American Falls press. [volume] (American Falls, Idaho) 1907-1937, 1917-03-01
SUGAR FACTORY AMONG
ABERDEEN'S POSSIBILITIES
Decision Probably Rests With Farm
ers, Whether They win Grow the
Beets or NOt-WOuld Be Desirable
Industry.

A beet-sugar factory at Aberdeen.
the extension of the Aberdeen branch
railroad to Fairview and the consider
alton Of the possibilities of the cattle
feeding industry on the irrigated land
north of American Falls, were some
OF the things considered at a mass
meeting attended Tuesday in Aber-
deem by about 100 farmers.
That the possibility of sugar
factory at Aberdeen is a live ques-
ton is attested by the spirited meet
ing conducted in behalf of the farm
ers and the Utah-Idaho Beet Sugar
Co., by Mark Austin of Rexburg and
G. H. Smith of the sugar company.
Both men urged action on the part of
the farmers and an immediate guaran-
tee of acreage that would justify the
company in putting in a factory at
Aberdeen. They did not indicate
clearly whether the factory would be
built this year or next, if the farm
ers guaranteed the number of acres
asked.
The meeting Tuesday furthered CON
slderably the agitation that has been
going on for several months in the
lower end of the irrigated district of
the AberdeenSpringf gfeld Canal COM
pany for a market for sugar beets
The UtahIdaho Beet Sugar company
asks a guarantee of 5000 acres or 5O,-
600 tons of beets prior to the install
lation of a factory. A promise of
1,400 acres has been given by farmers
located near Aberdeen and a commit
tee was reappointed yesterday to in
crease this amount.
The possibilities of extending the
Aberdeen branch railroad to Fairview
was discussed. The extension of the
road would be of great benefit to beet
growers south of Aberdeen, should
the factory be built, and would un-
doubtedly greatly increase the acre
age on that part of the tract Such
an extension would greatly lessen the
cost of marketing.
Mr.. Austin suggested in his talk
Tuesday afternoon that the company
which he represented would establish
a receiving station at Fairview in case
the farmers of that vicinity would
guarantee that there would be 400
acres devoted to beets the coming sea
son.
Following the precedent establish
ed in other beet sections the company
that puts in the factory will provide
the farmers with seed and take it out
when the crop is harvested in the
fall. The company, it is said, will al
so provide Japs TO harvest the beets,
that is, thin them, top them, and pos
sibly load them ON wagons. The la
borers will be worked in punches go
ing from one farm to another in ro-
tation until all the beets of the sec
tiOn covered are cared for.
It was pointed out by many of those
present at the meeting Tuesday that
should the beet sugar industry devel-
ope as it has at Burley and other not
far distant points, there were great
possibilities in the stock feeding in
dustry. Thousands of cattle, it was
stated. are shipped into beet sugar
sections every winter to feed on the
beet pulp that remains after the sugar
has been extracted.
The importation of stock. for win
ter feeding would also increase the
demand for hay, and thus make staple
a crop that has not always been so in
the past.
The bad condition of the roads made
travel to Aberdeen from Fairview and
other distant sections almost impos-
sible. Pete Bartholoma, Sr., of Ameri-
can Falls attended the mass meeting.
Sugar beets are cash crop, and
when farmers learn to grow them
properly, are splendid revenue pro-
ducers. The factory would not only
be a good thing for Aberdeen, but for
the farmers on irrigated land within
a reasonable hauling distance. The
Press congratulates Aberdeen on her
prospects and hopes the factory will
be built