Daily capital journal. (Salem, Or.) 1896-1899, 1897-08-27
SUGAR BEETS.
What an Expert Is Doing.
Chance for the Location Of a Big
Factory in Salem.

been connected with the Grand Island,
Neb., factory, has been at work in
Salem two days.
He visited the Garden Road and. .asy-
lum gardens on Thursday to inspect
the growth of vegetables and the
depth and quality of the soil. He
found strong warm soil, that he con-
siders unsurpassed for sugar beets,
could be had in sufficient quantities
about Salem to warrant the location
of big factory here. 1t will take
from 5000 to 5000 acres, as beets can
be hauled by team from two to four
miles at a profit.
THE LABISH LANDS
were inspected this forenoon. In
company with Tilmon Ford, he went
to that gentleman's farms and to the
John knight farm on Lablsh bottom,
Whit shovel and pick he examined
the soil, finding it all the way from
two feet to one hundred feet deep
(latser estimated.) No better beet
farming soil could be imagined but
actual tests may bring varied results.
But the soils are such as to satisfy
Mr.. Kuehne that sugar beet culture
would be likely to be successful ex-
pertinent here.
WHAT CAN BE DONE.
Mr.. Kuehne left at 2 o'clock to ex-
plore the soils about Aurora. He
says he will come back to Salem if a
meeting of farmers and citizens can be
called when he will give specific in
formation as to profits of sugar beet
culture, nature Of contracts required
with farmers for from five to ten years,
and what is better will bring with
him capitalist who is prepared to
talk business at once The crop can
be started this fall and the factory
puv up in time for next years product
to be worked up.
WHAT IT MEANS
to Salem is best shown by some figures
left US by Mr.. Kuehne, who resides
at Tigardsville, where he has a large
farm and is conducting extensive ex-
periments in sugar beet culture. A
factory to work up 300 tons of beets a
day will cost $780, 500 ton fac
tory 100000; buildings are put up of
brick and steel; 300 tons "a day takes
1000 acres of land; employs 1S0 men
day and night; the field work for
such a factory would employ 1900 to
1900 men, women and children; beets
yielding II percent sugar of so per
cent purity sell for 81 a ton; as per
cent of sugar increases price advances
to 81 a ton. Ten tons to an acre will |
net the farmes $35 an acre, and Is per
cent return in yalde of pulp for feed
he also says the use of the tops
stimulates the dairy product and es-
tablishment of creameries.
DO WE WANT FACTORIES?
If we do we must go to work. The
company will put in a big capital. |
Shares Of stock are taken locally |
wherever factory is established and
beet stock is taken by the farmers.
OregOn's 100000 people consume 2S,-
900, 900 pounds sugar a year and the
home market will keep the money at
home that now goes abroad. Mr..
Kuehne explains all details when
called upon.
A beet sugar factory would IN five
years add thousands of people to our
population and put money in circu-
lation here that now goes abroad.
There is no experiment about beet
sugar manufacture. Germany has
43l beet sugar refineries, while our
country has only 8 or 8 factories and
is l7t times rs large as Germany with
nearly twice the population.
Mr.. Ford says he showed the expert
the soils on the Knight, ,IBush, Albert,
Pugh and Beatty farms and that there
is no doubt but what in that vicinity
there are 10000 acres of the very finest
sugar beet land. One sample has
been analyzed and shows 2l per cent
or over. 1t is question whether the
lake land or the upland will grow the
better beets. Those primarily inter-
ested in sugar beet culture should call
a meeting and invite Mr.. Kuhne back
TO Salem, and hear what he has to say.
If this industry is within our reach,
and we can not see why it is not reach
lble, there should be no delay on the
part of our land owners and business
men in arriving at a conclusion and
uaking the effort.
SPECULATIoN.-Grain speculation
s beinQ indulUad in ouita avfaneiyal,,