Phase II (1895-1945) The milk business was carried on smoothly with dedicated men meeting at least once a month to discuss the paying of bills and ruling on any crucial matters that might arise. Between 1895 and 1898 there appears to have been full co-operation among all to make sure that their commitments were upheld, such as: (1) insurance premiums - 1896 - $21.00 This covered $1200.00 on the building and $800.00 on the plant (2) wood for boilers - 1896 - $21.00 (3) coal- 1898 - 8 T. $23.00 Most loads of coal were taken to Sutherland's Wharf by Captain Daniel Sutherland , and unloaded for factory use. (4) scales - bought from John D. Bell , Montague, - 1900 - $30.00 (5) one man's fee to "attend Cheese Board meeting annually" $2.50 The Salesman was a very important person to the factory. It was his job to search out all the buyers to obtain the best selling price available. His remuneration was very little for the amount of work required. At the annual meetings the salesman was liable to be criticized for the year's proceeds. In 1900, Arthur Simpson , Salesman, reported "that he had done the best he could and clear of some factorys near Charlottetown we have received as much for our cheese as any factory on the Island". Good water, which did not contain salt, was a problem for the shareholders from the day the factory opened and appears as a problem at many meetings. On July 20, 1908, the cheesemaker reported that the water was bad and unfit for making first class cheese. The Secretary was ordered to call "tender for placing cask (40 gal.) of good water in factory each evening as long as needed". In 1913 a third well-digging took place. Boyce McKie dug one 130' deep for $44.00. This was still salty. For the Directors this must have been a discouraging situation. The people next door had good water but at the Dairy and across the street the water was not fit for drinking purposes. The shareholders then voted to place spouting along the building, to catch the rain water, and cement a cistern in the boiler room to measure 14' x 11' x 7' deep. This stored water was to be used for washing purposes, and when necessary use the well water. The cistern was later dropped in favor of digging a well on a higher elevation. It was dug in Miller's Fyfe's field behind the factory. Here the water was found to be quite suitable. It was piped, under the frost level, to the factory. Good water was obtained from this source until the factory closed. A strange phenomenon appears to be that, on the eastern side of the river, wells may be dug along the river's edge, at shallow levels, providing excellent water, while the rock formation on the western side permits seepage from the river. This leaves the residents on that side of the river with poor quality water especially if there are storm tides. Ice was an absolute necessity in the keeping of butter and cheese. As the business grew, more space had to be decided on for storage. There is mention of the first office space being taken for a storage area when the quantity required increased from 6 tons in the early days of the fac¬ tory to a maximum of 15 tons. It is recorded that those who tendered each year for the hauling and sawdusting of ice were to get the same ice from "Anderson's Creek". In 1909, 10 tons of ice cost $10.00; in 1914, it cost $22.00 to have it hauled, stored and sawdusted at factory. 74