AMERICAN BEET SUGAR. 13 



that they undertake will be carried out to their credit, and satisfaction of those 

 employing them. 



In this instance, they constructed our plant in every detail from the foundation 

 up, and in addition to this, systemitized the office, laboratory and other clerical 

 work so far as it pertained to the factory ; furnished all the skilled and unskilled 

 employees, and in an exceedingly short period of time had all running as smoothly 

 as an old established business. What is fully as pleasing, it has been a commercial 

 and financial success from the start. 



Not over a year ago we were confronted with the same problem as you probably, 

 are today ; whether to embark in the business, or not at all ; if we did, where to get 

 the machinery, and whom to operate it. Today, after having studied the field 

 over and had our experience, we feel that we have made no mistake, and are glad 

 to have an opportunity to testify to the merits of H. H. Dyer & Co. 



Our factory is what the Dyers term their 350-700 ton plant ; that is, the build- 

 ings, and some of the machinery, are large enough for working 700 tons of beets 

 per day, but only sufficient machinery is erected at first to work 350 tons per day, 

 the balance to be put in whenever desired. This we think an ideal arrangement, 

 while to the uninitiated it would convey the idea of large buildings with much 

 waste room ; such, however, is not the case ; the arrangement of the machinery is 

 such that it requires but little more building than would be required for half that 

 capacity ; the advantage is, that the plant may be doubled at a minimum cost at 

 any time, an advantage that every factory that has been built will be glad to avail 

 themselves of. 



We employ about 100 men, all told, 80 of whom work in the factory proper, 

 the balance are engaged in unloading and testing beets, breaking rock, building 

 stock-yards, and other outside employment. We pay laborers from $1.80 to $2.00 

 per day, factory hands $2.00. 



If you embark in this business, we hope the Dyers will construct your plant ; 

 for it will insure the elements of success, experience and ability. The more suc- 

 cessful and widely separated factories, the greater our political strength. 



There is another point in your letter that I, perhaps, have not touched strongly 

 enough upon, and that is, the comparison between American and foreign machin- 

 ery. While I do not pose as an expert in machinery, it is apparent to a layman 

 that there is about as much difference between foreign and domestic sugar ma- 

 chinery as there is between an American and a European locomotive, both good 

 in their respective countries, but a foreign locomotive would be of but little use in 

 this country under our conditions. 



There are plants now operating in this country, fitted with foreign machinery. 

 They are a constant source of trouble and expense to the owners ; they require 

 nearly double the operatives, and 30 to 50 per cent more fuel than either the 



i or this plant, to run them, which is not a matter of opinion, but facts. 



Very truly yours, 



Los ALAMITOS SUGAR Co., 



Signed by J. Ross CLARK, 



V. P. and Gen. Mgr. 



