Phillipsburg herald. [volume] (Phillipsburg, Kan.) 1882-1905, 1893-04-13

phur treatment and mechanical Ultra
ton the chemical part of the manufact-
ure ceases, and the liquid, now called
thick juice" is ready for crystalllza-
ton.
This syrup is boiled In the vacuum
pan, receptacle containing a copper
coil heated by steam, until the proper
crystals are obtained. which, with the
uncrystallized sugar, forms the "masse
cutie" an unprepossessing mixture,
which the centrifugals are able to rem
der into white sugar in the brief space
OF few minutes. These machines make
about thousand revolutions minute,
the centrifugal force driving the molas-
ses through the porous walls of the re-
ceiver, leaving a solid layer of crystals
clinging to the side. After being sprayed
with water, the damp sugar is released
and conveyed to the drier, an immense
tumbler whose heated walls remove all
moisture 1t gradually works to the
other end, the crystals falling like spray
from a mountain waterfall as they
make their rough journey, and, arriving
there, drop through various-sized sleeves
into chutes under which yawn the open
mouths Of sacks. These are filed, and
the sugar is ready for the market.
The entire process of converting the
raw material into the finest grade of table
sugar has thus gone on under the same
roof, and the beets which were yester.
day in the farmers wagon are to-day
sacked and branded extra fine" and
loaded in cars for shipment Not all
beet-sugar factories refine their prod
uct, but in America IL is distinct adj
vantage, partly because of their re-
moteness from the great refinerles and
partly from commercial reasons. There
are now in this country six plants, the
locations being Alvarado. Watsonvllle,
and Chino, in California; Grand Island
and Norfolk, In Nebraska and Lehi in
Utah; the last four Of which were es-
tabllshed in 1890 and 1891. All have
been able thus far to cope with the dis
advantages that lie in the path of the
industry In the way of the solution OF
the agricultural problem, and the busi-
ness may be said to have gained al
ready strong foothold.
When 1t Is considered that more than
half thousand OF such factories, each
costing several hundred thousand dol
lars, would be required to supply the
sugar that we consume annually, 1t Is
not difficult to see that millions Of dol
lars now sent abroad year after year
would be retained here, to say nothing
Of the labor afforded to thousands Of
workmen, the advantage to communi-
ty OF possessing a factory that uses raw
material whose production Is benefit
to the immediate nelghborhood, and
last, but not least, the Improvement in
general agriculture that must necessa-
rily result from the pursuit of the very
careful methods required in the culture
Of sugar-beet.
But though still In its Infancy In
America, the manufacture OF beet
sugar Is not q new departure for US; 1t |
Is only Its success that is recent. The
long list Of failures dates back as far
as 1880, which is about the time that 1t |
was placed on permanent footing in
France, and for nearly half a century
its pathway was strewn with wrecks. |
Eight years later an attempt was made
at Mortified, Mass, the experiment |
Of drying the beet being tried, but the |
endeav0r was unrewarded with success. |
Two decades and half then passed |
before any move toward revlving the in |
dustry was made, when a plant was
located at Chatsworth, Ill. It managed
to struggle along several years, but
finally went to the wall. 1t was moved |
to Freeport, and later to Black Hawk,
Wis, with only failures as the result.
At last it found itself in Fond du Lac,
in the same State. Here It's establish
ment was attended with q measure Of
success, but the enterprise being ham
pered by insufficient capital, and the
occurring to increase the
latter, 1t was once more removed, this
time to Alvarado. Cal. Again disaster,
and Soquels was chosen for a site, but
after time abandoned. Then the fac
tory at Alvarado was revived and sue
cess, which continues to this date, was
reached. Later on, the plant at Wat
was erected.
There.is vast belt stretching from
the Atlantic to the Pacific, and OF no
mean width, which invites the culture
If the sugar-beet and promises success
almost from the start, II experiments
.hus far made can be relied upon. Soil
md climate are there; careful culture
will come when farmers realize that the
brain must be used In tillage As for
nm hQQma tho Oraok L. |