The Washburn leader. [volume] (Washburn, McLean County, N.D.) 1890-1986, 1901-10-12
British op,.,on Of American B..... .

" -s-.. UEa.L- -r.b ~. NE A.. .-
British 0pin,on of American Besss.
The growing belief THAT the United
States will shortly be able to produce
from beets the $500. 000. 900 worth OF
sugar which her people now annually
import seems to be shared by British
Consul Wyndham,. who has given the
subject close attention and reported
upon it to his government. The follow
Ing Is an extract from his report
which has just reached the Treasury
Bureau Of Statistics:
THE production OF beet sugar IN
the United States is rapidly Increasing.
and in the Chicago Consular district
there are four factories in the State
Of Illinois, three in Nebraska, and
three In Colorado; those in Nebraska
rand Colorado belong to the American
Beet and Sugar Company, and are at
Grand Junction, Rocky Ford and Sugar
City, and when completed will en-
ploy thousands of hands. Statistics
indicate that the United States con-
sumes more sugar than any other ma
ton or approximately one-quarter OF
the whole of the worlds product. Inc
conditions of soil, climate, and other
advantages are quite as good n the
United States, and especially in Col
orado, Nebraska, and Illinois for the
development of the beet as in any OF
the countries Of Europe or Asia. The
worlds production and consumption OF
sugar is now about S,250.O00 tons per
annum, two-thirds Of which is pro-
duced from beet and only one-thiro
from cane, whilst the normal consump-
ton is estimated as increasing at the
rate Of 100000 tons yearly.
"The success offending the culti-
walton Of sugar beet in this district
has proved that it may be made q
profitable and successful investment.
A large factory has been built at Rocky
Ford, Colorado, which cost 100000 to
build and equip. It is proposed to have
it ready for the crop of the coming sea-
SON. To supply it the farmers in the
vicinity have contracted to grow 5000
acres of beets a year for five years.
From tests made, they estimate their
beets will yield Is to 10 per cent OF
sugar. The factory. when running at
Its full capacity, will consume daily
1000 tons Of beets, which it will con-
vert into about 100 tons Of refined
sugar Of the highest purity. The beets
reach maturity with a high percent
age. and seldom go below Is per cent;
IL per cent is taken as the basis OF
buying beets at the factory.
"A general estimate Of the cost OF
construction, cost Of operation and
general results to be counted upon, OF
beet sugar factories in this district as
taken from, the Rocky Ford plant
places the general average Of sugar in
the beets at IL per cent. So far as
the Arkansas Valley in Colorado is
concerned, this percentage is being
largely exceeded; the minimum per-
centage of sugar being about IA per
cent, while the maximum has reached
70 per cent, with a co-eficient of pur-
ity ranging from 80 to 80 per cent
In stating these results, reference is
especially made to the factory at
Rocky Ford, built and workad by the
American Beet Sugar Company, a New
York corporation, which works two
factories in California and three in Ne
braska, the one at Rocky Ford being
their fifth. The ex,erts in charge OF
this last factory all express surprise
at the results Of this first campaign,
and they have become thoroughly con-
WINGED that this valley(Arkansas Val
ley. Col..) Is the ideal sugar-produc-
81, thanks to its equable climate,
ample supply Of water for irrigation,
cheap fuel and limestone, and an un-
limited extent. of available land for
beet culture. It is expected that the
same company will erect one OF more
factories in addition to the one at
Rocky Ford, n to build further east
and the other west Of Rocky Ford.
"As an example Of the quality OF
the sugar beets produced upon this
land, it may be mentioned that so far
six carloads Of beets from one field
have been tested 18th results as fol-
lows: One carload, 1853 per cent;
three carloads. 1873 per cent; and
two carloads. 20.4 pei cent"