The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1890-10-31
BEET SUGAR.

~ puUll5u6u tuo dudlySco VI b6VGfdl Su-
gar beets raised by Mr.. Sewer, near Ea-
gle Lake, showing that the percentage
of sugar is Is. while the industry is prof
liable if the percentage is 10 Mr.. Sow
er believes that beet sugar raising is
profitable, while Hon. Fred Lossow, of
Mcpherson, who has also had some beets
analysed, holds contrary view. He
considers that the beets are bulky and
require good deal of time to handle in
the fall when the farmers are busy. He
thinks that it cannot be made as profit
able as in Germany. and would put the
land into corn and that into pork.
The government offers a bounty of
one dollar ton for sugar beets, which
would mean SIS per acre on the aver
age. This is estimated to cover the ex-
pense of raising and handling. Were a
sugar mandatory to be established in
this city the crop would be very prof
liable one.
A meeting was held at South Sioux
City Thursday evening for the purpose
of securing pledges from farmers to
raise sugar beets. H. T. Oxnard. the
Grand Island sugar manufacturer, has
made proposition to put In plant at
South Sioux City to cost 100000 for a
bonus of $3.50, 900 in cash and real entate.
and guarantee that 1000 acres of
beets will be raised in the vicinity next
year. The farmers were enthusiastic,
and there was no trouble in getting
them to pledge the required number of
acres.
Yesterday a committee started for
Grand Island prepared to put up a guar
antee bond for the bonus. 1t is said su
gar beets can be raised as easily there as
in the vicinity of Grand Island, and will
pay better than any crop that can be
raised.
Our citizens should bestir themselves
and see if mandatory cannot be Sc
secured for this city, where the advan-
tages are so much better than at Sioux
City, and where the surrounding conn
try is better adapted for beet raising.
In this connection attention can be
very properly called to the establish
ment of linen mandatory in Mime
apolis, for the utilization of flax fibre.
A number of these factories, as well as
beet and other factories, are being erect
ed in various parts of the country, un-
der the protecting wing of the McKln-
ley tariff bill. Many industries that
heretofore could not be probably en-
gagged in in this country are now spring
ing into existence, and capital is being
put into new plants by the million.
While other cities are reaping the ben
fit, let not Mankato sit still and be a
passive observer of the growth of her
sister cities. By entering into the race
with vigor and enthusiasm we can in a
few years double or treble our size. The
tariff bill has opened up great possiblli-
ties for thu smaller cities of the land,
and there in no reason why this city
should not reap of the harvest.
We have sample of the sugar made
from the sugar beet, which shows that
the poduct is equal to the best granula
ted sugar made from cane.
Senator Washburn has visited the
great Oxnard mandatory that was
started in operation less than eight
weeks ago at Grand Island, Neb., and
has investigated the subject thor
oughly.
81 am more than ever convinced"
said the senator, shat the success OF
this industry is established beyond any
possible question. The prospects are
remarkably bright. There is no ques-
ton in the world but that the manufac-
ture of sugar from beets in this country
has been established for all time. In
my recent visit to Grand Island 1 made
| thorough examination of the plant
which has been put in there. It is q
large plant, about $500, 900 capital being
invested. Mr.. Oxnard, who is one ofthe
largest refners in the country, told me
that he had no doubt whatever but what
plenty of capital would be forthcoming
to introduce the manufacture into the
| NOTLuW0SC. Lie Uc0L sugar U6lC, DIS
it is called, takes in the greater
part of Minnesota, the two Da-
kotas and portions of Iowa and
Nebraska. In this belt beets suit
able for sugar manufacture can be
grown successfully, and the analyses
show that there is greater proportion
of saccharlne matter in the American
grown beets than IN those grown in Aus
tria or Germany. There the amount is
from II to IA, while here it is from Is to
16 The climate and soil. of course,
have much to do with 1t, while the care
of the beets is an important factor.
''They are using at present $50 tons of
beets per day. They make 10000 pounds
of the finest kind of sugar per day. This
| is all the very best grade, the fine re-
fined white sugar. The machinery 1
found quite expensive as it is very
heavy and has to be imported.
''The time has come," said the sena-
tor with much earnestness, when there
must be change. We cannot depend
upon wheat alone in Minnesota. We
must learn not to carry all our eggs in
one basket. The farmers find this en-
terprise very profitable. At Grand
Island, for instance, they pay the farm
ers So per ton for beets that contain IL
per cent. of saccharine matter. Then
they pay 25 cents for each additional
per cent, So 25 for beets with 13 cent.