The Helena independent. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1875-1943, 1891-08-29
BEET SUGAR INDUSTRY.
Internal Revenue Collector Mills
lnaugurates tho Bounty Sys-
tenn in His District.

n0uEurateS sno bounty oYS-
!. tenn in His District.
: Visit to tho Works of tho Uta
:, Sugar Company, Thirty Miles
From Salt Lake.
: The Process Of Manufacture and . Refs,
ence to the Prohts-How the Beets Arc
Grown-The Business In Montana.
While the question Of tho cultivation o
+ the sugar beet has attracted a good deal Q
attention in the northwest during the past
year, and the matter of the establishmen
of factories to manufacture the beets int
pure sugar has agitated the western an,
southwestern states to a large extent, boil
J, the cultivation of the beet and the opera
ton of the factories have been in the natur,
of experiments. In California the Spreck.
els first %inaugurated the growing of thu
beet, and were also largely instrumental il
starting the first factory, and in that state
the business has passed beyond the expert
mental to the practical and successful
stage. But In Montana. the Dakotas, Utah
Colorado, Nebraska and Kansas the indus
try is yet in it's infancy. Heretofore it has
been difficult to obtain accurate informa-
tion regarding the soil and climatic con-
ditions necessary for the successful raising
Of the sugar beet and also the process
through which it is put before it becomes
~-~. lS.k 49, III 49,
prevail, as the government now has a direct
interest in the manufacture of beet sugar,
and its employees and experts are testing
and watching every pound made in the
United States.
Oct. l, 1890, congress passed what is
known as the sugar bounty act. 1t pro-
vides that from July l, 1891, till July l,
1905, the government will pay a bounty on
sugar made from bsets, sorghum, a and
maple sap, produced in the United States,
of two cents per pound on that testing 80
degrees, and ia cents on that testing 80 to
80 degrees. The bounty is to be paid sub
ject to the rules of the treasury department..
When the law vent into effect the treasury
officials had no practical knowledge of the
processes attending the manufacture of
sugar., and especially that made from
sugar beets. All the details for the pay
msnt of the bounty had to be arranged. in
spectors, chemists and others provided
and in fact virtually a new bureau added to
the treasury department.. In carrying out
the provisions Of the law the aid
OF the collectors in the various districts in
which sugar retineries were located had to
be secured because part of the duties con-
nected with the payment of the bounty
would devolve upon them. In ~equ
Capt. JAS. s. Mills, United States internal
revenue collector for Montana, Idaho and
Utah, was directed to proceed to Lehi, Utah,
thirty miles south of Salt Lake, whore the
Utah Sugar company has established an
immense factory for the manufacture of
beet sugar. This is the only sugar manu-
factory in this revenue district. These Lshi
works are the largest In the United States,
owned entirely by home capital. There are
only a few beet sugar factories in this co un-
try. Nebraska having two. California one or
two, and a few small ones in Missouri and
Pennsylvania. Capt. Mills visited the Lchi
works, inspected them and made all neces.
sary arrangements to protect the govern
ment's interests and for paying the bounty
to the producers. He returned a few DAYS
ago and tells some interesting things about
the industry. The Utah company has a
main building built of brick three stories
in height, 168x84 feet. and an annex, also a
three-story brick, 184x36. The buildings
anu plAuL represent III outlay u
5000 o The machinery was manufactured
at Cleveland, Ohio, and is pronounced by
those familiar with the business superior to
any that has heretofore been imported. An
idea of the magnitude of the establishment
may be obtained when it is remembered
boilers to operate it. Convene tly placed
are long storage buildings. into which the
beets, as they come from the farms, are
dumped. These storage houses are shaped
like troughs, through which water is kept
running, forcing the beets into the factory.
there is no more handling, the entire pro-
cess, thereafter, up to the time the sugar
leaves the factory, being automatic. The
works are as perfect and complete as sci
ence and money can make them. The Sic
ing machine, the first process through
tons 4 day, while the evaporators, which
is among the last, have 10000 square feet
of heating apparatus. Mr.. Morris, the
president OF the company, in 1852, took to
Utah the first sugar making machinery ever
brought west of the Mississippi. The
named Dyer, who have had many years.
practical experience in beet sugar making
at the Eldorado works, in California, and
from all he saw, the captain says he has no
doubt the Utah works will be a success.
Sept. 25 the company will start the works
Wy esA4N "AAA A00 . AuA VI w uuyo W D
up the product of the present year. 1t is
expected to turn out 1000 600 pounds of
sugar. all of which has been sold. Utah
last year consumed IL, ZOO. 600 pounds of
sugar. 80 it will be seen that there is q home
market for the output. The estimated cost
of producing sugar in Utah is a fraction
less than five cents per pound. The selling
price is about six cents, and the difference,
added to the bounty of two cents, makes
qnits a fair profit on the investment of half
a million. In addition to the government
bounty the territory of Utah gives a bonus
of one cent a pound until $1,000 worth of
sugar has been produced, and this will add
to the company's profits that much this
year. The product of the factory is guar
anteed by practical operatort to grade over
80 per cent. pure sugar, While experts admit
that 1t is impossible to distinguish between
the native beet sugar and that produced
from cane.
Captain Mills was Joined at the works by
Inspector Everett B.Norton, of the treasury
department, and with him arranged the
details for protecting the governments in
terests and paying the bounty. Mr.. Norton
has charge. as inspector. of the Nebraska
and Kansas as well as the Utah factory. and
Is a bright mnn. He is an old newspaper
worker, having been connected with a
Maine paper before entering the govern
ment employ. Mr.. Norton is looking after
every detail connected with the manufact-
ure OF beet sugar, as the industry ia sure
TO grow, and the man who has the most
thorough knowledge of the business will
naturally be best qualified to unravel