The Billings gazette. [volume] (Billings, Mont.) 1896-1919, 1905-03-10
WOULD BUILD
SUGAR MILL
DETROIT PARTIES SUBMIT PRO.
PoSALS TO LOCAL MEN.
FACTORY IS AN OLD ONE
Wish to Organize Company For Its
Removal Here-Given Little En-
agement-kiIby Coming.

N Billings fame as an inviting field ApA
the investment of capital in the proA
duction of beet sugar is growing rap
idly. While only short year ago the
location here of sugar factory was
discussed as among the possibilities of
the future, today two different par
ties are seeking to enter the field,
each promising that if given the op-
portunity it will construct and operate
such a plant.
Detroit Parties the Latest.
In addition to the project which has
been before the public since early last
v inter another has been assuming
form during the last few days. A
party of gentlemen from Detroit,
Mich, have been in the city for several
days looking over the field and seek
ing to interest subscribers to the orig
iral company to take stock in the one
they would organize.
Last month P. B. Moss received a
letter from Theodore Hapke of CHI
cago, who wrote saying he had heard
that a movement was on foot here hav-
ing for it's object the building of a
beet sugar factory He said that he
was engaged in the business of build
i,ofr of+ +ho+ III;
ed to be given some data as regards
the wishes Of the people here and the
| likelihood of local subscription to any
company that might be formed.
Mr.. Moss replied by saying that q
beet sugar factory was wanted here
and in a general way mentioned the
Shaw proposition, saying that move
ment was then on foot to organize q
company, and also gave the amount OF
the capital stock of the proposed COM
pany it was intended to be taken by
| local subscribers
| In answer to this Mr.. Hakpe wrote
and said that he knew parties who
owned factory, but had been unfor-
| tunate in selecting a location for it,.
| They he wrote, wanted to remove it
| advantageous terms could be arranged
with them for the removed of their
plant to Billings, giving the amount OF
stock and bonds they would probably
demand.
| Mr. Moss answered briefly and said,
among other things, that Mr.. Shaw
would be in Chicago soon and his cor
respondent and he could talk the mat
ter over The two met, but, Mr.. Shaw
says, no arrangement whatever was
entered into, as he did not favor the
proposal to bring second hand fac
tory here, when one new and more up
to-date could be secured.
An Offer Is Made.
On the strength of what he had
learned, it seems, Mr.. Hapke laid the
matter before the Detroit parties and
they concluded to come on and make
an investigation. They have had sev.
eral meetings with the local members
of the company organized in prelim-
mary way as the result of Mr. Shaw's
work and have made an offer The en-
couragement they have thus far re-
ceived appears to have been but little.
AS before stated, the factory they
own is not a new one. On the contrary
it was built several years ago. This
they offer to bring to Billings upon
payment by the local men of the cost
of removal, the present owners of the
factory to take as their pay for the
plsnt onehalf of the stock of the com.
pany it is proposed to organize.
i One or two of the local men are in
clined to regard the offer with favor,
but, as near as can be learned, the ma
jority are of different mind and eX-
press their preference for the original
project. They say that at best the fac
tory the Detroit men have to offer Is
not as good as new one would be and
of necessity is lacking in some of the
improvements made in that kind OF
machinery since the date 1t was turn
ed out, now something like five years
ago. Furthermore, they contend that
it Us not large enough, having capac'
iAv NJ univ k00 TONS dai1V while the