well-equipped for work in this highly-important field, Mr. Jorgensen resolved to come to America. He first served in the Danish Navy, spending four months of his time in the waters at Iceland. He then returned home, bade his mother good-bye, and received his honorable discharge from the Government. His father, Hans, had died in 1900, aged sixty-four years, leaving a widow and seven children, of which he was the youngest. He left Copenhagen on March 12, 1908, on the "Hellig Olav" of the Scandinavian-American line. He traveled by way of Christiania, and landed at Ellis Island, New York, on March 28, 1908, after a very stormy voyage. He came West to Minnesota, and was soon busy demonstrating what he knew of dairying and the creamery business.

His first work was as a butter maker, for three months, at Round Prairie, in Todd County, and then he stayed a year at Alexandria in Douglass County, where he was employed as a butter maker for nine months for the North American Cold Storage Company. Leaving their service he came to California and locating at Petaluma, worked for two and a half months in the Bloomfield Creamery. He next held a position as manager of the Salinas Creamery for two years, and following that he was called to his present position, in 1911. This Riverdale Cooperative Creamery had been running just four months at that time, and Mr. Jorgensen has made an unqualified success since he took hold of the reins.

On November 18, 1911, Mr. Jorgensen was married at Fresno to Miss Mabel Menasco, who was born at Watsonville, the daughter of Joe Menasco, now a successful orchardist in Yolo County; and from this union have sprung three children: Harold, Elizabeth and Beverly.

The Riverdale Cooperative Creamery employs eighteen men at present, including the manager, and is favored with an equipment of the very best type. This includes a full complement of first-class creamery, condensing and refrigerating machinery and utensils, two DeLaval cream separators of the largest size, a cream ripener and a new pasteurizer, two large curd vats, and a milk laboratory room with bacterial counts. The creamery has three boilers that furnish steam for condensing, and the machinery is run by electric power bought from the San Joaquin Light & Power Company. Electric light and power — sixty horsepower — are used throughout, and the old 25 horsepower steam engine is kept in reserve. Two Simplex churns of the large size are also used, and water is pumped from two wells on the premises of the company at Riverdale. There are condensery, refrigerator and packing departments, and cooling rooms, all thoroughly sanitary and up to date. Enlargements are continually being made, although the building of concrete and brick is about 200 by 300 feet in size. Nine trucks are used in bringing in the cream, and one large truck transports the products, nicely boxed, and put up in pound bricks.

Condensed milk in bulk form is a new departure and is now being made here, as well as casein — two products derived from skimmed milk. As the name indicates, it is a cooperative industry, in which about 100 resident farmers and dairymen are stockholders and members. The company was incorporated under the laws of the State of California and in 1910 it erected the present building, which was enlarged in 1918. The brand of this creamery is "Challenge Butter" and has taken prizes wherever it has been exhibited.

The officers of the Riverdale Cooperative Creamery are: H. M. Hancock, Riverdale, President; J. B. Lewis, Fresno, Vice-President; C. H. Dewey, Riverdale, Secretary; the First National Bank, Riverdale, Treasurer; and Tames H. A. Jorgensen, Manager. John Clausen is the butter maker; and J. A. Bowen is bookkeeper. The directors are: A. J. Vancleef, F. A. Andrews, R. S. Gobby, H. L. Owen, and H. M. Hancock, Riverdale; J. B. Lewis, formerly at Riverdale, now in Fresno; and C. H. Dewey, Riverdale.

Fond of social life and popular with all classes, Mr. Jorgensen is a member of the Odd Fellows' lodge at Riverdale, where he is a Past Grand and Past District Deputy Grand Master.