The evening times. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1895-1902, 1901-08-23
THE BEET SUGAR INDUSTRY.
II l. Expected tn Reach 100000
900 in the United states

90
900 in the United states
The growing belief that the United
states VIII shortly be able TO produce
from beets the SIO9CV.0gJ worth OF sugar
which her people now annually import
seems to be shared by Mr. Wyndham. the
British Consul. who has given the subject
close attention, and reported It To his
Government. The following 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 and Colorado belong 20
the American Beet Sugar Company. and
are at Grand Junction. Rocky Ford, and
sugar City. and when fully completed VIII
employ thousands Of hands.
statistics indicate that the United
states consumes more sugar than any
other nation. or approximately one-quar-
ter OF the whole Of the worlds product.
The conditions Of soil, climate and other
advantages are quite as good in the uni
tea states. and especially in Colorado. Ne
hraska, and Illinois. for the development
OF the beet as in any OF che countries or
Europe or ASIA The worlds production
ana consumption Of sugar is now about
e.L'"'VvJ tons per annum. two-thirds OF
which is produced from beet. and only
one-third from cane, while the normal
consumption is estimated as increasing at
the rate of $4,000 tons yearly.
The success attending the cultivation
Of sugar beet in this district has proved
that ii may be made a profitable and sue
cessful investment. A large factory has
been built at Rocky Ford. Col. which cost
$4,000 to build ana equip Il is proposed
TO have IL ready for the crop Of the com
ing season To supply it the farmers in
the vicinity have contracted to grow 5000
acres OF beets year for five years From
tests made. they estimate their beets will
yield 10 to Is per cent Of sugar. The fac
tor, when running at it's full capacity,
VIII consume daily 1000 tons Of beets,
which It VII convert into about 100 tons Of
refined sugar Of the highest purity The
beets reach maturity with a high percent
age, and seldom go below 10 per cent
Twelve per cent is taken as the basis Of
buying beets at the factory
The beets are grown by the farmers
under contract with the factory, and paid
Tor according 20 the saccharine contents
determined by chemical tests made Of
samples taken from the wagons al the
time Of delivery. In addition. the factory
controls about 5000 acres Of land Most
or the land viii be farmed by tenants. but
only a portion Of each farm is devoted to
heets each year. Growers sell their beets
based upon the sugar contents. The tests
somwhat resemble the assaying Of ore
from the mines. Selling upon this basis
encourages better farming and the rails
ing Of better beets- II is the only fair
way. both 10 the raiser and the manuf1c-
turer.
At Sugar Cssy a farm OF 1900 acres
mas been cultivated for raising sugar
bgrJs. ana sugar factory has been built
Win a capacity Of 5Ju tons every twenty
-FOUR hours. On thu farm JUa men and
women nave been employed during the
summer, and this seasons crop VIII be
converted into sugar. The establishment
OF the sugar factory AT this point built
me town, which a few years ag0 consisted
or nut or two and thousands OF prairie
oySs, Next year fully 1000 acres Of beets
Will DE IN cultivation The output viii b.,
increased as rapidly as possible and
every Gay The demand FOR wOrk5aeu IS in
CreasinE
a general estimate Of the cost Of con-
structlon. cost Of operation and general
I'SuitS 10 De counted upon. Of beet sugar
ldtt0nes IN tins district as taken from
tnr ROCKY Ford plant the general average
ot sugar IN the beets at y per cent <
far as the Arkansas Valley in Colorado is
concerned this percentage is being largely
exceeded. the minimum percentage OF SUI
gar being about II per cent, while the
maximum has reached . per cent with a
c9eIhclent Of purity ranging from 50 10
- per cent. In stating these results. ref
trtnce Is especially made 10 the factory
AZ Rocky Ford, built and worked by the
american Beet Sugar Company. a New
hprk corporation. which works two fac
tones IN California and three in Neb~as-
~ the one az Rocky Ford bein. their
Llth- The exports in charge Of this last
factory an express surprise "a the results
OF TINS nrst campafS and they have be-
come thoroughly convinced that this val
ley ARKANSAS Valley. COLI is thu ideal
susar-producer. thanks To its eauabIe eli
mate. ample supply Of water for irripa-
uon, cheap fuel and limestone and an nm
limited extent Of available land for beet
culture II Is expected that the same
company VIII erect one or more factories
IN todlJion 70 the one at Rocky Ford one
10 ne bullt further east. and the other
west Of Rocky Ford
As an example Of the quality Of the Sill
gar beets produced upon this land il NAV
b' mentioned that so far six carloads Of
hreis from one heId have been tested with
results as follows: One carload 1FT nor
cent. three carloads. lS.S per cent. aad two
carloads. 20 { nor cent