The river press. [volume] (Fort Benton, Mont.) 1880-current, 1909-11-24
WILL RAISE SUGAR BEETS.
Fort BeIknap indians Will Cultivate
Large Tract Of Land.

Fort Belknap indians Will Cultivate
Large Tract Of Land.
An interesting write up OF b prep
arations for sugar beet culture Ia the
Milk river valley appears In the Min
neapolis journal of recent date, the
information having been gathered by
q representative OF that newspaper
during q trip through northern Mon
tana. The article says In part:
As there are some 1,4OO Indians on
the Fort Belknap reserv alton, it was
no small task to provide employment
for all. The beet sugar Industry
alone would 8 Accordingly
Major Logan mapped out a plan for
the install alton OF the beet sugar 10.
dustry on bis alton. With the
support of the Indians and the inte-
rior department oflcia 8. q special act
was passed by congress in March,
1907, permitting the Indians OF the
Fort Belknap reservation to lease
20. 900 acres of their irrigated lands
for sugar beet growing.
Under a lease agreement drawn up
by former Secretary Of the Interior
Garfield, 1000 acres we're leased to
D. Eccles the multi. millionair pres
ident of the Amalgamated Sugar com.
pany, Of Ogden, Utah for a period
of ten years. Under the terms of THE
agreement, the Indians furnish the
land and water and agree to do the
labor in growing and handling the
beets. The sugar company, under .
bonding guarantee, constructs q beet
sugar factory Of sufficient capacity to
handle all beets grown on the reserva.
ton; agrees to hire the Indians when
ever practicable, paying q stated
scale of wages for seeding, GUILTY. at.
ing, thinning, irrigating, topping.
digging and hauling the beets. and
"a. so per ton for all beets delivered
at the factory.
Under this arrangement, 1t is the be-
lief of Major Logan and the Indian
department., that the Fort Belkpar
reserv alton will soon be on an indie
pendent footing, requiring no furthes
government appropriations, and then,
in addition, q pension fund for the
old and decripit Indians viii be es'
tablished.
The site selected for the sugar fac
tory is just across the reserv atior
adjacent to the Great Northern line
One hundred and forty-two acres O
land have been acquired by the sugar
company for the buildings, beet shed
stock feeding yards. and demonstra
ton farm. The main building, 60 By
1926 feet and six stories high, is locat
ed 200 feet from the Great Northern
right of way, and will be in full viev
of all passing trains. This factor,
, will have a daily capacity Of 900 ton
and when completed. will represent a
investment of over one million dollars
-Four hundred and fifty lei will b
employed during construction, an
LcO uuTluS OpCCdVlOu VI VIC plouo. l.
addition to those grown on the reser
walton, beets will be shipped from al
points in the Milk river valley be
tween Glasgow and Havre.
The establishment Of this suga
:, beet indust y will, in the opinion c
experts familiar with it, be the great
est factor in the development of MOI
thern Montana. 1t will increase tn
;. value Of farm lands tributary to th
: factory 5000, 600. 1t will incress
the population, including the 6el
and factory l%aborers, and their fam
!. lies, 5000. To house these people
homes to the value of 81, ZOO, 600 wi
: be required. To clothe, feed an
. amuse them, stores, hotels, oper
houses and other buildings to tt
- value of 81, 900, 900 will be needed.