Albuquerque morning journal. [volume] (Albuquerque, N.M.) 1903-1926, 1909-01-30
BIG MEETING OF
FARMERS IN
ARMORY
FUTURE OF INDUSTRY
NOW BELIEVED SAFE
Memorial Addressed to LegiS-
Iature Asking for Convict La
Dor on County Roads, Many
Speeches at Gathering,

The mass meeting of farmers and
business men held yesterday after
noon in the national guard armory
demonstrated that the future of the
sugar beet growing industry in this
valley is now beyond the doubtful
stage and that the farmers Will take
up the work for the coming season
with vigor and enthusiasm. The meet
ing yesterday was largely attended,
several hundred farmers and prop
erty owners being present, and at the
close verbal promises were made
which show that several hundred
acres will be planted to beets near
this city this spring.
The meeting had the further i'm
portant result of arousing a we'll
defined movement for better county
roads which crystalized in the form
of a memorial to be sent to Council
man T.. Hanley from Bernalillo coun-
ty in the territorial legislature, add
ing the voice of this county to the al
ready wide demand for the employ
mcnt of convict labor on the high
ways
The meeting was called to order By
Captain w II. Gilenwatcr. himself a
large land owner and who has had
practical experience with the raising
of bects on his own land County Su-
perintendent of Schools A. B. Stroup
Was made chairman and NJ II. Kelly,
secretary.
Mr. Stroup made few remarks
concerning the object of the meeting,
speaking optmstlcally of the results
which would follow the gathering and
called on various speakers to give
their views on the proposition under
discussion. Captain Gillenwater be-
lievcd that the results of last years
experiments taking into account the
latcness of the start, the unprepared-
ness of the land and the ineXpcrience
of the farmers We're extremely salts
factory. II said that in his own case,
having no experience whatever in beet
raising the crop last year was fairly
successful and showed bepond a doubt
what could be done with the vege-
tables with proper cultivation and
care. Captain Gillcnwatcr called at
tention to the fact that the balance
of trade at present is badly against
albuquerque and the valley and with
proper development could be re-
Nersed
Frank A. Hubbell spoke on the
feasibility Of feeding the tops and
pulp OF the beets to lambs, doing
away with the necessity of sending
feeding with the beets having been
proven a great success by the Colo.
RADIO growers 1--WE could make this
valley the best stock country in the
west" said Mr. Hubbell, "by the de-
vclopment Of the beet Industry
one Of the interesting talks Of the
meeting was that by Rev Edward /
Mcqueen Gray of Carlsbad. who ex-
pcrimented on small scale with |
beets in the Pecos valley last year,
getting "a crop of eleven tons off halt /
an acre Mr. Gray made the point |
that those who expect to get big re- /
turns out of beets with little work
VIII be disappointed as the crop re- |
quircs the best of care and the hard 1
est of work ii the results are salts /
factory Mr.. Gray made a plea |
against race suicide when he advocat- (
cd large families for beet raiscrs to
assure workers in the beet fields. {
r. E. Wilson, of the Santa te IN /
dustrial department, made one OF ms /
usual frank and busincss-likc talks /
repeating his statement that all con-
ditions here are most favorable ana /
all that is needed is initiative on the !
part of the farmers.
j. 5. Johnson, the Santa Fc expert 1
VINO is to supcrN isc the growing IN I
New Mexico the coming season, made I
short talk, which was however
long enough TO show that he knows
The industry from a to u, and IS the
ideal man to engineer the work oi /
next season. He told in a most IN
teresting manner OF the development 4
Of the sugar business in Colorado. I
As showing its effect on the price OF (
land he said that he now owns land 4
IN the Arkansas valley for which he 1
paid from $50 to $50 an acre.
~ man owning property directly I
adjoining me-" said Mr. Johnson,
land which has not been as wen tax
en- care of as mine. sold recently Tor I
S225 an acre. Mine is worth at least
$500 an acre now This IS near 4
Swink, Colo. Mr. Johnson said that +
many of the Colorado raisers get
gross return of from $50 to Si5 an
acre on their bccts. this being mostly /
clear profit It viii be remcm bered +
tnat Chief Agriculturist Gauger OF the
Holly Sugar company stated that the
iatlners could count on a profN oi ,
al least S2J TO $50 an acre
superintendent W. ID. Sterling, OF
the city schools. mad something to
say of sugar beet growing near his
old home in Lansing. Mich. where \
the pupils Of the public schools work I
ed in the beet fields during vacation /
time. thus getting healthful exercise I
in the open air and earning little (
money while cultivating the habit of
Industry.
The subject of good roads. which 4
are an important adjunct To the sue
cessfui delivery of sugar 5cets came
up for a vigorous discussion and il .
Was generally agreed that work of
improving the county highways must
begin at once. on motion Of Captain
'sulenwater. seconded by Colonel .
John Borradaile. resolution was
passed to the effect that the business
men and farmers OF Albuquerque and
vicinity endorse the policy Of employ