Bio: Prechel, Otto – Depression Era Farming Woes

Transcriber: stan@wiclarkcountyhistory.org 

Surnames: Prechel

Source: Spencer Centennial Book (1874 – 1974)

In the depression days of the 1930’s, hos sold for 2 cents per pound and undesirable dairy cows, or canners, at ½ cent a pound. Sometimes when they reached the city stock yards they brought barely enough to pay the stock dealer for the cost of transportation. In Otto Prechel’s case, one of his cows lacked 86 cents of paying the freight charges, and the other 64 cents. His milk statement for the first half of the month of June reveals the price of butter fat was 22 ½ cents, and his mils sold for 68 cents per hundred pounds. $2.16 had been subtracted as payment for 16 pounds of butter he received from the factory.