Description

The “Mystery” of Beet Sugar

October 15, 1891, was a big moment in the history of Utah. Such a crowd of people were gathered in what was called the “pan room” that it was “difficult to get around.” There were those in the crowd who said it would never work. Everyone watched and waited as the machines worked. Then, some time after midnight, the machines stopped and the process was done. All peered anxiously to see if it worked.

Mr. Dyer reached in and gave “each one of his audience some of it “right in his hand. Immediately “hurrahs” and “hosannas” filled the air.” It was official! The great act of faith was a success—pure white granulated sugar could be made from the black liquid molasses of beets.

The general manager of the Lehi Utah plant, Thomas Cutler, telephoned the Salt Lake Herald newspaper with the big news, ““We have just made the first pound of sugar. By morning we will have 20 tons ready.” That morning 20,000 pounds of sugar were sacked and sent by Union Pacific Railroad to Salt Lake City. The sugar was transferred to large, low wagons called drays. Led by a yoke of oxen to dramatize the pioneering nature of the enterprise, the procession made its way to leading Salt Lake City retailers under the sign “First Carload of Granulated Sugar Made by the Utah Sugar Company.” At the stores “there was almost a riot of people taking the sugar.” Soon the city’s confectioners were displaying signs that read “First Candy Made from Utah Sugar.”

From there, Utah sugar makers struggled and learned over time how to grow sugar beets in a desert and how to make refined sugar under unique circumstances. Historian, Leonard Arrignton described the process. He said, “Factory work was exacting, but there was something fascinating if not miraculous about the making of sugar. Those who worked in the plant were regarded with a certain awe.

“The whole process of beet sugar making,” wrote Walter Webb, “was considered a mystery. The boiling of the syrup was the greatest mystery of all. The sugar boiler was almost a superman.”

From that first experiment in Lehi there came 116 sugar factories across the United States, 17 of those in Utah, and 10 in Idaho.

Listening to this story in our present modern age, some might be amused and even smile at the simplicity or naivete of the “miracle” of making sugar. After all, look at what has been invented, developed, and discovered since then. We have come so far in so many ways since that night in Lehi. But have we really come that far, perhaps not? Until we can master the mystery of making mankind perfect and sweet we are nowhere close to the knowledge and power yet to be gained and so sorely needed. We have a long ways to go and a lot to learn.

Source: https://historytogo.utah.gov/lehi-sugar-factory/