Rocky Ford enterprise., 1902-10-24
KANSANs INVESTIGATE SUGAR
BEET CULTURE.
How Il Looks to Recent Editorial
Visitor From Topeku.


the three column report Of a Topeka
Capitals staff correspondent who was in
Rocky Ford last week,
For the purpose OF spreading informa-
ton concerning sugar beet culture and
awakening interest in this industry which
promises a great deal for Kansas. the
Santa Fe railway company. assisted by
representatives Of the American Beet
Sugar company at Rocky Ford. have been
entertaining in the Colorado town for the
last two days a number Of progressive
farmers from kansa5 whose homes are in
districts where il is believed the sugar
beet can be grown 70 good advantage.
The town is known the country over
because Of the great shipments OF unus-
ually fine melons which are made from
there each year: but great as the melon
business is. It has been showed to second
place by the sugar bee; industry, although
the plant which has wrought this change
was built only three years ago.
Just Few figures will show the change
,ha, has been made IN the town since the
culture OF tho sugar beOt was taken up
by tho people. Here they arc:
The gross receipts o. tho Santa Fe rail-
road station for tho last year before tho
opening OF the sugar beet factory amount
cd to $4,000. These receipts were. OF
course. largely from melons. Last yoar
the stations gross receipts amounted 70
tho enormous total Of s52o.9oo. Tho
sugar factory did I, This year |, is be-
leved that the figures will DO somewhere
between $3.50. 900 and 100000. Be-
fore tho coming Of the sugar factory
Rocky Ford was town Of about 1000
inhabitants. Now. u has in tho neighbor-
hood OF 1000. There arc many hand
some homes. and Il Is fine looking little
city. 10 Il any wonder that every resi-
don't, man. woman and child. swoars by
tho sugar beet and tho Santa Fo road.
which made tho industry prof,ahle9 Mr..
Hamilton. tho secretary Of tho American
Sugar Beet company. says that it was
tho persistence Of James 4. Davis. form
or Industrial commissioner Of tho Santa
Fo, which resulted in the plan, being
built at Rocky Ford. Hamilton says pa-
Wis almost pcstorod him TO death until he
took the matter up IN sclf-defcnsc. and u
was decided to build tho Rocky Ford
plant. Tho company has mover regretted
It's action. Il has beon demonstrated =
was demonstrated. In fact, before brick
on tho plan, was lsid-that tho country
about tho town Is admirably adapted TO
raising tho boets.
Tho plant represents an Investment OF
abou, $1,000 900. During tho season.
or Campaign as tho sugar men call Il.
which lasts four and opo-half or five
months. about $50 employees arc carried
on tho rolls and the sum OF Ss5.ooo IS
handed on. each month in wages. aside
from tho enormous sum that is paid tho
farmers for the boo,s. American labor
only is employed about tho plant. Il
turns out 25o.ooo pounds Of sugar in Il
2s-hour run. using 1000 tons Of boo;s
and to moye the machinery which docs
tho work the battery Of twelve boilors.
which furnishes 5000 horse power. cats
up daily $50 tons OF coal: and 5000. 900
or 100000 gallons Of water arc used
each day.
The plant a, Rocky Ford is too big to
warrant an effort at description in an ar
,ielo limited in length as this ono is. u
concern which represents an investment
Of 81 900. 1000. employs $50 hands and
has daily output OF 25o.ooo pounds OF
sugar. using up 1000 pounds Of beets.
can't be handled adequately in short
story. II is fitted throughout with tho
most up-to-da,e appliances that money
can buy and It can receive the raw beots
at one end and in thirty hours turn them
out a. the other end Of the establishment
in the shape Of tho best kind Of sugar. all
ready for the table.
Talk to any Colorado farmer and he
will say that the sugar beet is winner.
They will say they can make more rais-
ing sugar beots than anything else. The
writer Of this heard OF one farmer who
said he could do better with alfalfa. All
the others interviewed by the newspaper
men who were in Rocky Ford this week
seemed to consider that beets are entitled
to first place when it comes to bringing in
an income.
One farmer said that he would consid-
or raising twenty-five tons to the acre at
from SIS to Sc ton. as making mighty
good money. and that after paying all ex-
penses he would have for his time and
labor more than he could make raising
anything else.
There is former Topeka man at Rocky
Ford engagedin in beet culture; W. M. Lackey.
who for number Of years was in the
Santa Fe storehouse under General Store
keeper Hilton. Lackey believes that beet
culture is ahead Of farming in Kansas.
He says a farmer is sure Of getting at
least $50 an acre clear profit. Others
say that Lackey's estimate is very con-
servatiye: that he should have said far
mer is reasonably sure of clearing be-
tween $50 and $50 an acre.
H= you are looking for ten acre
- tract, we have them. Randel g.