The herald. [microfilm reel] (Los Angeles [Calif.]) 1893-1900, 1898-01-02

The closing day of the year just ended
will mark the epoch of Ventura county
most progressive year.
Numerous and varied improvements
of very material nature will indicate
their beginning during the current year
of 1897, one of the most recent and by far
the most important of which is the Co.
lonial beet sugar factory now in course
Of construction on the Rancho Ell Rio
de Santa Clara O la Colonia in the Santa
Clara valley. This plant, when it will
have been completed will be the second
largest of it's kind in the world, being
eclipsed in size only by the factroy be-
ing built by the Spreckels at Salinas.
California The buildings are to be con-
structed of brick and steel, the principal
ones to be three stories in height and the
machinery placed therein to be of the
latest American manufacture.
The Southern Pacific Railroad COM
pany has already constructed a branch
road leading from it's main line at Mon
talvo to the factory site. temporary
track having been laid across the bed
of the Santa Clara river for use until
the completion of the pile bridge now
being built. which latter structure will
be replaced by a permanent bridge
should the railroad company decide TO
extend this line by way of Hueneme 70
Santa Monica, as is now contemplated.
The wonderful adaptability of the soil
of Ventura county to the culture of the
sugar beet is comparatively of late dis
covery Two years ago few farmers
were urged to devote few acres to beet
culture as an experiment, the beetS SO
raised being shipped to the Chino fac
tory for analysis. The results of this
experiment were so favorable that in
the year following a much larger acre
age was pledged and a laboratory erect
ed at Montalvo by the OXnards, in order
that the beets could be tested at home
before being shipped to their factory at
Chino. The results of the second year
demonstrated beyond any doubt that
the rich, alluvial soil of the Santa Clara
valley was admirably adapted to the
culture of the sugar beet, and the OK
nards at once began negotiating with
the farmers of the Santa Clara valley
with a view of erecting the plant which
is now under course of construction. At
ter several meetings an agreement was
reached pledging on the part of the
farmers $1,000 acres to beets for five sue
cessive years, with an additional two
years at the option of the OXnardS. This
contract calls for the payment on the
part of the OXnards of 1925 per ton for
beets which shall contain not less than
IL per cent of sugar to the weight of the
beet and an additional 25 per cent per
ton for each and every additional l per
cent of sugar contained in the beets above
Upper cent, but a reduction in this price Of
25 cents per ton shall be made for each
per cent of sugar below IL per cent down
to and including 10 per cent, which shall
be the minimum per cent accepted.
The contract calls for the erection on
the part of the Oxnards of factory in
the Santa Clara valley having capacity
of 1000 tons of beets per dy. Work on
this plant was begun Immediately after
the final agreemen was reached and the
contracts signed and by the time the beet
crop of 1898 is ready to be harvested the
great factory will be ready for opera
ton. Later on the capacity of the plant
will be increased so as to utilize the
product of 10000 acres at the rate of
1000 tons of beets per day.
Some conception of the immense pro-
portions of the factory buildings and ap-
purtenances can be formed from the fact
that about five thousand carloads of ma
terial will be consumed in their con-
Struction.
Rights of way have been secured lead
ing to the water front and at some flu
ture date a standard guage railroad
will be laid to the ocean, thereby secur-
ing to the factory ready freight facili-
ties by water as well as by all
Another much needed irppro,-a,,o,,
having it's beginning in 1897 is the Santa
Clara river bridge. The final survey of
the site has been made by the county