Evening star., 1897-01-09
BEET SUGAR INDUSTRY
Number and Location of Factories in This
Country.
About the Cultivation of Deets and
the Yield Per Acre-The Ger
man Cooperative Plan.
Written for The Evening Star.

written 1Of Inc Evening Star.
Very few people understand what an
enormous development the beet sugar in
dustry has had within very recent day.
Although 1t was an important industry in
Europe more than half century ago, yet
| within ten or fifteen years the production
has more than doubled. In 1850 two
thirds of the sugar consumed by the world
came from cane and one-third from beets;
| in 1880 this proportion was almost reversed
-four-sevenths came from the beet. What
it is row may be roughly estimated from
the fact that in the last six years Ger
many's total output, all from the beet, has
increased by one-half, and that of France
has had corresponding growth.
In these same six years the experiment
tai stations established by the United
States government at various points from
New York to California have demons trated
that the soil of this country is even more
favorable to the growth of sugar beets
than that Of France or Germany.
The beet sugar factories now in exist
ence in this country are those at Grand
Island and Norfolk, Nebraska, and at
Chino Valley, San Bernadina county, Cal.
all owned by the OXnard company; the
Watscnville, Cal, factory, owned by the
Hawaiian sugar king, Claus Spreckles,
City, Utah. and at Eddy, New Mexico.
This year the Spreckles factory will pay
out about S75O,0OO for the 10000 tons of
beets it will convert into sugar and for the
labor this involves. The Alverado mill will
work up about 10000 tons this season.; the
Chino Valley Beet Sugar Company about
$4,000 tons, the Lehi city works $4,000 tons
and the Nebraska mills about 1900 tons
combined.
What is Done in California.
The largest of the new factories under
way is that which Claus Spreckles will
erect in the Salinas Valley, in Monterey
county, Cal, with an indicated capacity Of
! upward of 100000 tons of beets, which
would require a cultivation of something
like % 500 acres In recent interview Mr..
Spreckles said: Il may not live to see the
day. Tut in ten years the beet sugar indus
try will be the greatest industry OF Cali
fornia, and California will be the grea test
sugar-producing state in the Union. 1t is
| the only profitable thing left for the farm
| er and he can't get into 1t too Soon.
At least three other factories are pro-
jected in California, one of which will be
| built close to Los Angeles by w. A. Clark,
| the Montana copper king. and another at
Santa Rosa. The Wisconsin Beet Sugar
Company is hurrying forward Its factory
at Menonenee Falls, and has contracted
for $500 acres of beets annually for ten
years. At Rome, N. Y, 1.-The first beet
sugar company of New York" with capi-
| tai of 10000, has purchased the plant at
Farnham. Quebec. which was found to be
located too far north. and the construction
of their works Is under way. Other COM
panies have been formed to build at Bowl
ing Green. KY, and Evansville. Ind, and
at Dubuque, Iowa.
ton Company has expressed its willingness
to invest $1.00O.000 in beet industries in
| that locality. This year this company had
| about 1,GOO acres under cultivation. and