The weekly Republican. (Plymouth, Ind.) 1911-1922, 1911-12-14

TIC SIZE VI AeITe haute. and very
similar as far as dirt and smoke are
concerned. We enjoyed the fair
there quite well. Neither of us
had ever been to a state fair. and
not even to county fair for years.
The races were good, and the cowboy
relay races were something new and
very exciting. Bronco busting is a
feature of every big day out here. It
was fright to see some of the COW
boys saddle and attempt to ride
those wild horses, and even steers at
times. Leonard never considered il
bit exciting until the mans hat
went off, and then he would scream
He's dandy rider, look at his hat
fly"
Rocky Ford and LaJunta are both
pretty places only eleven miles apart.
right in Arkansas valley. Here is
some of the finest growing land, and
the most valuable in Colorado. Tt
is in the heart of the sugar beet
country, and we happened there right
IN the harvest time. Most all the
towns here are within sight of each
other, and you have no idea how far
you can see here. because of the
open country and high elevation.
The sugar beets make a pretty sight
when growing. Acres and acres of
them. with big dark green curly
leaves like lettuce The beets are
white and vary in size, averaging
about, seven pounds, though we saw
a prize one on exhibition weighing
% and one-half pounds. They saw
that two years ago a man raised one
weighing 80 pounds. In each of
these little towns is an immense
sugar factory. valued at a million
dollars each. They can each handle
100 tons Of beets per day. producing
1900 to 300 one hundred pound sacks
of sugar, yet they work but two
months in year. The ranchers can
be seen hauling in the great loads
OF beets. always with four horses
and big sided wagons. that are hing
ed to drop down. Along the rail
road at intervals of a few miles are
=" beet Dumps where they are
weighed, and then put into big beet
cars. and taken TO the factories. A
sample is taken from each load. and
tested to see the per cent of sugar,
as all beets are not alike. Of course
the poor farmer gets his pay accord
ing to the quality of his stock. and
this is where he gets skinned"
With all the high rates of sugar, the
farmers do not get penny more for
his beets than in former years. No
one can 60 to any factory and buy
$1.00 Or $4,000 worth of sugar. as
1t Is all shipped away. 1t is a great
industry, and very interesting to see.
We went through one of the factories
The beets are washed in boiling
water. tons at time, and ground
up fine. This is weighed on auto
matte scales that weigh a ton and
then dump it. This is carried along
and put into watts twenty feet deep
and then cooked. The beet syrup
oozes cut and is just like molasses,
and IS dark brown. This is poured
into the wonderful graduating watts,
that revolve as swiftly as the ma
chinery can make them. It turns
pure white. and is granulated sugar
In a few seconds. There is a sort
of grey pulp left which is a fine
stock feed, and is carted back by the
farmers.
1t sounds funny to hear some one
say farm or "farmers, as every
one here says ranchers," "ranch
eggs "ranch milk etc. The
barnyard is called the "corral." and
they speak of corraling' the horses
or cattle instead of catching them,
and they "rustle" up the cattle, or
rustic" up meal. I heard some
young people say they were going
to "rustle" up lunch here in the
hotel, instead of going out for
meal. Potatoes are called "spuds"
everywhere, and the men say one bit,
or two bits of money, and I have to
laugh every time I hear them.
Grocers advertise "far ranch eggs"
meaning stored awhile, and "near-
by ranch eggs'.' meaning near to
Denver, and therefore fresher. The
papers speak of "close in: apart
ments and houses to rent.
This is the greatest state for fairs
and "big days." Most every place
around has had its special feature,
and furnished something or other
absolutely free to all visitors. It
started in strawberry time, and some
town had strawberry festival and
served berries and cream and cake.
Then there we're several other fruit
lays, and roasting ear" day, and
pumpkin pie and cider day, and
5reely had "spud" day, Rocky
Ford had melon day, and Sugar
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