Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1903-09-24
Some Of the Difficulties Which
First Attended the Industry
In This State.
FARM.R WERE DISCOURAGED
This Condition, However Lasted Only
During the Experimental Period
Profitable Business.


s"rowded out" at the last moment for
want Of sufficient time. II Is by Judge
Uenrv II. Rolapp, OF Ogden, and VIII
ta road with great interest by all inter-
ssted In the cultivation of sugar beets:
The sugar beet is indlsputably the
mos; profitable crop that can be ex-
,enslyely grown upon irrigated lands.
!, h n crop which requires for its sue
eessful cultivation the administration
N moisture or the Withholding thereof
AZ definite periods during Its growth.
rnnsAallenty In localities depending
uoon the uncertainty OF climatic con-
dItions for their moisture. the sugar
heet has only been moderately success
mi while IN the arid regions of Utah,
Idaho Colorado and New Mexico, UNI
der proper soil and planting conditions.
there has never been even partial
failure of the crop,
OF course the present success OF
sugar beet cultivation In Utah and Vi
entity liz not wholly the result OF soil
and irrigation conditions, except as
they have been improved by the ex-
nerIence and industry of the farmer.
IN this state, as elsewhere. the earlier
cultivation of beets produced crop
deficient both in quantity and quality.
INT as the farmers became more ia
millar with the required soil and irri-
cation conditions, and as they became
reconelled to the demanded unaccus-
toned ntenser farming of their lands
the crop increased correspondingly
both in tonnage and sur1r contents.
AS This condition became apparent to
the farmer he naturally became more
favorable toward the cultivation OF the
crop and year by year the acreage was
increased and consumed by steadily
multiplying plants. In 1891 less than
one thousand farmers In Utah were
engaged IN cultivation of this crop,
while at present II Is estimated that
more than 10000 heads OF families In
Utah and Idaho are producing the beets
used by the factories under the con-
troll of Utah capital.
The culture of sugar beets In Utah
and vicinity Is a matter of compare
lively recent origin. The inception OF
the industry in this state may be said
to have taken place less than ~ years
ago by the establishment OF a beet
factory by the Utah Sugar company
at Lehi In the central portion OF the
state At that time not single sugar
beet factory had been erected any
where within the boundaries OF the
Rocky Mountain territory. and while
some efforts had been made in Cali
fonia toward establishing the indus
try In the United States, yet up TO the
organization of the Utah Sugar COM
pny nothing but failure had resulted
from these efforts.
EARLY DAY EFFORTS.
Even In this state the establishment
Of sugar factory was attempted as
early as 1862 by John Taylor sub
sequently president OF the Mormon"
Church, who had become somewhat ao-
qiGinted with the culture OF sugar
beets during his soiourn in France. He
went TO great expense In shipping
small plant and necessary beet seed
from Europe across the ocean in sail
Ing vessels to New Orleans, and thence
had Y transported by OK teams across
the Great American Desert to Salt
Lake City, The plant was partially
erected In what Is known as Sugar
House ward, near Salt Lake City, and
an attempt made at producing sugar;
but II resulted In absolute failure and
subsequent abandonment. The crude
condition OF the machinery, operated
by men wholly unskillful in it's manip-
ula!icns, coupled with the poor con-
alton OF the beets, resulting from the
inaccurate methods employed IN grow
lng the crop, so discouraged the brave
pioneers OF this enterprise that by
mutual consent no further efforts were
made IN this direction.
II can hardly be claimed that this
attempt was In any way the COM
mencement OF the sugar industry I'm
mis- state. In fact, even during the
operation OF that early plant only mo-
asses was produced, because they nos
tessed no means OF refining the same
mo crystal sugar, and even the mo-
lasses proved useless, because of the
absence OF knowledge regarding the
method or extracting the potash salts
coming from the beets into the resulting
produce 20 that the only advantage
resulting from this early attempt was
w perlodical agitation for the estab-
nsnlnent or a modern plant operated
~ sMliul workmen but In view OF this
moal failure, followed by similar fall
WIZ III California and the constant dis
.,So.ulaBlng opposition Of the cane sugar
iMleIests, II became very difficult TO
interest Utah capital IN this industry,
HARD WORK AT FIRST.
FINALLY however the Utah Sugar
company was organized In 1883, hut II
,VoN Two years OF the most diligent
isNpI upon the part OF the promoters
W. ms company before they succeeded
~ dlSlng means sufficient to erect
s .l nrst factory and to purchase seed
~. 4letllDutlon among reluctant farm
vs. operations were commenced, how
w, III the fall OF 1891, but the first
wv years were full of financial, me-
on"',leal ana agricultural dlsappoInt-
nVnH' During the first two seasons.
vuS ABOUT 10000 bags OF sugar were
p,Vauced annually, The extraction Of
ssue'r from the beet was less than half
present amount, and the cost OF
nulacture was more than three
n"es as high as at present. Added
'hls came the Inauguration OF n
eo'hnercial warfare between the beet
.n1 cane interests In California, which
,tuuged the market price OF sugar 10
80 man It's nominal cost OF production.
lnt farmers likewise were discontented
WIN me Industry The quantity OF The
,,iiop mad disappointed their expecta-
o,ola, aud a natural prejudice had been
aioused by the unaccustomed reuuire-
,a,s OF constant attention and Guilt
o S', ,h TO this exacting novel product
we soil Hundreds of farmers
LIVED their intention of ceasing 10
, w. the sugar beet and II looked
ton = TINE az though the Industry would
ral, ior want OF local agricultural sun
E lor,s Az this juncture herculean ef-
sr. were made TO interest the farm
Tba elu continuation OF the Industry.
,,a ne leading men Of this community'
rr g'ay Hon Thomas r. Cutler, the
resent manager OF the Utah sugar
N GJn,psny, Hon. George Q. Cannon, Hon.
s,,1 thatcher. Hon. Heber J. Grant
Sla Hon. Arthur stayner were Inv
S,."Vsable IN their endeavors 10 keen
nsod 1usar industry alive. They enoour-
,,.o, me farmers with words and
bo gI'@ they 1'hey distributed experienced
,nnnity aud they appealed 10 tbs na
''Ousm OF the whole people for the