The Owosso times. (Owosso, Mich.) 1897-1926, 1901-11-22
IMMENSE PROFITS

=
Shown by Report of Chesaning Com
mittee That Visited Alma Sugar
Factory.
During August a committee was
sent by the citizens OF Chesaning to
visit the Alma sugar factory and beet
growers, and report upon the same.
The committee visited Alma, August
20, and submitted detailed report of
its trip. The following extract
from the report will be of interest to
our readers as showing the bene-
fits to be received from a beet sugar
factory to be erected In this city:
The extraordinary profits made by
beet growers last year gave great
impetus to the beet business and the
factory was obliged to reject over
5000 acres Of beets offered to them the
present season, and they have now
about 5000 acres OF very fine beets
under contract and expect to cut over
eighty thousand tons of beetS this
season, for which the factory will pay
beet growers four hundred fifty thous-
and dollars $3.50, 000.00) and to factory
operatives and others nearly another
hundred Thousand dollars more. What
effect the distribution of these large
sums will have upon the business
interests of the community we leave
you to judge.
Escorted by the manager, we visited
several beet fields adjacent to the
factory and observed the difference
resulting from varying conditions Of
soil, culture, drainage, etc. We met a
passing farmer, Thomas Richards,
who volunteered this information, that
last year he had raised 60 acres Of
beets, As acres being land for which he
paid 81 per acre rental and the remain
ing II acres were owned by him. He
had received from the factory for these
beets in round numbers four thousand
dollars, and after paying land rent and
all other expenses, placed in the bank
two thousand dollars net profit. We
visited the beet fields of William A.
Bahlke and were introduced to the
proprietor, a genial gentleman who
proved to be very we'll informed and
enthusiastic on the subject of sugar
beet culture and manufacture. Last
year he raised twenty acres and
seventy square rods of beets which
cost him, including So per acre land
rent, six hundred and twenty dollars.
He received from the sale of his beets
twelve hundred twenty-three dollars
and twelve cents, leaving him profit
balance Of six hundred three dollars
and twelve cents.
On the following morning we engag-
ed two livery rigs and divided our dele
CATION into two parties. The first
| went north and east through st. Louis
and the surrounding country and found
everywhere good crops of beets aud the
same universal feeling Of satisfaction
with the sugar beet business. This
| party saw many small growers who
told stories Of large profits too numer-
| GUS to record in this report. The
| second party drove south and west and
| first visited Mr.. E. III. Doane who has
four hundred acres of fine sugar beets
This man raised one hundred acres OF
beetS last year and received for them
| So, $50. The total cost of raising them
and delivering to the factory includ.
ing land rent was a little less than
four Thousand dollars, leaving a clear
profit OF 81, $50 from one hundred acres
This year he has a better crop and
better roads to haul his beets on and
every reason to expect larger profit
per acre than he received last year
Consequently he has reason to expect g
clear profit on his present four hundred
acre crop Of over nineteen Thousand
dollars. The next grower visited was
Thomas Fitzgerald who has twenty
acres Of sugar beets for which he has
been offered seventy dollars per acre
without further expense. His tota
expense up to the present time, moi
including land rent, has been $3.50
Had he accepted this offer he woult
have received 81 10000 or 81, 0S4.60 fol
the use of his twenty acres Of groun(
after deducting expenses.
COMMITTEE.
NATHANIEL CRANE, h. III. NORRIS,
JOHN j. HALEY, WINsoR CRANE
CHRIST ZIEGLER, ID. MCCARTNEY
o. @. SPERRY, j. B. HOFFMAN
ADAM RACE, WILLARD FAY
E. +. EvARTs, W.. WILLIAMS
EDWARD PERROT. J, w. JACKSON