PART THREE. 



THE BEET SUGAR INDUSTRY. 



CHAPTER I. 



WHAT HAS BEEN ACCOMPLISHED IN AMERICA. 



The first efforts toward producing sugar from the beet in this country were made 

 near Philadelphia in 1830, without success. Eight years afterward, David L. Child 



made a crude attempt at Northampton, 

 Mass, the beets averaging 6 per cent, of 

 sugar. In 1863 the Gennert Brothers, from 

 Germany, established a factory at Chats- 

 worth, Illinois, a location illy chosen, it is 

 said, in soil and climate. After struggling 

 for several years, the factory was removed 

 to Freeport, 111, and later to Black Hawk, 

 Sauk county, Wis, where it was started as 

 a co-operative enterprise. From Black 

 Hawk a portion of the machinery, at least, 

 was removed to California. In all of the 

 latter instances, there was more or less 

 inefficiency in factory management, but the 

 chief difficulty was the lack of interest on 

 the part of farmers, and their failure to 

 furnish sufficient beets. The quality of the 

 beets was also very inferior. Even in 

 California's early days, it was several years 

 before they learned the proper stage of 

 maturity at which to harvest the crop. 

 Only an elaborate account of all these early 

 efforts could give an insight into the trials 

 and disappointments they involved, but 

 the lessons of this bitter and costly ex- 

 perience have been made the most of, and 

 paved the way for the successes of the past 

 half-dozen years. We should not forget 

 to honor the pioneers in this industry. About 1871 Messrs Bonesteel & Otto erected 

 a small factory at Fond du Lac, which, after making some sugar, was dismantled and 



FOUNDER OF AMERICA'S BEET-SUGAR 

 INDUSTRY. 



This is not too much to say of Mr Henry T. Oxnard, 

 president of the beet-sugar companies operating facto- 

 ries at Norfolk, Grand Island and Chino. He organized 

 the American Beet Sugar Manufacturers' Association, 

 and has been the head and front of the development of 

 the beet-sugar industry in the United States as a com- 

 mercial enterprise. See pages 34-35. 



