Arizona republican., 1903-01-03

done. It is a common phrase among
 those conversant with the business
 that three years of successful grind Of
 I good tonnage of beets should pay TOT
 any factory building. For example,
 supposing an S0O-ton factory had a
 sixty day run, consuming 4S,000 tons Of
 beets, or 4,SO0 acres. at an average of
 ten tons an acre; in other words. if it
 made 200 pounds of sugar net to the
 ton, figuring the value of the product
 as equivalent to 200 pounds of sugar.
 it would make 4,S00 tons of sugar. This
 would cost an average of two and q
 half cents a pound, and it could be sold at the factory for four and a half cents
 T pound. which is $35 a ton profit. or a net profit for the season of $16S,000. If the factory had three seasons with the same result. the profit would be s534,- OOO which would more than build any S00-ton plant
 ''I have in my possession propositions from three or four big beet sugar fac tory builders. offering to put up plants and machinery and take the stock al par in payment of from one fourth to one-half of the contract price.
 Sugar beets can be raised at a profit by farmers when they are sure of re- ceiving this standard price, namely s4 ton, with beets testing 12 per cent with so per cent purity, and allowing 9 cents a ton extra for each additional one-half per cent sugar and per cent of purity.
 From experience extending ove~ three states I have learned that the cost runs from 1.7 to cents per pound, depending very largely upon the ability and the economy of the superintendent in charge of a factory. It would be q conservative estimate to call 2.5 cents per pound big average for the cost of beet sugar throughout the United States. This is based upon the stand ard price for beets. Some manufactur- CTS say that they fall a little short of this, and do not obtain more than an average of 1S0 pounds of refined sugar to the ton of beets. Well, call it that and at 2.5 cents a pound, we have $40 worth of sugar for each $4 worth of beets, which allows 50 cents for the manufacturer. That is an allowance Of S4O0 a day for running an SOO-ton plant. which is ample. In addition to this there is always a certain amount of syrup as well as by-products in the way of fertilizers and feed. Some of the factories sell the pulp. Others buy cattle and fatten them on it. for it Is excellent feed when mixed with a little grain.
 These latter items are by no means insignificant if the factory is properly managed, and will add enough to It's income to make 2.5 cents a pound a safe estimate as to the average cost of making beet sugar in this country. The prices l have stated have been pafd by Oxnard, both at his Grand Island and Norfolk factories in Nebraska for years. At one time, however his man. agers deducted such an enormous per cent for tare that the whole community rose in indignation against them. That has made it necessary for the company to raise its own beets.' !
 From all of which it appears that if the beets can be grown in this valley with the present supply of water-and upon that point the parties behind the project say they have entire confi- dence-any factory erected here and properly managed will pay large profits. and there need be no fear that opera tions will be disturbed by a lower duty on Cuban sugar.