Los Angeles daily herald., 1889-10-08
BEET SUGAR.
The Outlook for Factories
Here Improving.
CLAUS sPRECKELs TO VISIT US.
The Sugar King Expected This
Week-Previous Negotiations.
The Prospects Good.

0ek-IreVlOuS NckUtIoViVHo'
The Prospects Good.
A letter was received yesterday by the
Secretary of the Chamber OF Commerce
from Claus Spreckels, the sugar king,
containing the announcement that he
would pay this city visit in the course
Of this week, and would confer with menu
bers of the chamber and others who were
Interested, about the establishment OF
beet sugar factory in this vicinity. Mr..
Spreckels does not set q definite day for
his visit, but says that he will announce
it by telegraph a day or two in advance.
The importance of this visit will be
best understood by making something of
. review of the negotiations in this mat
ter which have been carried on in the
past. When the Chamber Of Commerce
was organized, just about q year ago,
one Of the first matters that
was taken under discussion was
the possibility of inducing Spreckels
or some other capitalist to locate sugar
factory here. Claus Speckels was at that
time in Washington, and the correspond
ence on the matter in the course of the
year that followed was for the most part
carried on with his son, J. D. Speckels
It was stated that the first requisite was
that at lesst 5000 acres should be
pledged by responsible producers in one
vicinity, which should be planted to
sugar beets to be sold under a contract
extending over period of years at q GER
tain stated figure. 1t was also necessary
that extensive tests should be made to
establish the fact that beets containing
tho requisite percentage of saccharine
matter could be grown in this locality.
A committee was forthwith put
to work to canvass among the
farmers and learn what amount of acreage
could be depended upon. Seed was also
sent for to make the desired experiments.
While the canvass was in progress, with
the probability that the necessary num-
ber of acres would be pledged, as the
farmers seemed very favorsbly disposed
toward the undertaking, word was re-
ceived from J. D. Spreckels that his
father was somewhat alarmed at the at
titude taken by Congress toward the
product, and that he did not feel justified
ct that time in making any extensions in
his plant. The matter was then dropped
for several months.
In tho months of February Mr.. D.
SprecKels visited this city and was met
and interviewed by Q number of promi.
nent men connected with the Chamber
of Commerce and the Board of Trade.
He expressed himself of the belief that
q satisfactory beet could be grown
here and that factory here would prove
. success. He was, however, non-com-
initial as to what would be done.
Shortly after, at the request of the Secre.
tary of the Chamber of Commerce, he
sent down quantity of the seed, which
was distributed among the farmers OF q
number of different localities. He sent
no instructions as to how the seed were
to be planted and the product cultivated
and when asked for the Information, &c
said he thought best to have the formers
experiment on their own hook, to SET
what they could do.
The results were hardly az satisfactory
rs had been expected. A great many Of
the farmers failed to take any interest in
the matter and did not even plant the
seed. Others forgot that they had
planted the seed and when asked about
Out of large number to whom seed was
any returns. What samples were secured
were assayed with results less favorable
than had been hoped for. One reason
was that the samples we're all immature
and had been grown under unfavorable
conditions.
of
should contain IA per cent. of eaccharine
matter. Ii the assay shows very little
presence OF certain substances which
impede the work, beets having per-
centage OF II per cent. can be handled,
but IA is the desired figure, Those which
were analysed showed saccharine matter
all the way from 8 to 12 per cent. The
best were from ex-senator Coles place
In the Cahuenga district. Like the
others. these samples we're immature,
and 1t Is believed that under more favor
able conditionsa percentage much higher
IMAM That required by Manufacturers
would be obtained, Tests made of beete
grown on the Nadeau place in 1880, when
the land was new to cultivation, showed
IL per cent. OF saccharine. The product
now used at the factory at Watsonyille
SAOvc Nv uhOo - ulSu no q per cont.
and there is every reason to believe that
the same figure can be reached here
Recent analysis of beets grown on the
Chino ranch showed 211s per cent. It
is the opinion of experienced cultivatore
that the product of this section will aver.
sge from II to "a per cent.
Since Claus Spreckels returned from
Europe the Secretary of the Chamber of
Commerce has been in correspondence
with him. The farmers of the Cahuenga
district, as has bsen stated in these COL
umns, have given the question of obtain.
ing the necessary number of acres new
consideration, and over 1000 have been
pledged. This would provide for one
factory. In the course of the correspond
ence Mr.. spreckels has informed
himself as to the cost of fuel
and the presence in this locality
OF the necessary quantity of limestone.
The result of his investigation seems to
have been satisfactory, and he now pro-
poses to visit this section and look the
ground over with the probable result that
definite arrangements will be made in
the near future.