The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1888-07-30

Years Increased Acreage of Sugar
Cane-A Superior Crop-Last Year
the Fort Scott Works Cleared Up
$4,000 Profit Unqualified Success
of the Improved Diffusion Process
Will the Swenson Patent Prove a
Monopoly9
From the Chicago Tribune.
Fort SCOTT, KAN, July 25.-Snce the
complete success attending the experiments
in sorghum sugar manufacturing at this
point last season under governmental pat
ronage this new and important industry
has received n wonderful impetus, and
promises in the near future to rank as one
of the chief wealth producing crops of the
west. The successful termination of long
series of trials and a variety of processes
was undoubtedly due to the individual per
sistency and confidence of the men compos-
ing the Parkinson sugar company under
the direct supervision Of two Intelligent en-
thusiasts, Judge w. l.. Parkson and Prof.
Swenson, who have worked for several
years in solving the difficulties IN the way of
granulating the saCCharlne matter in the
Chinese or sorghum cane. These gentlemen
are still at work making improvements in
machinery and devising ways and means to
simplify the various processes through
which the cane passes on its way to per
feet article of sugar. Their answering
enthusiasm has done much to awaken
great interest in the subject among western
farmers and give impetus to the movement,
which now promises to extend all over
Kansas and into the neghbOrlng states of
Missouri, Arkansas, Iowa and the Indian
Territory.
At present there are only four sugar
works in the state, and of these three are
now being completed with the expectation of
working up this seasons crop of cane raised
under contract III the respective vicnities
of these factories. One of these, plant
which will cost, when completed, 800, 600,
is located at Topeka, and is said to be the
most complete and largest factory ever
erected in the west. Two smaller establish
ments are being built at Conway Springs
and Douglas, Kan, respectively. The To
peka works were built and will be con
Quoted under the direction of the
Parkinson sugar company of Fort
Scott. The plants at Conway and
Douglas are smaller concerns, to cost
10000 each, and are owned and conducted
by parties who are independent of the
Parkinson company. The fourth concern
is the Parkinson sugar works Of Fort Scott,
in which the successful experiments were
entirely remodeled this summer and the
capacity of the plant more than doubled.
A new set of centrifugals has been put in
of twice the size of those used last year, two
cast-iron vacuum boiling pans have taken
the place of the light boiler-iron pans used
last season. while all the cane cutting and
handling machinery has been improved and
enlarged to meet the requirements OF the
increased capacity of the boilers and CEN
trifugals.
Perhaps the increase in the business and
the advancement made over last year can
be shown best by statement of the acreage
of the cane crop. Last season there were
few acres over 500 acres of cane planted in
this locality under the contracts of the
Parkinson company, and this was the ex
tent of the cane crop in Kansas planted
exclusively for sugar making purposes
This acreage of cane produced according
to the official report of Judge Parkinson
and the state inspector) a total of !, $40 tons
of cane suitable for making sugar, and 437
tons of seed-tops, from which the seed was
used for this years crop. From this amount
of cane there was made by the works here
the following product:
Sugar. S35 $50 MS 61594c .S1S559 9s
State bounty on same % &c ib.....-... 47I6 80
Syrup. 1000 gals, q PC ...... ....... 102OO 90
Seed, about 25 bu. per acre....,....... 1000 90
s84, 476 50
The total cost of the cane at 81 per ton,
the price paid farmers. delivered at the
works, labor bills, repairs, etc, for the en-
tire season in making the above stated
amount of sugar and syrup was $2l 746 93,
leaving a clear net profit to the company
of Sl3, 229 81 for about four months work
This year there is planted for the Fort
Scott works, under contract from the farm
ers to be delivered at the factory, something
over l 400 acres of cane, for the Topeka
factory !, 800 acres, and about 500 acres for
each of the respective works at Conway and
Douglas.
The crop this season is far superior in
every way to that of last, will yield more
per acre, is a brighter, fuller cane, and it is
expected that the production of sugar will
be at least one-third more per acre In
about three weeks hence the factory here
will begin operations, as by that time the
cane first planted will be ripe enough to
cut, and from that date the cane will ripen
along successfully as it was planted, keep
ing the factory supplied until the season is
over, which Will be about Nov l. After
that date the factory VIII work a couple of
months longer, perhaps three, on syrup.
With a Keen appreciation of the be efits
attending greater diversity of crops the
farmers of the west have been quick to see
and take advantage of this new industry,
and in every community they stand ready
70 aid and encourage in every possible way
the erection of sugar factories. Next year
It Is expected that no less than a dozen
large plants will be erected in various parts
of this state, and not few in Missouri and
Arkansas The recent ruling in the courts
in relation to the Swenson patents appears
TO leave the Parkinson sugar company in
possession of the field, and all the factories
hereafter built will have to devise some
new way of extracting the sugar from tn e
cane, or pay tribute to these PATENTS.
The history of the Swenson patent is an
interesting one. When tine experimental
works were at Ottawa, and after they were
removed TO Fort Scott Prof Wiley of the
agricultural bureau was in charge of the
government experiments. While he was
experimenting Prof SwenSon was in
terested in the sugar company, outside of
any government connection, and as he had
been engaged for years III trying to make
sorghum sugar, he continued his own ex-
periments and studies while Prof. Wiley
was working for the government Finally,
when the plant was removed TO Fort Scott, |
he was employed by the government TO con
tinue the experiments made by Prof.
Wiley. He at once put in opera
tion theory which he had already
fully devised before the govern
ment employed him, and proved it. entire
efficacy. Therefore the governments claim
that the process was discovered by Swenson
while he worked for tho public can not be
sustained. 1t is thought here that in order
4 Oiy va tho pappln "a ,rpaass a1tali,y M at