The Donaldsonville chief. [volume] (Donaldsonville, La.) 1871-current, 1913-11-22
SUGAR SQU|Bs.
Progress of the Grinding Campaign
in Ascension and Elsewhere
Items of Interest from Field and
Factory

Items of Interest from Field and
Factory.
Another week Of dry weather has
accumulated the need of rain, and
precipitation Of generous quantity
is one of our most urgent require
ments just at this time. Not only
would a downpour be welcome to
abate the dust nuisance and supply
moisture to fall-planted and seed
cane, but it would probably be fol-
| lowed by a fall in temperature, and
| this is "a contamination deVOutly
to be Wished The days during
the past week have been rather IN
seasonably warm, causing discomfort
to workers in field and factory and
otherwise exerting a deleterious in
fluence over the busy period now
prevailing.
AS a result Of the strike on the
Southern Pacific Railroad, the Oak
ley factory at Avoca, Assumption par
ish, was compelled to suspend oper-
atoms temporarily last Sunday morn
ing, owing TO a shortage Of cane.
A considerable part of the tonnage
ground at this mill is furnished by
the South Bend plantation in the
Bayou Sale neighborhood, which
place is also owned by the Oakley
Company, and the tie-up on the
Southern Pacific interfered with the
delivery of this cane. Fortunately
the strike was settled before any Sc
rious loss had been inflicted on the
company, and the mill is again I'M
der way and running at its full capac-
t,y. Leo Gaudin, of DarroW, who
is putting in his seventh season as
chief sugar-maker of the Oakley es-
adjustment, took advantage of the
brief shutdown to spend Sunday
with his family, and in passing
through Donaldsonville displayed
sample of the fancy grade of white
sugar he is turning out which is as
pretty as any We have seen this
year. High-grade syrup and molasses
are also among the products of the
Oakley plant. Felix Guedry, of
Smoke Bend. is Mr.. Gaudin's as
sistant in the pan-room.
$. Prejean's Half Way factory, in
upper Assumption, was reported to
be getting about 40 pounds of first
sugars per ton of cane the middle
OF last week, with a fancy grade of
white sugar being manufactured.
This is about the general average
Of the yield hereaboub
The grinding of plant cane was
begun at Emile LeBoauf's Point Hou-
mas factory last Saturday, and a most
unusual circumstance was the recorda-
ton of the juice at 9 Beaume, where
as that from stubble cane previous
ly ground weighed but to 81 de-
grees.. The usual order of things
is reversed in these figures, since
stubble is ordinarily much ripper than
plant cane at the outset of the grind
ing. season and it's juice shows a cor
respondinay greater sucrose content.
A shortage of cars is causing much
annoyance to planters along the Tex
as and Pacific Railroads Thibodaux
and Napoleonville branches, and ship
ments of manufactured products from
sugarhouses so situated are being in
terfered with to a serious extent.
The Lemann Company hauled over
tWenty-three carloads of sugar -sfpd
syrup to DonaldsonVille Wednde tx
night, and from here the assafaEes n
Nas forwarded to New Orleans ~
boat. This fact, together with the
recent suspension of traffic on the
Southern Pacific Railroad, constitutes !
a striking argument for the con-
struction Of locks in Bayou La
fourche. With naVigable connection
between the river and bayou restored
by the substitution of locks for the
dam at Donaldsonville, planters Hof
the Lafo8ch valley would be en-
abled to adopt the 1--WE should wor-
ry'' attitude if the railroads failed to
furnish enough cars to move their |
crops. AS it is, they are without re-
course in the premises, and are COM
PEELED to seek faVors where they |
should be in a position to demand |
service. Is there are any lesson in
this situation for our people?