Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1886-02-18
A Step Forward in the Beet Sugar Indus.
try. 9

On the 9th instant the Standard Sugar
Company filed articles of incorporation, with
the following directors John l.. Howard,
Henry r. Scott, f. H. Dyer, Sidney V.
Smith, James Ralph William Norris and
Oscar +. Sewall. The capital stock is ST.
100000, divided into 10000 shares. This
is consummarion of plan projected some
months ago to enlarge the capacity for man
ufaeturing beet root sugar in this State. We
learn that the old Standard Sugar Company
is to be merged into the new corporation, BY
the sale and transfer Of the former to the
latter. The plan also con'emplates the con
struction of new factory with capacity
for working from 200 to 80 tons of beets
daily. This is the first important step to-
ward large development Of the beet sugar
industry on this coast. Much depends on
the success of the new company. for once it
is demonstrated that sugar can be produced
from beets on large scale, even as cheaply
as it has been produced by the Standard
Company during the last campaign, the fu-
ture of the industry on this coast is assured.
Capital has heretofore regarded this inter
est with apparent indifference. but the pres
ent movement indicates growing confidence.
A. to the possibilities Of beet sugar in this
country. a suggestion is found in letter re-
Gently received from Mr.. Edward f. DYER,
dated at Cumburg, Germany, December II.
1889. Mr.. Dyer is travelling in Europe for
the purpose of looking into this industry,
with the object of Incorporating such inven-
tlons and Improvements into the new factory,
As seem to be Ia his judgment calculated to
accomplish better results than those hither-
to employed here. lie SAYS II have had
every facility for lamliarizing myself with
the woraln2s Of the factory here. This fac
tory is model one, Of about 80 tons ca
pactty daily, which seems to be the most
convenient and economical for the work
have detailed drawings of particular me
chanlcal features and will obtain drawings
Of the whole factory before | leave The
cost OF this factory is in round numbers as
follows.
Bulldins~ ..................- Sl02, 2,jho
Machinery .................... l21 900
Fixtures, coolers. tanks, etc. )......... $50
Railway ....'.'. '-.-'....-.-..-....... IJ,bun
Electric light plant, gtsomctcr, rtc...... 80
Real estate t>itcl -.............. 500
Ioia!............... S21o,jpo
1t costs to work beets here -. - per ton,
and the Government tax IS Si.00 per ton,
making total 81 Slo.1j per ton. On th,
basis, the cost Of sugar IS 3,6c per pound.
which. with ~ excise tax ot l.9c per pound.
makes the net cost ) lie per pound
The price realized for 90 test sugar -
about 5,.c per pound, - tha; the profits this
season are small. Were il no, for the Gov
eminent .aX. the business would be very
profitable. For this factory the tax amount,
to Sl,20o per day. Labor in California
costs but little more than here so far as
am able to discover, and the managing di-
rector of this COMPANY SAYS if he ~err not
tied down here. ~ Noull 70 TO California
and establish 4 factory himself"
Referring To the matter Of labor, Mr.
DYER remarks ON the large number Of men
employed lu each branch Of the factory. a,
compared With the number that would be
required iu factory on this coast. Il !,
particularly noticeable that in Germany
foreman IS thought to be necessary for each
particular branch, whereas at the Standard
Refinery. this supervision has been in the
hands Of two or three men but he SAYS,
notwithstanding all this, the sugar mauufact-
ureys make money there. One feature ) par
tcularly observable, viz. that refined sugar
is now produced in California, at les, price
than IN Germany, owing TO the excISe tax
IN the after country As whole the re-
port from Mr. Over /, most encouraging TO
the new company Just formed, and there ap-
pears ID BE- little doubt that when the new
factory is built. It will be as complete as any
in tile wor!a Every effort will he made 10
establish the best sugar industry on sub
'tantlal basis in California, and the prospects