Wichita eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1886-1890, 1889-10-06
THE SORGHUM SUGAR INDUSTRY
SURE TO SUCCEED.

From the Topeka Capital.
The Lawrence Tribune asks the Capt.
tai several questions as to the profits Of
sorghum sugar making as shown by the
experience of the Topeka Sugar COM
pany last year. We regret that the
questions were nlislaid, but be will try
to cover the ground as near as may be by
a general synopsis of the work done not
only in Topeka, but in Attica.
The Topeka sugar mill cost, according
to the report of the secretary, $114. 6e1.-
SO. As Is generally known it was oper-
ted for only one season of but few
weeks last fall and was burned to the
ground just before the present season
opened. The operating expenses of the
season We're $33, 117.S7 and the net profits
were 50, 16545. The statement of ex-
penses includes every expense during
| the operating season. The salaries of
president and other officers were merely
nominal. the first seasons work being
necessarily iD the nature of an expert
ment. Without any reflection on the
| business capacity of the management it
it Is very naturally true that the expens-
es were greater than they need be here
| after. The industry was new and its
management In a few weeks time could
| not reasonably be expected to be reduced
to a science. The plant itself could be
| rebuilt at cost considerably less than
the original cost, and the experience now
gained In the several plants throughout
the state will enable the managers of the
reconstructed factory to limit expenses
very largely and avoid extravagances
which the experiments of last year DOM
Onstrated. As an example we quote the
experiment of feeding to stock, which
proved mistake and resulted in consid-
cradle loss. That the plant last season
in a few weeks work cleared over $4,000
profits notwithstanding the experimental
nature of the work, is an absolute dem
onstration that the making of sorghum
sugar is one of the most promising in
dustries that the people of Kansas can
undertake.
The Attica plant of the Kansas State
Sugar company affords better means of
Judging what the industry may reason
ably be expected to accomplish. The
Attica factory was constructed last
year at a cost of 100000. We are
credibly informed that it can be dupli-
Gated today for $4,000. The outlay of
100000 was extravagant, because of
this same lack of experience which is
rapidly being obviated. The present
season, as is well known. is unusually
late. Sorghum cane matured slowly and
the Attica plant for the first three weeks
used unripe cane which produced only
about per cent. sugar. Last week the
cane ripened and in two days the saccha-
rine qualities jumped up from Z to II per
cent. The plant is turning out sugar at
the rapid rate of $1,000 pounds
every three DAYS. The cane was
contracted for at the rate of ten tons to
the acre and is producing fifteen tons.
Two car loads Of sugar have been ship
ped, one to Parkhurst & Davis at Tope-
ka and the other TO a firm at ST. Joe.
Another car load will be shipped today.
The cane can be used until the first
freeze.
Now, as to the profits thus tar at At
tica, a gentleman of the first authority
tells us that for the three weeks already
operated net profit of 10 per cent has
been made on the investment of $780,
600. That means looking ahead to the
building of the same factory for $65, 900.
profit in few weeks work of over 10
per cent on the investment.
1t makes little difference to Kansas
that Secretary Rusk has been reported to
Sdy III w iiiStJ tuc OutlpOh IDl
the sorghum sugar industry is still du-
bious. As the Capital stated the other
day, it is on its feet. The experimental
stage has been passed-at some cost. il is
true, but with great profit to the future
success of the industry. What other in
dustry has made such an extraordinary
start: That the stock holders of the To-
peka Sugar company are full of conf
dence is fully demonstrated hv their pur-
pose TO rebuild at once, despite the most
dIscouraging disaster that overcame
them at the outset, in the destruction of
the mill.
As We have repeated many times,
there is one great thing needful towards
the success of the industry, and that is
the education of sorghum sugar makers
This will not long be needed. One sea
son S work IN mill is sufficient to afford
an intelligent man the necessary educa-
ton. In five years sorghum sugar will
be the leading manufacturing industry
of Kansas. Mark the prophecy!