Arizona republican., 1906-12-29
BEET SUGAR FACTORY
 WILL NOT OPERATE
Unsatisfactory Water Conditions Will Not be Risked The Coming Year. Obligations of the Company Will be Met


 The time has fully arrived when tho
 farmers of this valley must decide
 whether they are to plant sugar beets
 this season or not. All has thus far
 depended on what the Eastern Sugar
 company proposed to do in respect of
 settling former obligations and prepar-
 ing to operate the factory the coming
 year, and until its decision the farm
 CTS could not well outline their cam
 paigns. The Republican is prepared
 to announce that in all probability the l factory will not be operated this year.
 though the obligations of the Eastern | Sugar company will be met and the
 enterprise put in order for operation | during the season of 1908. This an ! nouncement is made on the strength O;
 an interview with w. J. Murphy of
 this city. whose relations with the
 Eastern Sugar company have been
 somewhat confidential. MT. Murphy
 returned home a few days ago and.
 believing that he might have some
 sugar factory news he was interviewed yesterday and talked freely concern
 ing the situation. MT. Murphy said: "In all probability the sugar com
 pany will not undertake to operate it's plant this year. I am not an officer
 nor director of the company" he said.
 'and cannot therefore speak definitely as to the operation of the factory dur ing the coming season. but on the re- quest of the company I made a report of the condition of the Arizona canal under which the company's lands and factory are situated. which in sub stance was that it will take a month or more to repair the waterway. owing to the destruction of the temporary head works. and that there would not be time after the repairs are made. to secure a crop for the coming year. In my judgment it would be unwise to at tempt to operate the factory the com- ing season under such conditions. an.l have no doubt the company will act in accordance with my advice in the matter. though as I said before. I am not its legal representative, nor ar officer or director"
 In response to questions concerning the indebtedness of the company MT. Murphy said: "I know that this will not in any way interfere with the payment of the interest on the bonds or the settlement of the other Obliga- tions of the company to the farmers and business men of this valley or the claims of Mir Hapke for any amounts that may be due on construction. Con- corning MT Hapke's claims. under stand that the company has recently made a settlement with him in which it has secured the claims against him on account of construction"
 It had been the intention of the com pany to operate the plant the coming season until embarrassing water con- ditions presented themselves, so indi- cated by MT. Murphy's further re- marks. He said: "The company in tended to plant thousand acres to beets on its own land in the vicinity ol Glendale. and l had intended to plant a like amount on my land. Much of my land was put in shape for planting and I had intended to begin planting next week, but of course will not do So
 now. and l feel relieved on the pros-
 pect that operations will be postponed for one year. on account of the uncer- tainty of water in the Arizona. During the coming ceason preparations call | in every way be perfected for a full seasons operations the succeeding year We will be assured of a sup ply of stored water and reliable sys- tenn of distribution. While the post ponement win be something of dis appointment to the stockholders 1t will not adversely affect any other inter est"
 The importance of a certain supply of water is greater perhaps, to the su- gar industry than any other. Beets re- quire less water than almost any oth- CT crop but they must have some. and 1t must be known that they will be sure to have what they need. With other crops there might be ample wa ! ter in one place and shortage in an- other. or there might be water enough for all to make a profitable if not full crop. but in the sugar project, unless there is a certainty of enough water to raise the required acreage for the factory the sugar company Is in jeopardy, and if the sugar company cannot operate successfully the inter ests of the farmers who depend upon It will be jeopardized. With other crops one farmer might be successful and another fail. but with this big enter prise it is necessary for all to succeed in order to make a profit for anybody. The conditions, or the propable decis- ion of the sugar company, is no re- flection on the farmers who are oper- ating the Arizona canal. They are do- ing their best and will undoubtedly make good crops the coming year un- less there is some unlocked for disas- ter But should that disaster come II will bring a mixed result while If all efforts were turned toward sugar mak- ing and disaster were to overtake the farmers, the calamity would be gen eral.
 NOT A SOUTH CAROlINlAN.