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 
FOUNDER OF AMERICA’S BEET-SUGAR 
; INDUSTRY. 
This is not too inuch 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 Americal 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. 
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, Ij], 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 
Oalifornia’s early days, it was several years 
before they learned the proper stage of 
maturity at which to harvest the crop. 
Onlv 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 
asmall factory at Fond du Lac, which, after making some sugar, was dismantled and 
