New-York tribune., 1868-12-19
IMPORTANT DISCOVERY.
THE cy,uLESTON PHosPHATEs

| hEHCE-PRoGREss OF TIRE DEvELOPSEfP
AND MANUFACTURE OF THE PHOSPHATE
THE CAPITAL INVESTED AND THE REsULTS
| OBTAINED. "A. .. ....
IPRoa OUR SPECIAL CORRESPONDENCE
| CHARLESTON, s. c., Dec. 15-The discovery Of tho
vast phosphate deposits which underlie the surface
soil at various points IN this eigborhood has opened
to the gaze of the sanguine Charlestonians glowing
vista of the future prosperity of their CITY, Had the
| independence Of the Confederacy been achieved.
Charleston was to have been the New-York Of tho
South The natural advantages OF her harbor (which,
in it's general conformation, bears striking RESENT
blance to your ownj, the extent Of her railroad
connections, the wealth, previous to 1865, OF her
citizens and corporations and the historic and mill
tary prestige of her name oil encouraged this fond
belief in her destiny. Hence the failure OF the dis
union cause was a sad disappointment to her people.
no less from business than from political and SEN
tmenta point Of view. The close Of the war found
the best part of the city ruins and much of what
remained battered and torn by the prolonged bOm-
bardment the long grass waved luxuriantly above
the cobblc stones of her business streets; the,
wharves of her water front had become rotten and,
worthless, and the merchants who. in the past had
welded her capital and controlled her trade, were,
for the most part hopelessly bankrupt In the face
of this state Of things and in spite of the business
depression resulting from the unsettled condition I
energy and perseverance, little in keeping with the
Southern character in former days. and though their
resolve and efforts to restore their city have been
checked ct every point by the lack OF capital
the Charleston of to-day. nevertheless, presents
o wonderful and pleasing contrast TO the
Charleston of three years ago. The accomplish
ment of this result has been the more difficult
owing to the crippled condition Of all the aeTcultu-
raj interests from which this community has been
accustomed to derive its support The relations De-
tween planter and laborer have in general been M
certain and unsatisfactory the rice culture has pee
so limited and preeariOus that South Carolina, ZOE
the first time In than o century, has been con-
sumer of imported rice the island cotton crop.
once 40 important an clement in tho trade of Charles
ton has year after year. beep destroyed by the cater
pillar and the upland cotton, owing to the unncky
fluctuations of the English markets. has In too many
instances proved source rather Of loss than Of profit
tn the producer. Contrasted with this array OK
gloomy facts the discovery Of valuable and seeming
ly inexhanstble mineral resources at very doors
has, naturally enough been harled as doubiy ausp~
cious event. and it is not strange that the Carohnans
| should take the most rosecblored view OF the
probable influence of the phosphate trade upon
| the future of their METROPOLIS / have heard
wellinformed men. whose 9jugdment in such
matters is usually good, express the convictions
| that the phosphate business Of Charleston
is destined at no very remote day to oyershaow In
Importance lat least far the city is concerpedl
even her trade in cotton for the reason that while
the cash returns for the OF which she 10 tho
outlet are difused over vast extent Of country thu
| money which comes to pay for tho phosphates VIII
be a direct addition 10 the wealth OF the city, anl
every dollar of Northern foreign capital invested
in tho development of these deposits in the manu-
facture on the spot of their yield into fertlizng
| the favorable reaction
the general prosperity Of the port.
have been ut some pains TO gather from the besa
informed the leading facts relating to tia
discovery extent development, and practical value
of this interesting phosphate formation, and willp
sent to the readers Of TIE TRIBUNE the results Of
my inquiry and observation.
HISTORY OF THE DISCOVERY.
The discovery of the chemical properties OF tho
phosphate rocks of South Carolina has been the Sc
Quel if not the result of laborious researches cx-
tending over a period of many years. The rare conf
binston of scientific and practical knowledge thas
was requisite to demonstrate their value precludes
the idea of that result having been attained by acc-
dent Upon all examination of the records, il appears
that these rocks have been handled by of science
for perhaps over half century; and the only won-
der is that they did not sooner suspect their real
worth. mere hint. 25 years ago. might have SUI
feed 10 turn these useless nodules, or "coprotes'
SO called, strewn the field and lying neglected
along the roadside, into so many crooks of gold
1t was ascertained, many years ago. that the coasa
of South Carolina, and particularly the vicinity OF
Charleston was very rich in mari; and, as this was
cheaper artificial manure than any that could be
procured from abroad it received much attention.
Every chemist within reach analyzed the product OF
particular pits. Some of these, the richest in car
Donate of lime, were found near the Ashley River,
from TO 12 miles above the city. They were an
alyzed at different periods by DR.. Edmund Rayenel,
Mr. Edmund Ruffn, DIR. Tuomcy, DR.. j. Lawrence
Smith, Prof. c. u. Shepard. DIR. 81. Julien Ravenel.
and Others All these gentlemen, in their analyses.
stated that the mari analyzed by them contained
more or less from to Is per cent of phosphate oS
lime then and ever since recognized by sardns as u
valuable fertilizng constituent of these earths.
They, however, only analyzed the clay in which
were imbedded the stones now known as phosphate
nodules; and il is interesting to find that the exist
ence Of these is incidentally stated. in form OK
another in every description of the low-country
marls of South Carolina found in any of the journals
of . years ago These stones were thrown aside as
useless-indeed they were considered great disad-
vantage to the land No appeared to dream,
until very recently, that the rocks were the moss
valuable part of the ground; the time had not yes
come. But it is undeniabo that the attention hrse
directed to these deposits by the dlggers OF inari leo
TO the discovery of rich bed OF fossils, known tn
biologists as the Charleston flsh-Basin, and this
In it's turn perhaps the discovery OF the phosphates.
In this region are found the most wonderful re-
mains of ancient and extinct species OF animals.
There are whole acres tckly studded with FOSSILS.
Among these bones have been recognized of themam.
moth. mastodon. megatheriun, mylodon, megalonyI1
- Al