Ellsworth American., 1878-11-14
Beet Sugar.
IL. surressful Manufacture at the Port.
land Factory.

Wednesday, October 30 1873. will be
memorable IN the annals of this State, for
on that day and in the presence of Cover
nor Conuor, the Maine Beet Sugar Com
pauy OF Portland turned out over L., 900
pound, of granulated sugar, the first ever
made IN the United States from beets grow n
In America. Several establishments have
1t l. true. made small quantities OF raw
sugar Of excellent quality, but a regular
boiling Of refined sugar made from raw
beet sugar produced in the United States
has ""v"r fore been ATTEMPTED in the A.
lautiC states.
Governor Couuor aud IA number OF dis
tiugui~hed gentlemen visited the Forest
City sugar Reiiuerv to witness the process
which in most respects was the same rs
that used In the refining OF similar sugar
from the cane.
The iill-masse as the semi-crystalliZed
mass OF grany sugar is called in Germany,
was drawn from the vacuum pan into
charger or basin holding 300 pounds and
poured into centrfugaIs. In this condition
the mass looked Eot unlike hasty pudding
The centritugals being made TO revolve at
the rate of 300 revolutions per minute. the
white sugar was taken out after fifteen
minutes, in moist state and was passed
through huge iron cylinder over drum
heated by steam, and thence Ia few min
utes was transferred into barrels ready for
consumption. The quality of the granua-
ted beet sugar was all that could be desir-
ed. In flavor, grain and color it was fully
equal 10 similar article made from the
sugar cane. No one could distinguish it
from the best article generally in use.
The party then proceeded to examine the
various stages of the process which con
verts the coarse, unwashed roots into this
beautiful crystalline product First, the
roots were lifted in elevators to iron tanks
in which they were washed. Next they
were thrown into the hopper of the cutting
machine, which by a series of plane blades,
with cross knives underneath, rapidly re-
duced them to small, thin strips called
tapes" Thence they were conveyed BY a
slide into row of cylindrical iron tan,
called battery in which they were was e.,
by a continuous stream of hot water until
the sweetness was extracted. The sweet
juice was then pumped up into large ket-
ties holding 1000 gallons each, In which by
heating with lime the solid substances were
precipitated Thence it flowed down
through bag filters and passed into large
iron tanks tlled with animal charcoal or
boneblack which removed the color, leav-
ing a fluid as clear and white as water, with
mild aud pleasant saccharine taste. This
nuld was evaporated in vacuum pan to
syrup. and was again filtered through
boneblack, after which it was grained" in
another vacuum pan and placed in wagons
10 harden for the ceutrltugals.
On returning to the lower floor the at
tention OF the visitors vas called 10 a sing
ularly fine wagon load of beets raised by
MIR. Wentworth, Superintendent of the Re
form School. A desire being expressed to
ascertain the amount of sugar contained in
these beets, the party adjourned To the lab
oiatory where Prot. Oscar soon showed
them the simple and interest ting process
known as polarization, whereby the deflec-
ton oI the rays of light passing through the
clarified juice, indicated the exact percen-
tage of sugar These Reform-School beets
were found TO contain IL l-2 per cent OF
sugar.
The quality of the beet sugar was Justly
regarded by the party as singularly fine
The amount obtained could not then be eX-
actly ascertained, but will be next week.
The guests dispersed greatly pleased and
encouraged by what they had seen. The
officers OF the company were cOmpimented
upon the energy, skill and perseverance
shown, and the Governor congratulated
them and the State upon their prompt full
fillment OF the obligations of their contract,
a contract which as justly remarked. while
II was premium on success provides no
compensation whatever in case OF failure
In answer TO inquiries it was ascertained
that the Company have already expended
$4,000 in cash, and will probably pay out
$1,000 more In their comparatively limi-
ted operations of the present season. This
sum was all spent in the employment Of la
Dor, most of it in the State of Maine. The
product of the present year will not be suf-
hcient to entitle the Company to much
bounty, yet the present crop. small as it is,
will save to the people of Maine about Sl0,-
600 that would otherwise be paid out for
foreign sugars.
Whatever therefore may be the profit or
loss to the Beet Sugar Company, their op-
erations have already had an appreciable
effect in increasing the resources of the
people Of the State Of Maine, and il is to be
hoped this good beginning will be improv-
ed upon yearly, until sugar becomes one of
the staple products OF our State.-GP Port
land Press.