The Saline County journal. [volume] (Salina, Kan.) 1871-1893, 1888-12-27
KANSAS SUGAR.
Topeka OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES


Hon. Frank r. Gilleit, Of King
man, who has been elected to the.
state senate from the Thirty-seventlI
district, has just returned from
Washington, where lac went TO i'm
vestigate the subject OF Kansas
sugar. lie had a long Interview
with Commissioner Coleman about
Kansas sugar, and obtained some
valuable Information. MIR. GillrtI
says:
"Siuce the question Of producing
sugar from sorghum cane has been
agitAted IL has seemed To me that no
effort ought to he spared Ia develop
that industry, as its beneficial
effects reach not only the lab0ring
classes, but the farming com
munities. Ugly rumOrs have been
afiOat concerning the SwensOn
Patent and conflicting yarns cOn-
corning the success OF experiments
entered upon 10y the government. I
wished Ia know definitely about
these matters, aud therefore went Ia
headquarters to learn. first called
Upon Senator Plumb and found him
actively interested and chuck full of
information upon the subject.
From him ! learned that such patent
WAS probably worthless; aRd II
good. there were numerous ways of
accomplishing the same results a.
that asceTtained by the use oG the
patent and equally cheap. ] went
with the senator tO the agricultural
department and there met Mr..
Coleman, the commissioner of agri-
culture. senator Plumb informed
him that our business was To talk
over the subject nf sorghum sugar.
Mr.. Coleman showed his active
interest at once, aud we entered
upon 3 discussion Of the subject.
81 asked the commissioner II, in
his judgement, the profitable pro-
ducliOn Of sugar from sorghum was
an assured success. He said, In
reply that he had no more doubt
about II than that he was sitting
there. He said il was not only an
assured success. but a proven sue
cess. Upon the question OF process
and machinery he said they now had
the correct process and proper
machinery that the aid of the de-
partment would I've extended To- any
persons desiring to enter into the
business; that results reached and
ascertaiued by the government were
public property, and they hoped To
spread the Information brOairast.
] asked the commissioner where, i'm
his judgment. the cane could he most
successfully grown To reach the best
results In sugar making. He said 10
Kansas beyond any question. aud OH
account Of the length Of the season
the southern part Of the state Was
preferable, aud experiments, so far,
showed that cane from he western
part Of the state contained a greater
degree OF sarchaIine matter than
that grown further east; that the
climate and soil Of southwest Kan.
sas seemed peculiarly adapted to the
growth OF sugar producing cane, aud
and that southern Kansas Was
capable Of producing q sugar supply
for the nation
Mr.. Coleman called Mr.. Wiley, the
department chemist. into the con-
suitAtion, who said he had started
into the investigation of the ques-
ton opposed TO the theories aud was
convinced that no practical good
could come Of the experiments. but he
had been forced from actual experi-
cess Of the undertaking and that, In
his mind. there was no doubt Of the
fact that in sorghum sugar al
wonderful field Of Industry was
opened up for southern Kansas
Mr.. Coleman said that all now left
to be studied In the premises vas
the economics Of the business; like
all great undertakings economy
must be praetieed to insure success;
that much was now wasted that !
ultimately would prove profitable.
For instance, the pulp nov thrown |
away wOuld make as good paper -
any wood or straw pulp, and that 70 |
would be used for such purposes In q |
short time.
81 left the agricultural department
thoroeghly convinced that We have
nov ad6ed to our agricultural
pursuits the richest aud most
field yet discovered, and
Dae that cannot Be eaeily exhausted
and upon this subject Benatof In-
gails Rala thai aeesFdins - estimates