Rensselaer Semi-Weekly Republican, Volume 22, Number 90, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 30 July 1901 — Beet Sugar and Sugar Beets. [ARTICLE]

Beet Sugar and Sugar Beets.

Lowell Souvenir. The sugar faotory will not be built this season at Shelby—it may never be erected there —and the “I told you so” crowd is in high good humor thereat. Two reasons are advanced by those nearest the company, and best able to judge in the matter, regarding its failure to continue the enterprise. One is that a ohange in the plan of construction following ohange of architects oaused trouble with the construction company having the building oontraot, which finally resulted in the contractors withdrawing entirely and removing men and material from the work. The seoond advanced is that owing to the small acreage of beets contracted for by farmers and their apparent lack of interest, combined with the poor stand, the company was not justified in erecting the plant this season. When we reflect that the capacity of a beet sugar faotory is anywhere from 3,000 to 10,000 acres of beets; that the aoresge in Lake and adjoining oounties upon whioh the company must depend for its season's output is probably less than 1,000 aores and also that a faotory is already in operation within easy shipping distanoe, so that this season’s erop will not be lost, it is probable that the latter is the true reason for the abandonment of the enterprise at this time. Indeed it would seem that good business policy oould dictate no other oonrse.