Los Angeles daily herald. [microfilm reel] (Los Angeles [Calif.]) 1884-1890, 1886-02-02

fully with sugar producers in any part
Of the world.
So greatly were the merchants inn
pressed with what they saw at Alvarado
that corporation was formed in San
Francisco with capital Of 81 600, 900 TO
| 90 into beet root sugar making ON q
large scale. Mr.. Dyer was sent to
Europe to study up the most approved
methods in this industry. From one OF
the great factories in the fatherland this
gentleman writes to the home company
II have had every facility for famil.
iorizing myself with the workings OF
the factory here. This factory Is q
model one. of about $50 tons capacity
daily. which seems 10 be the most con
veuient and economical for the work.
have detailed drawings of particular
mechanical features, and will obtain
drawinos Of the whole factory before
leave The cost Of this factory is in
r,Dnd numbers as follows. Buildings.
slO2 800: machinery, Sl25, 900; fixtures
coolers. tanks, etc.,. So, $50; railway,
SIS. 600; electric light plant, gasometer,
etc, 81, $50; real estate (site), 81, 500;
total. $3.50, 500.
1t costs to work beets here So. rs per
ton, and the Government tax is "a Der
ton, making a total cost of $i0.75 per
ton. On this basis, the cost Of sugar is
3.6 cents per pound, which, with an
excise tax of l.9 cents per pound, makes
the net cost 81 cents per pound.
The price realized for SO test sugar Is
about 81 cents per pound, so that the
profits this season are small. Were ii
not for the Government tax, the business
would be very profitable. For this fac
tory the tax amounts TO 81, 200 per day.
Labor in California costs but little more
than here so far rs arm able to discover,
and the managing director Of this COM
pany says if be were not tied down hore,
he would 90 to California and establish
factory himself.
Professor Hilgard, Of the State Uni
versity, says Of this matter: "There are
within the bundaries OF Alameda county
l44, 900 acres of land adapted to the
production Of sugar bees. At an av-
erage Of fifteen tons to the acre, which
Is the minimum, the land would produce
2, l6O, 600 tons of beets, which, allow
ing the average per cent of suar to be
l4.3S per cent, would give yield of
300, 500 tons Of sugar, or nearly five
times the production Of the Hawaiian
islands, which u about 10000 tons.
Three hundred and nine thousand five
hundred tons Of sugar would be 6l9,-
200, 900 pounds, which at s cents per
pound, would bring to the county o
revenue Of $50. 536. 200 annually.
Therefore. II every acre Of land
IL - 81 I.n
sugar beet in this county was cultivated
for that purpose, Alameda county
would produce about one-sixth of the
sugar consumed In the United States.
The factory at Alyarado produced in the
month of December $34. 200 worth Of
refined sugar. which would be for the
year. at the same average, nearly half
million Of dollars distributed in this
county. This can be increased twenty
four times with proper exertion in few
years. 1t is certainly q subject Of the
utmost importance TO our people, and
we urge it upon their attention"
The importation Of sugar into the
State by actual count In the year
1885 was almost 80, 900 tons. OF the re-
fined goods over $4,000 tons were
shipped out Of San Francisco by rail.
all Of one half Of that amount
cams to South California. If there 10
not enough in these facts to justify
studying the subject in Los Angeles from
Q local standpoint 1t would be hard to
realize where such sufiiciency of facts
could be procured ON any matter. So
important did It appear to Congressman
who was one Of the
gentlemen visiting Alvarado, that he has
since then introduced bill In Congress
to exempt for three years from import
duty all machinery required in the man
facture of beet sugar.
For this county 1t would mean the
devoting of hundreds Of acres to the
growth Of the beet root. thereby giving
the farmers profit and many men lucra-
tive employment. 1t means, furthermore,
for 100000 Of the sur
plus capital Of the community, and en-
ployment for large number Of men In
the factory. The future Of this city just
at present hinges on the establishment
Of manufacturing industries Of various
sorts. They need not be gone into
rashly. 1t L. better they should be done
But If this lie not an
opening for one there probably is no
opening for any enterprise.