The San Francisco call., 1897-05-29
BEET-SUGAR INDUSTRY

The proposition of Claus SpreckeIs to
colonize for beet culture his lands In the
Salinas Valley on terms that are really
philanthrop in their design, with the
consequent prospect of an immense In
crease in the California yield OF beet sugar.
makes appropriate some reference to the
remarka BILE growth Of the beet-sugar indus
try in America.
According to LewsS. Ware, the eminent
Philadelphia authority on this topic, the
agitation for the promotion OF the beet
sugar industry of the United States was
commenced early in the seventies, at
which time there did not exist sin.
gle beet-sugar factory in the coun-
try. Interest was gradually awakened
among farmers in various parts OF the
country and as result factories were
built in California, Maine, Delaware and
Massachusetts,. The oris sinal Alvarado
factory, under Intelligent management
and with advantages of soil and climate
not enjoyed in the East, alone survived.
The fluctuations that followed are made
evident by i'm Dor ant data furnished by
Willett & Gray. In 1878 the production OF
beet sugar was 200 tons; in 1879. 1900 tons;
1880, SEQ tons; 1SS1-S2. less than 500 tons;
1888, $50 tons; 1884 953 tons; 1885, 600
tons: 1886, 800 tons; 1887, 225 tons. Wat
sonvllle and Chino in this State, Norfolk
and Grand Island. Nebr.. Eddy, N. NJ,
and smaller plants which were established
about this period helped to increase the
United States annual production OF heet
sugar as follows: 1888, 1910 tons 1889,
1900 tons; $780, $500 tons; 1891. $3.50 tons;
1892, 10000 tons; 1898, 90, 453 tons; 1894,
20, 443 tons; 1895, 10000 tons; 1896, 10000
tons (estlmated).
The practical example OF tha Alvarado
beet-sugar factory in Alameda County.
where white sugar was early extracted to
find a ready sale in San Francisco, served
to establish a more general faith in the
future of the industry the possibilities OF
which capital was induced to consider
more earnestly.
During the infancy of beet-sugar manu-
facture in this country it had 10 contend
against the sorghum craze, in which mil
lions were invested, but with the aid of
the Agricultural Department at Washing
ton the friends OF beet sugar were finally
able to make capitalists understand that
it was through the beet, and through it
dlOHt, LudL we Coulu pIOouCo our own
sugar.
1t is onfidently claimed that the 40, 900
tons now made will be increased within
five years to 100 900 tons per annum. In fact
the beet-sugar industry, the best authori-
ties conceoe, is destined to revolutions
ize the farming and manufacturing
industries OF many sections of the
United States, and the day is not far
distant when this country will manufac-
ture all the sugar it consumes. This
means more to California than to any
other State in the Union, for in no other
part of this country are the natural advan-
tages OF soil and climate so great as those
which we afford for sugar bset culture.
The industry has been taking mighty
strides here year by year, and now, under
the direction OF Claus Spreskels, We are
about to see the largest beet-sugar factory
in the world rise in the Salinas Valley.
The sugar beet farmer ia the M most success
ful farmer we have. We want more
of him. Beet-sugar factories and beet
farms are going to do more for Califor-
MAS prosperity than her gold mines.