The Billings gazette. [volume] (Billings, Mont.) 1896-1919, 1903-08-18
NEW INDUSTRY IN NORTHERN
PART OF STATE.
WILL GRIND NEXT YEAR
Work on Plant to be Carried on Dur.
ing Coming Winter-What
Promoter Says.

In spite of what democratic editors
OF Montana have had to say of the
baneful effects reciprocal trade rela-
tions with Cuba would have on the
beet sugar trade OF the country, some
of the good democrats OF the state
have decided to engage in the cultiva-
tion of sugar beets and the manufac-
iture of the finished article, right here
i1f the state.
w. G Conrad of the Conrad Invest
ment company of northern Montana,
is behind the proposition and he makes
the statement that the plans which
he has been formulating for year or
more have finally taken definite form
and there is no longer any doubt OF
their successful elimination He has
given out the statement that the COM
pamy intends to plant NO less than
25,000 acres of it's Teton county land
to sugar beets, and will do SO next
spring. Work on the proposed mill
will be instituted shortly and will be
carried on all winter SO aus to insure
it's completion in time for the reduc-
tion of the company's first crop of
beets.
The exact location of the mill has
not yet been decided upon, but it will
be erected either at Conrad, ON the
Montana & Great Northern railroad.
or about 25 miles east Of that point
and about IS miles north of Great
Falls. Present estimates OF the cost
OF the plant itself are about $500, 900.
The capacity OF the mill will be $4,000
pounds of refined sugar daily, or about
500 sacks, and will be put on the mar
ket, MIR. Conrad says, against all
comers." He says there is practically
no limit to the sugar market and not
| nearly one-half of the sugar consumed
in the United States is refined here
| The mill that will be erected is
already in operation in Michigan,
| where it proved a success, but lack of
raw material has induced it's owners
ito seek another location. 1t is desired
| that the land on which the beetls are
| raised shall be in one body
Tests Are Satisfactory.
I'VE have some beets growing now
ito be anlalyzed at the Bozeman agri-
cultural college this FALL said Mr..
Conrad. There is no question as to
the outcome, ais beets from the same
place have been tested before and
(! just across the line from us, at Ray
mond, a $75O0OO plant is being built
and will be in operation next spring
by men who have made a life study
of the business.
The Montana sugar beet is the
best raised for the purpose, and with
Irrigation can be made to lead the
world ALI of the land planted in beets
| by us will be irrigated from our Birch
creek canal, and / will not say at this
time how many toms we expect to raise
to the acre.
| "The plant will be the first in the
state and have no doubt whatever
that 1T will prove a success, as we cam
deliver the beets and the sugar mill
people promise to do the rest. The
planting of the beets alone will bring
many settlers to that section, and I
hope that our venture will result in
others pushing forward along the same
lime; men with money can make money
time aid the state by building it up
and bringing in settlers.
AS Side Business.
Another proposition which we ex-
pect to carry on in connection with