The Glasgow courier., 1915-12-10
BEET FACTORY
PROSPECTS GOOD
Commercial Clubs Campaign
is Getting Results.
COMPANIES INTERESTED
Irrigated Acreage Enough to keep
Factory Busy-Contracts Be-
ing Signed Up.


sugar beet factory decided impetus.
Numerous large sugar concerns, who
have been watching the development
o fthe Milk River valley for some time
past, are investigating conditions
here, and the opinion is now general
that there will be at least one factory
built in this part of the state during
the coming year.
Glasgow's advantageous location
makes it the strongest contender for
the site of a factory, and the coop
Grafton of the Commercial club and
the farmers have done much to attract
the attention of the big sugar inter-
ests here. Surrounding Glasgow
there will be more acres under irriga-
ton next year than any other spot IN
the valley. For thirty miles west
there will be large area under irri-
CATION in 1916 and to the east, the
farmers around Poplar, on the Fort
Peck irrigation project, figure that
they can contract to raise 5000 acres
if a factory is built here. The freight
rate on the beets would be much less
if the factory is located at Glasgow
than farther vest At least 5000
acres can be contracted for in the dis
trict surrounding Glasgow, and with
the farmers on the Fort Peck project
and upper river project to ship here,
there would be sufficient produc-
ton to guarantee successful run of
the factory.
The Commercial club is pushing
the work of getting the farmers i'll
the valley to sign contracts with the
Glasgow Sugar company, and some
blank contracts have been sent to
Poplar for farmers on the Fort Peck
project.
At present Billings is the only city
in Montana which can boast OF a
sugar factory, and the reports of the
big payments made to the beet grow
ers of that vicinity this season has
attracted the attention of the farm
ers in this part of the state.
Since the founding Of the sugar
beet industry in Germany in 1747, it
has grown to immense proportions
and beets are now grown in % states
in the union from Massachusetts, to
California. Over forty sugar beet
factories are already established in
these states. The biggest output
comes from California and Michigan
in about equal quantities.
No means of manufacturing beet
sugar upon a small scale or by the
farmers themselves has ever been dis
covered. This arises from the fact
that the juice of the beet is extracted
with difficulty. The beets contain
large quantities of mineral salts
which renders the sugar to molasses
bitter and unpalatable. Thus the re-
filming of the sugar is process
which requires an expensive invest
ment in machinery and a high degree
of supervisory control. But the farm
er is concerned principally in tn
growth and marketing Of the beets.
1t may be said that in every com
munity where beet sugar industry
has been established and carried OF
under proper supervision, it has re
suited in prosperity to the farme
and renewed activity in the com
munity. It has increased the value O.
farming land suitable to beet cult
walton and has proved one of the es
sential elements towards continued
,, prosperity.
The action of congress in gradual!
removing the duty upon sugar ha
discouraged the investment of capita
in this country and has not resulted
in reducing the cost to the consumer
There is a widespread movemen
looking to a petition to congress ask
, ing that the present protective tariff
j. of one-half cent per pound be re
, tanned and an equally strong move
5 ment requesting congress to restor
! the original tax of one cent pc
pound, so that the industry may b
, encouraged. The arguments in favo
l of the restoration of the tariff ar
!, based not only upon the protectio
), to the American industry, but ais
: upon the plea that the revenue to b
4 derived from such a tax is necessar
e for the maintenance of the govern
ment.