Rocky Ford enterprise., 1912-01-12

Despite climatic conditions and
| what appeared to be water shortage
in the Arkansas valley this season,
the sugar factories closed their sew
eral campaigns on beet sugar produc-
ing history the past year, and have
set a new era for prosperity for this
industry in this section, linking with
it the prosperity OF the farmers.
In the spring of 1911 water supply
conditions seemed alarming to the
thousands who are interested in the
Arkansas valley, but with the optim-
ism that characterizes the beet sugar
industry in the valley, as well as 9TH
er sections of the country. beets were
planted, cared for, replanted when
conditions demanded it, watched and
again cared for, and factory prcpara-
tions were made for the campaigns,
and the result was the gratifying
realization to the farmers and com
mercial interests of the valley that
not only was the output of the fac
tories up to standard in sugar and
money, but ran above last year, and
instead-of what might have beensar.
of year the beet growing business
ard the sugar making industry was
one of prosperity, and a harbingcr OF
vfat is to come in the Arkansas val
ley in future years.
The general average OF sugar beets
for 1911 was good-so good that
farmers averaged well around SO a
ton for their beets. a price made pos
sible by the raise in figure paid them
for their crop by the companies, and
also by the very good sugar contents
showed. As the tonangc ran good
also, the total receipts were splendid
and the output OF sugar from this sec
tion is being felt in every hamlet and
section of this valley. Farmers arc
receiving large sums from their beets.
labor payrolls for field and factory
have been large, indirect returns are
still coming in, pulp is to be fed this
winter. future return.
A general idea of the magnitude Of
the industry in the valley this year
ray be secured from the following
approximate figures. 1t is estimated
that close to one and onc-half mil
Iion+ of dollars were paid to Arkan-
"a, valley farmers this fall for beets.
Zee. tops for feed have a valuation
OF s. so per acre, another return OF
Thousands OF dollars. The factory
pay rolls ran we'll up to half millior
dollars. and another such sum was
spent IN factory supplies.
Tie Rocky Ford factory OF the
American Beet Sugar company pait
out to growers in the valley nearly
100000 for this campaign, and the
benefit to the city is easily understood
when town of 5000 population re
ccives as pay roll nearly $4,000 PEI
day for every day the plant runs.
with an auxiliary pay roll the year
around for the large force OF men EN-
ploved year i'll and wear out at the
various stations tributary to the fac
tory in the valley.
About $50 tons of coal is used
daily in operating sugar factory OF
the size of Rocky Ford. and the in
direct benefits to the valley in train
men employed to keep this fuel and
supplies at the factory represents the
| daily bread of hundreds. The hand
ling of the beets during the shipping
season results in the steady employ
of hundreds of well paid railroad en-
ployes, and the output OF the sugar
| to the various points of the United
States represents another outlay, all
OF which is received in the valley.
The states in which beet sugar is
marketed from the Arkansas valley
pay toll to the valley each year. or
! lllis VI 1Oul blhJoi Ppi
| ton goes to the grower for his beets.
| He in reality produces the sugar, the
sugar company merely being the
agent to extract and market his pro-
duct. A large portion of what is left
! goes for supplies and for labor pay
| roll. some for freight, and other large
| expenses OF the industry. but all of it
coming back to the section which
produced the sugar. As sugar is one
| of the staple products of the country,
| the section so situated that it can re-
ceive this homage from the sugar eat
ers of the world is indeed fortunate,
as shown by the prosperous condition
| of the Arkansas valley since the ad-
vent OF the beet sugar industry.
At the output of the 1911 campaign
there were three different contracts
offered in the valley, this number by
the American Beet Sugar company.
and other contracts i'll most instanc es
the same by the other companies op-
Grated t''ere. There has always been
: diversity OF opinions among the
| growers as which method of payment
for their beets was the most suitable. 4.
Some contended that the flat rate. or
] so much ton regardless OF sugar