The record-union. [volume] (Sacramento, Calif.) 1891-1903, 1897-04-23
CHANCE FOR HOME CAPITAL.
Why Not Ourselves Have a Sugar Re-
fnery?
Some Excellent Suggestions Advanced
by John Markley to Local
Capitalists.

In speaking of the present impetus
in the sugar beet industry Throughout
the State, John Markley, Secretary oI
the State Board of Examiners, yeSiel-
day said there was one spot III the
State better adapated for the success
full operation of a sugar refinery IMAM
any other, and that spot was on the
high lands, just below Sacramento Clty.
If, said Mr.. Markley, the people OF the
city would seriously consider the prop
osition of ~recting immense reIhlhS
works, it uld not possibly prove d
failure. Outside capital is not neceS-
sary; in f. I, it should not be sollclted-
Sacramento's citizens, he sald are
wealthy enough to erect their own re-
finery, and a determination to DO so
would put an end to the proposed plants
at Colusa, Dixon, Woodland and else
where.
Sacramento, Mr. Markley continued
is centrally located. and has the adVan-
tage over any other section of the State
in having direct water and rail connec-
lions with every beet-produclng coun-
ty Railroad rates to shippers are not
exorbitant while river rates have been
reduced to a minimum, and offers are
made to transport freight at the rate
of 81 a ton on small, and special rates
on large consignmentS. With rates so
reasonable, Colusa Woodland, Dixon
and other beet producing centers could
not afford to erect separate refineries,
and were q step taken in the right di-
rection he believed the people of those
localities would take an interest in
the matter, and take stock extensively
in the central refinery.
The soil of California, Mr. Markley
said, is peculiar, and that best adapted
to the culture of the beet is worth COM
paratively little for grain, and vice
versa.
AS soon as it becomes understood that
a large refinery is to be erected at
Sacramento, he continued, thousands
of acres of land. from COlusa down to
the foot of the islands below CORTLAND,
which now returns practically nothing
TO the owners. would be sown to beets.
Capitalists, Mr.. Markley said, are not
only willing but eager to place their
funds in refineries, and the people of
Sacramento City ought to take a
pointer from this fact. The largest,
best equipped and most remunerative
refinery in the State called for an out
lay of about s., 100000. while several
others which had no more than 500
600 capital invested are paying fine
dividends. An excellent plant. he
thought might be erected for 10000,
and when the press of business became
greater, as it would soon do, it could be
enlarged.
In the way of facilities, Mr.. Markley
submitted that there is nothing lacking
except lime, and that millions of tons
of limestone lay in Placer County only
waiting to be qUarried. About a ton
of lime is used daily, he explained, in
large refineries, and the cost of trans
porting the article from Auburn would
be a mere bagatelle.
Instead of the local Chamber of Com
rnerce attempting to induce outside
capital to invest in factories within or
near the city, Mr.. Markley thought it
would be well for the gentlemen who
compose that body to turn their ener-
gies toward inducing our own citizens
to erect a refinery, which, beside being
a source of steady employment to sew
eral hundred persons. could not fail of
being a source of revenue to those will
ing 10 invest.
In conclusion, Mr.. Markley read from
several reports, showing that the lands
along the Sacramento River are better
adapted for beet culture than any in
the State, and from other reports
enumerating the prices paid for the
product and the enormous return to
the beet farmer for his land and la
bor