THE BEET SUGAIl INDUSTRY. 15 



"To the President and members of the Hawaiian Sugar Planters' Association: 

 Some time ago your committee on labor mailed to the managers of all the plantations a 

 circular letter asking for information in regard to the condition of labor on their estates. 







MICHIGAN'S FIRST BEET SUGAR FACTORY. 



Property of the Michigan Sugar Co., Bay City, Bay Co., Michigan. Capacity, 350 tons of beets per 

 day, 3,500 acres contracted for the "98 crop, and some 7,500,000 Ibs. of sugar were made during its first 

 campaign ended in December, '98. The capacity is to be doubled for '99, and 7,500 to 10,000 acres of beets 

 are wanted. The building is 264x108 feet, and four beet sheds 30x300 feet, with railroad and wagon 

 tracks to each shed. 



A series of 19 questions were put to each, with request that they answer them carefully 

 and in full, they being assured that no one but one member of the committee would have 

 access to their replies, and they would not be published except as a total. Replies have 

 been received from all the managers but one, and the result of your committee's labor 

 is embodied in the following: 



"AVERAGE NUMBER OF LABORERS EMPLOYED DURING THE YEAR 1897. 



Contract Free 



Laborers Laborers Total 

 av. no. 



Japanese 6,379 5,371 11,750 



Chinese 5,518 1,986 7,504 



Portuguese 394 1.562 1,956 



Hawaiian 430 988 1,418 



Other nationalities 419 



Total 23,047 



"Supply of labor 45 well supplied, 6 were not: 25 reported many desertions, 21 

 none, 5 a few; nationality giving trouble Japanese, a few reported Chinese; contracts 

 expiring during year 2,235, as a rule contract men did not renew; 23 planters had diffi- 

 culty in securing free labor, 28 had none. Rate of wages 7 paid $13 per month, 6 paid 

 $14, 20 paid $15 to $15.50, 8 paid $16; Hawaiians were paid $17 and up, Portuguese $18 and 

 upward." 



