The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1894-10-19
A NEW s>aAR BEET INDUSTRY.

The s.ises fs.rtory at Lehi has prov
en- a success, and in time it may be
expected that other factories will be
established in other parts of the terri
tory
In the manufacture of sugar there
is good deal of waste from the mo-
lasses made and which cannot be con-
verified into sugar. When this molasses
can be probably utilized for any pur-
pose the value Of the sugar plant be-
comes enhanced and it will tend to make
the growing of sugar beets more profit
able A use has been found for this
molasses II is the distillation of spirits
from it.
The experiment has just been success
fully made at the Columbian distillery
of Omaha, and this distillery expects to
use a carload of beet sugar molasses
every day for this purpose
The molasses used in this test was
obtained from the Oxnard factory, at
Grand Island, Neb. IN it's raw state
it is a deep red color, and is OF the
consistency of the ordinary -yrup
When applied to the tongue sweet
taste is at first noticeable, but this is
flavor which is undesirable for any
culinary purpose.
The first thing to do is to neutralize
the alkaH This is done by adding
about 10 per cent. of malt and yeast
and a quantity of chemical prepara-
ton which is depended on to convert
the salts. It is left in the vat for
short time until the alkali is transfer.
red. when the process of fermentation
begins, and it is then pumped into one
Of the large fermenting watts, where it
| lies for not more than seventy-two
hours. until the process of fermenta-
ton is complete. After the fermenta-
| ton is complete the watts are drawn off
and the high spirits are carried
through the refining process, while the
slop is run off into the sewer The reI
fining process is simply a charcoal
filter, the spirits being carried through
watts of pulverized charcoal until all
the impurities are removed and the
pure white product is ready to go into
the cistern, from which 1t is drawn off
into barrels, stamped by the govern
ment guager, and locked up in the
bonded warehouse.
! The experiments were under the
personal supervision of Mr.. E. e. Bry-
selbout, the superintendent of the Ok
nard factory, and who was brought to
| this country from France by that COM
pany. He has had several years ex-
perience as a chemical engineer in con-
tinental factories and is considered
one of the best beet sugar experts in
! the country.
| All this means a great deal to Utah
Last year the product molasses
from the factory at Grand Island was
| 177,000 gallons. AS the output of sugar
from the Eehi factory was much great
er than that of the Grand Island fac
tory, so the product of molasses at
Lehi must nave been much greater
And all this nolasses is an absolute
waste save an infintismally small
quantity that is used in making vine
gar.
If this molasses can be converted
into spirits it will be an industry sec
ond only to that of sugar making itself.
The proprietors of the Lehi factory
realize what a waste there is. but so
far have been unable to prevent it.
This Omaha experiment seems to offer
a solution Of the problem that has
heretofore confronted them. It is at
least worthy Of their considera ton, and
i is very likely to receive it. It's adon-
ton and success would mean the saw
ing of hundred thousand dollars or
SO annually.