The Charleston daily news. [volume] (Charleston, S.C.) 1865-1873, 1866-04-20
TURPENTLNE.
April s, 1866

TURPENTINE
The development of our national resources at
this time is unquestionably one Of the most in-
portant topics that can engage the citizen and
patriot and it becomes our duty as journalists to
call attention to it from time to time. The SUBJ
iect Of labor, in its varied phases, past present
and prospective, has been abundantly discussed ;
40 also the culture Of cotton, and the prospects
and speculations in regard to the present crop.
Manufactures too, we are glad to see, are claim
ing a good deal Of public attention but there is
one Of our aources Of industry Tin part agrlcul-
tural, and in part pertaining to the domain OF
manufactures), that has been greatly neglected
of late. We speak Of the production of Turpen-
tine
North Carolina has always stood pre-eminent
in the production Of Naval Stores, and probably
will for years to come but at the time OF the
commencement of the war, this article formed q
considerable item in the production and trade OF
South Carolina. Turpentine and rosin have been
made in this State for great many years, but it
is only within the last twenty years that much
attention has been given to its manufacture.
1t is estimated that $4,000 barrels Of Spirits OF
Turpentine and 900 barrels Of Rosin were
shipped from Charleston in 1860. This, however,
did not comprise the whole crop OF the State; as
large part from along the line Of the Wilmington
and Manchester Railroad found it's way to Will
mngton and some again from the eastern part
of the State was shipped uid Georgetown.
There is not the same demand now for this ar
ticle and this from combination Of causes.
One is The high Internal Revenue tax IA cents
Der gallon), coming at the very time when petro-
leum has taken the place Of Turpentine for many
purposes another is, that there was great ac-
cumulation of these stores through the country,
all of which was thrown into the market, imme-
diately on our resumption of commercial relations
with the outside world. A great reduction in
price was the consequence, from which it has not
yet quite recovered. The high freights have been
another hindrance.
Turpentine, however, will continue to be made in
South Carolina, for years to come. There is a
vast amount of land, covered with fine large trees
of the long lesfed and lobloly pines (pisus paus-
iris, and p. taeda). A much larger extent of
ground can be worked in this business, than in
ordinary farming. The same trees will yield their
resinous tribute for twelve or fifteen years. They
can then be cut down, and the "fat knots" burned
into tar or pitch. They mako worry good iumbcr ;
may be sawed into plank; or used for "cross-
ties" and all this before the land is cleared; the
natural after-growth making good this annual
waste Or if the ground is to be cleared for cul-
tivation, it will be none the worse for this appar-
ent drain OF ''the fat Of the land"
In 1860 the average price OF spirits was 33 cents
gallon; now it is about rs cents (ncluding the
tax of "a cents Internal Revenue, which is about
rs per cent. dd uolorena). The crude turpenine
pays an ad ualorem tax Of 6 per cent. barrel of
2SO pounds crude, We understand, makes about
gallons Of spirits. Present freight to Liverpool
on barrel Of rosin is about 8 shillings; about
shilliDgs on barrel Of spirits, and about 4
shilings on crude. Freight to New York by
steamer 40 cents barrel Of rosin one dollar for
spirits, and so cents for crude; from all Of which
it will appear that under the present Internal
Revenue Law it is more advantageous for our
producers, even at present high rates Of freight,
to ship the crude article than to dst the spirits
shipped from here; but at the commencement of
the war dstlleries were in operation all over the
country. We only knew of one producer in this
part Of the State who always shipped his
"stuf" just as he took it out Of the "boxes." We
think it likely that many Of the distilleries will be
allowed to fall to pieces under the new order of
things, and the crude will again be shipped to
foreign parts.
The old crop is pretty much all disposed Of.
Dealers tell that they do not think the crop Of
1866 will reach more than ono-fth of that of 1860
Opinions; however, vary very muc' on this point
Some of our informants tell US that negroes are
.verse to engaging in this work, whereas the eX-
,erience Of others is Of diametrically opposite
character.
OF MILITARY COMMISSIONS.
case has arisen in North Carolina which will
est the question whether the Presidents peace
will suspend the proceedings in mill