Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1897-01-13
BEET SUGAR INDUSTRY,
SOME INTERESTING FACTS
CONCERNING 1T,
Wisconsin Desirable Place for the
Culture of Sugar Beets-What Prof.
Henry Says-The WATERFOWL Farm
ers' Club Considering the Estab-
Hshment of Factory Here.

Hshment of Factory Here.
Like many other agricultural or
CARNATIONS in Wisconsin, the Water
town Farmers club is at present
greatly interested in the beet sugar
industry. At recent meeting a
committee was selected to investigate
the matter and ascertain the advisa-
blllty and the prospects for the locat-
ing of a factory in or near this city.
The committee is composed of Ernst
Krueger, John Brockmann, Henry F.
Scholz, august Kruger and Julius
Schoechert. They intend visiting
the Menomonee Falls plant as soon as
it is in operation and obtain such in
side facts regarding the establishment
of the industry there as will enable
the club to pursue a definite and in
telligent course if favorable report
is made.
As a means of meeting many in
| guiries and satisfying the demand for
information on the subject Prof. W.
A. Henry, director of the agricultural
experiment station at the state univer-
sity, has just issued a pamphlet
bulletin No. So devoted to the pro-
duction of the sugar beet, the posi-
bilities for the new industry in Wis
consin, and giving statistics of the
beet sugar production of the world.
Prof. Henry says that the soil and
climate of this state are favorable for
the growth OF sugar beets, and shows
wherein it would be of profit to the
farmers to cultivate them Real zing
that Wisconsin people would some day
recognize the Importance of growing
the sugar beet, Prof. Henry for several
| years has been conducting an investi-
| cation of the states possibilities in
that direction. In his research he had
the assistance of the late secretary of
agriculture, j. M. Rusk, who foresaw
the necessity of America in the near
future producing her own sugar.
Beet sugar factories are now in
operation in this country at Norfolk,
Neb.; Grand Island, Neb. Lehi, Utah !;
Alvarado, CAL; jacksonville, Cal. :;
Chino, CAL; Eddy, n. NJ, and one is
about to open at Menomonee Falls,
Wis. Two former efforts to conduct
factories in Wisconsin failed.
In the years 1894-5, says Prof.
Henry, there were 405 factories in
Germany making beet sugar. They
worked more than ii, 100000 tons of
beets, grown onmore than one million
acres of land. Eight hundred and
twenty-five pounds of beets produced
100 pounds of raw sugar, and one acre
of land yielded 1914 pounds of sugar.
1t is shown that the average pei
cent. of sugar in beets at the Lehi
Utah, factory is about 81. and al
the Chino, Cal, factory, little more
than IA. In 1894, the factory at Nor.
folk, Neb.. made 5000, coo pounds Of
sugar from 20 633 tons of beets, being
216 pounds of sugar to ton of beets
Speaking of the situation in Wiscon.
sin Prof. Henry says: ALLOWING 6
consumption of sixty pounds of sugar
per individual and population Of
1900, 600 people, the sugar require
ments of our state call for 100, 600, OO(
pounds; at A. cents per pound we
have an aggregate cost of IS, 400. 600
which may be stated as the sum that
Wisconsin must send each wear tC
Europe or the tropics to pay for the
sugar she uses. Were we as people
exercising the intelligence and fore.
sight which we will not allow others
to charge as lacking, all of this sum
could be saved % our commonwealth
even if we sold 10 sugar to our neigh
boring states. The sum of S.. 900. OOC
divided into payments to the farmers
for beets grown, to the laborers and
experts for factory operation, to the
railway companies for drawing fuel
and other supplies, would prove a
marked stimulus to our agriculture
because it would bring more custom
ers into our state for the other pro-
ducts of the farm as we'll as TAKING
some OF our acres, now producing
crops in plethora. out of competition
and giving them over to a new indus
try.
In regard to the factory at Menom-
once Falls Prof. Henry says: The en-
terprlse is due to the efforts of K G..
horn, who has patiently worked for
It's advancement for a long time past.
The building is a substantial brick
structure; it's length is 24O feet; it's
width averages 50 feet. The building
cost 81, 900, and the entire factory
complete will cost not to exceed $3.50,
600. The capacity of this factory is
20 tons Of beets per day of twenty
four hours. Mr. Xorn states that he
will be able to operate this factory
with two shifts of fifty men each, one
working by day and the other by
night He claims that owing to i'm
proved machinery, and the arrange
ment OF the same he can operate this
factory with about half the force re-
CURED in European factories. The
water for washing the beets comes
from the Menomonee river, near by;
water for use in the diffusion cells and
elsewhere comes from an artesian well
on the grounds. The company has a
ten-year contract with $50 farmers for