The morning call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1878-1895, 1891-07-16
ALAMEDA COUNTY.
The Manufacture of Beet Sugar.
The Peach Crop.

The Alvarado beet sugar factory was the
first successful one established in the
United States, and has been running for
about twenty years thousands of acres in
that section of the county are planted annu-
ally to beet, the soil being particularly
adapted to their growth. In the general
talk one hears deal about the great good
the tw0-cent bounty on sugar is going to do
the farmer, which is true only in the sense
that more farmers are given the opportunity
to grow beets, as factories are enlarged, or
new factories established, as we see is to be
the case in several States, where such an
industry has heretofore been unknown. the
two-cent bounty giving the capitalist who
start them pretty safe basis TO work upon !;
so. really, 1t is the manufacturer, not the
farmer who Is benefited. A days run at
the Alvarado factory is about 200 tons of
beets, which makes twenty five tons OF
sugar, costing, it is calculated, three cents a
pound to the manufacturer, to purchase the
beets and convert them into sugar. For
this he receives two cents pound bounty,
for all sugar up to the 80 per cent standard,
and for the two cents the aim is to
make all sugar up to that standard.
Hence the Cost OF his sugar Is only one
cent, and the sugar is yet unsold, all that it
is sold for above one cent being clear gain.
The average pay the grower receives is
or has been S4 80 a ton for beets, and taking
200 tons as IA standard. the farmer receives
Tor 1t $500. The bounty upon twenty five
tons of sugar (the product of 200 tons of
beets) is $1,000, so the beets are paid for by
the bounty, with 500 to boot. Now, the
question arises, why not divide the bounty
with the farmer by paying better prices?
twenty tons to the acre is large crop, and
being crop that requires much hard labor,
the net income is not more than $50 10 $50
an acre. on the average.
III this bounty will increase factories, max
ing sugar so plentiful that the prices shall
be so reduced that 1t shall cease to be a
luxury, then it will have been g great
benefit. even if the bounty remains in the
capitalists hands; but, with the tariff off,
the temptation is very great to ship to
foreign countries, keeping prices here. up
to prices demanded there, where it is a
luxury, in the sense that it cannot be pro-
duced there.
There is general complaint throughout
the valley concerning the small size of the
peaches and apricots, the reasons assigned
being many-the small rainfall last winter,
the water being drained from the creek and
the recent hot wave of six or seven days.
Whatever the reasons the fruit is decidedly
understood except in those orchards that
have been irrigated or upon young trees.
Cherries were fine and large, and sold for a
hne sum, but the offers so far for peaches
or aprlcOts have not been more than cent
aud hall, and several OrchardiStS have sold
the entire crop for cent and half all
around; others still will dry their entire
crops. The work Of drying has commenced
this week in several of the large orchards.
Between cherries and aprcots there is al
ways slack time of two or three weeks,
but the several city boys who have been in
town for work will be kept pretty busy for
weeks to come. The only way TO get the
work Is to hunt it up.
The Ladies' Guild met last Wednesday at
Mrs. ii. ryson's Mrs. Kinslay of Oakland
read an interesting article upon the worlds
order of w. c. I. U. Besides the work of
building the parsonage, the ladies have sew
eral schemes on foot for beneiiting the town.
which will no doubt eventually succeed.
Rev. +. III. Maar and wife are away for
their vacation, and Rev. Mr.. HOlbrook is oc-
cuDying the pulpit during his absence. So
many NlleSltes are away for their sum-
merlng that all the societies are taking a
vacation
Miss Matte Baker has been retained as
the primary teacher, having given complete
satisfaction, and gentleman named Nuby
from Iuriock has been engaged as principal
for next year.
There is very little hay or grain raised i'm
mediateIy around Niles, but further out in
the valley many hundreds of acres are in
hay or grain, and the past few weeks dozen
or so threshing outfits have been busy.
Within the past six weeks nine outfits have
been wholly or partially destroyed by fire
in the valley.
1t was hoped that it would be possible to
obtain high school in this township be-
fore very long, but several complications
have arisen and ii has been thought ad-
visable to let the matter rest for few
months at least until the "tr0ublous
times )" are past.
Work on the Catholic Church Is being
pushed rapidly and it will be handsome
structure. A concert or entertainment is to
be given in the Town Hall Saturday evening,
the 25th, for The benefit of the church. 1t
will be under the supervision of Father
Caraher. The programme is not yet COM
plete, but the musical part is to be of I'M
usual excellence, Mr.. Mccarthy of San
Francisco, genuine Irish piper being the
main attraction. Colonel John O'Byrne,
recently from New York Colonel in the
late war, is to deliver an address The
gentleman is a talented orator and has de-
livered several fine addresses in San Fran
cisco within the past year. He was Dis
trlct Attorney IN New York City for several
years.
Hundreds of campers have silently folded
their tents and shipped their goods and
themselves hOmeward within the past week
having taken many home. There have been
about 1900 people in the canyon for the
season, and over the Fourth probably twice
as many.
TIE last of the summer boarders In town,
too, have departed, and people talk now of
nothing but fruit. fruit
The San Jose Board of Trade has opened
In its rooms a register for the usa of or
chardiStS VINO wish to employ fruit-pckers
and Tor persons wishing such work, the
registration being free