The Delta independent., 1918-10-11
GRAND JUNCTION SUGAR CON-
PANY'S BEET PROPOSITION

Only feW weeks ago the announce
ment was made by the Holy Sugar
Corporation that all beets grown would
be paid for at the flat rate of $1,000
ton and beet growers were elated.
Now comes the astounding news that
the prices for the coming season, 1919,
may go to Sl2 or even S14, the growers
being given the full benefit of all in
creases in the prices of sugar as fixed
b the administration inorder to stim
ulate the sugar beet industry in the
territory in which the Holly Sugar cor
poration operates.
Contracts for the 1919 crop of beets
over this territory are now in the
hands of field agents and superintend-
ents for the company and the growers
viii find pleasant surprise contained
in those contracts as they provide that
should sugar advance another cent
over the present price of nine cents
thegrowers will be paid flat rate of
S12 for their beets. while should the
advance be two cents as has been re-
quested and is known to be favored
growers will receive s14. a price more
than three times that being paid for
sugar beets but a few years ago
Section 3 of the contract for 1919
provides as follows:
ITO pay for beets delivered and ac-
cepted by the second party for each
ton, the seaboard market price for
sugar per hundred pounds, plus one
dollar lSlOO) up to market price of
sugar Of nine dollars CS9): for each in
bI
above nine dollars l$9) an increase of
two dollars tS2) per ton for beets will
be paid In all cases fractions in pro
portion and price shall be f o. b. fac
tory sheds or in cars at nearest receiv-
ing station after tare has been de-
Quoted
1T is agreed that calculating the
seabOard market price for sugar this
shall be determined by calculating the
average for the monthof November
1920"
Thus it viii be seen that handsome
increase over present prices is sure to
prevail for the 1919 crop of sugar beets
as 1t assured that sugar cannot remain
at the present price. At the present
price. 50 for sugar, this sum plus 81 is
paid for the beets, or the $40 price pre-
vailing for this seasons crop. If this
sugar price is advanced to 10 cents
1t will mean the bonus of 50 per ton
for the beets or a price of s12. while
should it be advanced to II cents this
bonus would be doubled, giving s14
for beets.
And there is now every reason to
believe that the price will be fixed at
II cents. The government. through
the food administration has. since Oct.
l. 1917, dictated the price and market
ing conditions for sugar. The Beet
Sugar Association last informed the
food administration that in order to
keep up the production of sugar beets
II would be necessary that a price of
50 per 100 pounds be allowed by the
food administration for the 1918 crop.
At that time the price of sugar was
$50. The administration authorized
the price of 50 in order to stimulate
the industry and the present price of
$40 for heets results.
The same association in the same
i-tration that in orderraperdoG wetr
manner has advised the food admins
tration that in order to accomplish the
increase necessary in the production
OF sugar from beets that price of Sl1
should be allowed for the 1919 crop.
No report has vet been receied
from the food administration but sug-
ar producers feel assured the increase
viii be granted and in all probability
that asked for.
me local officials are very anxious
to double the present average annual
acreage of $500 acres. giving a total
Of over 1900 acres devoted to the
crop. An abundance of labor is assur-
ed by the government for the sugar
beet industry as il is essential and
given every preference This year
there has been no labor shortage and
growers are reaping handsome re
turns.
In order to handle this increased
acreage the company will construct
such receiving stations as are neces-
sary. This season new receiving
station is in operation at Sykes and
others are now planned where beet
growing is to extend into new dis
tricts.
The remarkable advance in prices
paid for sugar heets is shown by .he
fact that in 1914 but S475 was being
paid
In order to secure greatly increas-
ed acreage. special field men have
been pressed into service and the
company hopes to contract during the
coming months for thousands of addi-
tional acres.
Bod Not Here.
The military funeral nlanned for the