La Junta tribune., 1911-02-18
. LEVEN years ago. following
years OF experimenting, test
ing, theorizing and practic-

Arkansas Valley. the American sugar
Beet Company became interested In
the possibilities OF the beet sugar IN
dustry in the Arkansas Valley. and
the first factory was built at Rocky
Ford, at that time town noted only
for its melons, its main agricultural
asset.
At the present time there are six
sugar beet factories operated in the
Arkansas Valley OF Colorado. and one
in the Arkansas Valley Of Kansas.
not far from the state lire, total
OF seven, producing thousands OF tons
annually of standard granulated sugar
and by doing SO. are the means OF
distribution OF millions OF dollars an
nually among the growers OF beets.
and among the employees OF the vari-
Gus factories.
The effect OF the sugar industry In
the Arkansas Valley became apparent
at once, and upon the assurance that
the soils, water supply. and climatic
conditions of the valley warranted the
growing of crop as extensive as
sugar beets, land values rose consist
entity with the growth OF the indus
". until at the present time. lands
in the valley are worth several times
the value before the installation oil
the sugar factories.
The fact OF an industry taking
root in q section is not enough 10
affect the values TO this extent. un-
\lay there is very close connection
between the lands and the industry
Especially Is this true OF the beet
suxsr industry. The national de-
mand for sugar formed the outlet.
the soil and perfect climatic condi'
tions Of this favored spot formed the
producing possibilities. and the fac
tories formed the important connect
ing link Of q prosperity chain that
has held strong each year since the
beet sugar industry was started In
the valley.
Connected with the cantaloupe
growing industry. and with the as-
ricultural expansiop Of the Arkansas
Valley, the work Of the late Senator
George W. Swink is closely associat-
ed with the beet sugar industry. His
earnest work years before the appear
xnce Of capital to develop the indus
try, years of growing Of experiment
nj patches OF sugar beets. testing oil
the beets for sugar. improving SOL
condii ions 10 determine the feasibii-
ity OF the industry for all time. was
the work accomplished by George w.
swink, aud when he. at the head OF
other developers. Interested capital
II was with the assurance OF success.
The success Of the Industry seem
ed assured from the start. and fol
lowing closely upon the building OF
the Rocky Ford factory by the Amer
lean Sugar Company, the same com
(oany built factories ut Las Animas
and Lamar. the Holly Sugar Company
erected plants At Holly and swink.
and the National Sugar Company
erected the plant now operating on
the north side Of the river at Sugar
City.
Spreading from the districts tribu'
tary to the first factory. the beet
districts cover every available acre
Of irrigated land In the valley, ex'
tending from Pue. 10. and even above
Il on the west. 70 Colorado Springs
north. the width Of the valley 10 the
Kansas line. and south including the
Trinidad agricultural districts that
seem to be- on the eve Of stu
greater development. The industry
spread later into Kansas and sx.
tsnds from the state line to several
miles cast Of Garden City. Kan. the
location Of the one Kansas factory.
Other factories have been butt In
the state since. until Colorado In
1909 led tho United States In beet
sugar production. distributing among
her farmers millions os dollars - the
result Of ths demand Tor . necessity.
4 demand that Ii not filled BY the
SUGAR factories. both beet and cane
In the United Btates. and causes
over 500. 0.0o0. 900 70 b. spent outside
the national borders tor sugar. The
reason Tor the induatry fiourishins
In . section that could produce beets
, y obvious. aal the Arkansas Valley
- bslsg h tAas pesltioa has rsaesd
~ = feaplng annually ~ hualso1o
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