The Charleston daily news. [volume] (Charleston, S.C.) 1865-1873, 1868-07-02

AGEMENT AT HOME AND ENCOURAGEMENT
ABRoAp-rHE PHOSPHATE BEDS, THEIR AP-
pEAnANoE AND HOW THEY ARE WORKED
THEIR VALUE AND PROSPECTS.
- The value of phosphate of lime as fertilizer
was generally admitted in South Carolina before
the war, and one form Of super-phosphate had
won for itself an excellent reputation. When,
however, not more than one year ago, it was
announced that physiological formation known
as the Charleston basin contained phosphates
in sufficient quantities to supply the whole
continent of America with fertilzing material,
the statement was received with mingled ridi-
cule and increduEty. Broad-street heard, but
would not believe. The magnates Of finance
shook their heads and spoke Of professional
theories and impracticable plans. One was
too poor to risk anything, another was 30
wealthy that he did not care to add to his store,
yet Professor Holmes, who bad the matter in
charge, was neither discouraged nor diamsyed.
There were acute and shrewd mon in the! North
who had both money and the will to use it, and
tho financiers Of Philadelphia, listening with
keen earnestnoss to the details thst were given
them, won't at once into the scheme. The ne
cessary capitalwas readily subscribed. There
was no halting for want Of funds. anil the
Charleston Mining and Manufacturing Company
soon became q great accomplished fact. This
company has now been IN existence for several
months, and to meet q general desire,we publish
brief sketch Of the history OF phosphates in
the State, OF the plaees in which they are found,
ofthe manner of working tho raw material, and
of the present condition Of the works OF our
principal phosphate company. For the benefit
of the ,unprofessional, reader, We shall, as far
as possible, divest our description Of technical
terms. and recite the whole history in the sim
pie phrase of everyday life. ls ese9 %
THE FIRST STEPS. e9l
The region above Charleston and along the
course OF the Ashley River has long been q fl
vorite haunt OF the geoIogist. The, Char lesion
basin is peculiarly rich in Fossils. and, to one
who explored it with enthusiastic energy in the
interests of science, promised an abundant re-
ward. Such. man was Professor I. i. Holmes,
of this city, who for more than q quarterIofa
century has devoted 10 geology the best hours
of his life. With him it has been labor Of
love, and he has been able in the course of his
career to give to such men as Agassiz lessons
in the geology OF our State. More than twenty
flyc years ago Professor Tuomey, afterwards
the State Geologist, visited the banks OF the
Ashley with Professor Holmes. Amongst other
things the attention OF Mr.. Tuomey was called
to the humps Of phosphatized earth found near
the river. Upon analysis this earth asfound to
contain about twenty-five per cent. Of phosphate
of lime. This was fair per centage, but no
regard was paid to its Importance, and the two
professors confined themselves to cracking the
phosphate rock for tho discovery and exarni-
ton of fossils. In one place was found tooth,
in another bone, in q third skull, but the
phosphate earth, as valuable as gold, over
which carta and wagons were running every
day in the lanes of old st. Andrews, never re :
ceiyed thought. After the war Professor
Hoipes continued his explorations. and in 1867
new analysis was made OF the phosphate
earth by DR.. Pratt, formerly Chief OF the Con-
federate Mining Bureau in the State OF Geor-
gin. This analysis showed the he'specimens to
contain about sixty per cent. of pure phosphate
Of limo, larger per centage than that OF the
English phosphate lands, which rent at as high
as two thousand dollars in gold per acre. Pro-
fessor Holmes made the necessary surveys,
the company was formed, and the Carolina
phosphates were soon brought to the notice Of
the public.
Before proceeding further it will be as we'll
to describe tho nature and appearance OF the
PHOSPHATE BEDS. i: sa
These consist Of Jumps Of exceedingly hard
material, which, whom ground, are soluble in
sulphuric acid. The proportion Of phosphate
of lime varies from so to GO per cent, but
until crushed and manipulated the Jumps are
not available for agricultural purposes. The
band of phosphate earth is about eight miles
in length and Two miles in width, and is not,
We believe, in any place moro than ono mile
distant, from the Ashley Rivor. The Jumps are
found at about twelve or fifteen inches from
| tho surface, but frequently crop out above the
ground. Tho thickness Of the layer is about
fifteen inches. The Jumps OF nodules are called
coprolites or dung stones, but they are not
coprolitic in any proper sense. 1t would seem,
says an English writer, thattvery large organic
accumulations had been made, and that the
animals were chiefly of high organization.
Mixed up with sand and foreign substances
the less destructiblo parts OF these animals
became converted into earthly phosphate Of
lime, which in time separated itself in the
bands that now exist.
The whole of tho Charleston basin was
probably at one time huge salt water lake.
The water was ovaporated, or was drawn away
by the opening Of q river, and the place be-
came salt lick to which oil the animals Of the
country resortcd. It was their daily haunt,
and they doubtless dragged themselves there
to dio. This would account for the mass Of
animal deposits.
THE TRACTS.
|. The Charleston Mining and Manufacturing
Company owns in fee simple about 10000 acres
of phosphate lands, and has leased about
10 600 acres moro. This includes the planta-
tions known US Feteressa, Ashley Ferry. The
Oaks, and Marysville, and the Goodrich tract
90 e,,o ,,,orI o{;ono IT, wna upon fha frat NJ