Cortland
Evening Standard, Thursday, December 2, 1897.
BEET
SUGAR INDUSTRY.
W. D.
Tisdale Seeks Information from the Experts.
Mr. W. D. Tisdale, secretary of the Cortland
board of trade, went to Canastota a few days ago to attend a farmers'
institute, as he had heard that the beet sugar industry was to be discussed
there, and that certain experts were to be present and speak. He learned a
number of facts that will be of large interest to Cortland county farmers.
Among the speakers were Prof. George E.
Cavenaugh of Cornell university and Dr. J. M. Hines of Washington.
Prof. Van Nieuwenhuyse, the expert of the
new refinery at Rome, N. Y., was expected to be there, but was called to
Binghamton to address a mass-meeting of Broome county farmers who are
interested in beet culture.
Prof. Cavenaugh reported that the best soil
for the cultivation of sugar beets is a sandy lome. The second best and almost
equally good is a gravely soil, such as we have in Cortland county. Cortland is
in the so-called beet belt of the state. A clay soil such as there is near
Canastota is very poor for the purpose. Cornell university sent out seed to
different localities throughout the state this year to try the effect and results, and fifty-five places had reported.
The average quantity raised per acre was
eighteen tons. Canastota soil produced but five tons per acre. The professor
said, however, that this average mentioned was probably larger than would be
true in the general cultivation, as all the plots where the tests were made
were small and probably particularly good care was taken of them. The average
per acre in Nebraska is 12.92 tons.
Prof. Cavenaugh applied the sugar test in seventy-two different cases from beets
raised in different parts of the state and found that the average was 16.8 per
cent. At the Rome refinery they have found the sugar test about 16 per cent.
Experiments have this year been carried on
under State Commissioner Wieting in the counties of Columbia, Cattaraugus, St.
Lawrence, Albany, Genesee, Lewis, Schoharie, Madison, Erie, Niagara, Clinton,
Cortland, Oneida, Onondaga, Otsego, Chautauqua and Broome. The Vilmorin
improved, and a German beet called the Klein Wanzlebener were grown.
An analysis of these beets has been made by
Dr. L. L. Van Slyke, director of the Geneva experiment station and president of
the New York State Dairymen's association. Dr. Van Slyke's analysis of the
Vilmorin beet shows the beets grown in St. Lawrence county give the highest
percentage of sugar, 16.6, and Genesee county the lowest, 13.4. The average percentage
of sugar secured from this variety of beets was about 14.75 per cent. The
highest percentage of purity secured from this class was 85.8 in Otsego county,
and the lowest, 74.2 per cent in Genesee county. In the other variety the highest
per cent of sugar was found in beets grown in Cattaraugus county, 18.6, and the
lowest in Versailles, Erie county, 11.2, or an average of 14.33 per cent. The
highest percentage of purity was found in those grown in Otsego county, 87.5,
and the lowest in Versailles, Erie county, 66.8.
The result of Dr. Van Slyke's analysis and
the work done at the Rome factory both show from an average calculation that 100
pounds of beets will net twelve pounds of sugar, or one ton of beets 244
pounds. Therefore the raising of beets from one acre would net fourteen tons of
sugar, which would bring in the market about $130. If the farmer were paid
for his beets upon the basis of the percentage of sugar contained in them this would
give the farmer between $5 and $6 a ton for his beets and the manufacturer
between 64 and 70 cents a ton for manufacture. In making these figures 4 cents
a pound as the average price is used.
During the past season some 860 farmers have
furnished beets to the sugar refinery at Rome. It is said that very deep
cultivation is needed for the successful raising of the beets, and that only
that part of the beet which grows below the surface of the ground is good for making
sugar, and all that projects above the ground has to be cut off as by exposure to
the air and light it comes to contain elements deleterious to good sugar.
Mr. F. E. Dawley, state director of farmers'
institutes, has been experimenting with sugar beets the past year. He has found
that to raise beets successfully and furnish them at the market price of about
$5 per ton, either labor must be reduced to about the price of 30 cents per day
if all the cultivation be carried on by hand, or else almost the entire
cultivation must be by machinery. Mr. Tisdale was convinced by what he heard at
Canastota that there is not the profit in sugar beets to the farmer that there
is in potatoes or in cabbage, provided a fair price can be obtained for these
crops.
A number of places throughout the state are
trying to secure beet sugar refineries, but the capital necessary for the
building and equipping of a refinery will prevent many places from getting
them. There are only seven beet sugar refineries in the United States at the
present time. The Rome refinery cost over $200,000. Binghamton is planning for
one at about the same cost. Syracuse has its mind on one to cost about
$350,000, but it also plans to have a number of branch stations, where beets
can be worked up into raw sugar and can then be taken to the central station
for refining. This plan will also enable it to cover a larger territory in
securing the needful supply of beets. Each station will cost about $10,000.
Cortland could do nothing about raising the needful capital for establishing a
refinery at a cost in the hundreds of thousands of dollars, but it could
probably establish a branch station at the cost named.
It is likely that this subject of beet sugar
will be brought up by Mr. Dawley at the dairymen's convention [at Cortland]
next week and be discussed at length. It will be wise for all farmers
interested to be present.
 |
| James F. Costello. |
MR.
COSTELLO RECOMMENDED.
Will
Probably Be Superintendent of the Fire Alarm System.
The board of engineers of the Cortland fire
department held a special meeting last evening for the purpose of holding a
competitive examination for superintendent of the fire alarm system. There were
three candidates, Jas. F. Costello, M. S. Wright and L. E. Winslow. Each
candidate was required to answer thirty-three questions prepared by the board
on the practical workings of the fire alarm system. After the examinations, the
board announced the standings attained by the candidates as follows: Mr.
Costello, 93 1/2 per cent, Mr. Wright, 76 2/3 per cent, Mr. Winslow, 73 1/3 per
cent.
According to a previous resolution of the
board, the applicant having the highest standing should be nominated, therefore
Mr. Costello was nominated for the position, and his name will be presented to
the board of village trustees next Monday night for action, which will probably
result in Mr. Costello's appointment.
The committee recently appointed by the
board of engineers will meet at Fireman's hall next Tuesday night for the
organization of a Fireman's league to have
charge of the Central New York Firemen's convention which meets in Cortland
next year.
The annual department election will be held
Dec. 15.
ELECTED
OFFICERS.
Those
Who Will Guide the Affairs of the A. O. H.
The annual election of officers occurred
last evening at the regular meeting of Division No. 1, Ancient Order of
Hibernians. Nearly one hundred and twenty-five members of the division were
present, and the election was a spirited one conducted with the best of feeling
and with the following result:
County President—Charles Corcoran.
Division President—Hugh Corcoran.
Vice-President—John A. Kennedy.
Corresponding Secretary—Thomas J. Murray.
Financial Secretary—Thomas Drake.
Treasurer—J. T. Davern.
Sergeant-at-Arms—G. F. McAuliff.
Guard—Richard McMahon.
Standing Committee—M. F. Cleary, John Drake,
Patrick Dwyer, Joseph
Dowd,
Frank Kane.
Finance Committee—William Kennedy, John
Lonergan, M. B. Burns.
After the completion of the business,
several members of the "My Boys" company, which appeared at the Opera
House last evening were introduced, and an exceedingly pleasant evening was passed
in a social way. Refreshments were served, and the visitors entertained the
members present with songs, stories, etc.
"JOSIAH'S
COURTSHIP"
To be
Presented Under the Auspices of the Sons of Veterans, Dec. 10.
A committee from Jas. H. Kellogg camp, Sons
of Veterans, went to Truxton last Friday evening to witness the performance of
"Josiah's Courtship" by the Homer Dramatic Co., and was so pleased
with the entertainment that an effort was made at once to arrange for a
production of the play by the same company in Cortland if possible.
The entertainment committee is pleased to
state that its efforts in this direction have been successful and
"Josiah's Courtship" will be seen in Cortland on Friday evening, Dec.
10, at the cozy little hall which has been fitted up by the Sons of Veterans in
the Grand Army rooms, and is known to their many friends by the modest and
patriotic sobriquet, the American theatre. The entertainment will be given for
the benefit of the camp and everything will be done to make it a success
artistically and financially.
The company is made up of some of the
brightest and cleverest local talent to be found in this vicinity and J. H.
Kellogg camp assures its friends that in presenting this attraction, not only
will the same high standard of excellence which has characterized its
entertainments in the past be maintained, but the people of Cortland will be
given an opportunity to see a charming little four-act comedy and a company of
unusually talented young people who have already drawn four large houses in
neighboring towns.
Tickets will be on sale in a few days.
BREVITIES.
—Sixteen candidates took the initiatory
degree in the O. U. A. M. last night.
—The meeting of the Iroquois Dancing club
which was to have been held Saturday evening has been postponed until Tuesday
evening, Dec. 7.
—The fourth in the series of dancing parties
given by the St. Vitus club is to be held in Taylor hall to-morrow evening from
8 to 12 o'clock.
—Cortland county regular Republicans will
find a good pattern to follow in the action of the organization in New York
City, as described on our second page.
—New display advertisements to-day are—C. F.
Brown. Gift Things, page 7; Dey Bros. & Co., A Christmas Store, page 8:
Stowell, Slaughter of Prices, page 8.
—Tracklaying on the E. & C. N. Y. R. R.
has now reached the Peck farm nearly two miles east of Solon. It is being pushed
hard and will soon reach East Freetown.
—Mr. J. O. Corliss will hereafter have charge
of the Bible study at the Y. M. C. A. rooms Thursday evenings at 9 o'clock. Mr.
Corliss is thoroughly qualified to have charge of the work, and will make the
hour a pleasant and profitable one.
—A very satisfactory rehearsal of the Choral
society was held last night and Prof. Dahm Petersen was highly pleased with the
work of the chorus, which now numbers 132, two new members joining last night.
The whole cantata of "Adonis"
was sung through and special practice was also given to some other miscellaneous
music. Only two rehearsals now remain before the concert on Dec. 17.
In
Memoriam.
Mrs. Frances Elizabeth Wetmore (Wellman),
whose death and obsequies have been mentioned in recent papers, was born in
Yorkville in the town of Whitestown, N. Y., June 27, 1831. She was the eldest
child of James and Mariette Bradley Wetmore. Her mother was an intimate friend
of Frances Miriam Berry (Witcher), authoress of the famous "Widow Bedott
Papers," whose name, Frances, Mrs. Wetmore bestowed upon her daughter. Her
family occupy a prominent place in the early history of our country and commonwealth.
Her great grandfather, Amos Wetmore of
Middletown, Conn., for meritorious service rendered his country in the war of
the revolution, received a sword which is now in possession of his grandson,
Major Ezra Wetmore of Utica, N. Y., a veteran of the Rebellion [Civil War]. Her
grandfather, Amos Wetmore, Jr., was one of the pioneer settlers of Oneida count.
He came to Whitestown in 1786. There he bought 400 acres of land of Gov. Trumbell
of Connecticut, of which he took possession the following year. He and a companion
pioneer, Hugh White, in 1788, built the first gristmill erected in Oneida
county. It was long known as Wetmore's mill, and stood on Saquoit creek, where
it crosses the Utica and Whitesboro road at Yorkville. He held various town and
county offices and in 1793 was elected one of the original trustees of the
first religious society established west of Albany, known as The United Presbyterian
societies of Whitestown and Old Fort Schuyler. In the war of 1812 he held the
commission of captain in the Third brigade of the One Hundred fifty-seventh
regiment of New York militia.
In his home his granddaughter, Frances,
passed her early years. While living there she attended the old Yorkville
academy. Upon the death of her grandparents she returned to her father's home
in Taberg, N. Y. Shortly after, she engaged in teaching, which she followed
until her marriage, Oct. 6, 1852. She was possessed of rare musical ability,
inherited from both her parents, but more especially from her father who was
one of the original members of the once famous old Utica City band in which organization
he played the clarinet for a number of years. In her more youthful days her
sweet voice graced the choir of the village church, of which she had been a
consistent member for more than thirty years, when on the 20th ult., at the
home of her daughter in McGrawville, N. Y., her Master suddenly summoned her to
the church triumphant.
Brief funeral services were held at McGrawville,
Tuesday, the 23d ult.; and hence her remains were conveyed to the old home at
Osceola. There, on the following day after appropriate services conducted by
her son-in-law. Rev. Junius J. Cowles, she was laid to rest in the village
cemetery, beside her daughter Louisa, who some years since preceded her to the
better land. Of near relatives left to mourn her loss are a husband, Almon
Wellman of Osceola, a daughter Mrs. J. J. Cowles of McGrawvllle, two sons L. L.
Wellman of McGrawville and Howard A. Wellman of Tacoma, Wash., and three brothers,
Frederick A., George E., and Howard Wetmore, all residing in the West.
Misses Pansy and Marguerite Cowles returned
on Monday from a visit to Cazenovia. Last Saturday evening they were pleasantly
entertained at the home of Prof. Geo. D. Bailey, the occasion being a birthday
party. In a zoological contest participated in by the children, Miss Pansy
received the prize for the most perfect set of answers.
On account of the death of Mrs. Cowles'
mother, it has been decided to postpone the missionary rally to have been held
this week at the Presbyterian church, until the first Thursday in January. A
meeting of the missionary society, however, will be held at the parsonage next Thursday
evening.
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