Virginia free press. (Charlestown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1832-1916, 1868-09-03
Valuable Discovery.

some four months ago we called attention 10
the very remarkable deposite Of phosphates
which had been discovered in the vicinity Of
Charleston, South Carolina, and which extends
for several miles up the Ashley river, covering
many thousand acres Of land The entire ex
tent Of this deposite has not yet been traced.
1t is known, however, TO contain millions of
tons of fossilized bones, the tusks of elephants.
mammoths, iippopotami, the teeth Of sharks,
aud multitudinous variety of irregularIy
shaped phosphate nodules of animal origin
underlying the surface soil, and averaging in
many places a foot in thickness. It's known,
moreover, that this deposit extends back from
the river a considerable distance into the forest
and it is supposed also to underlic, though at
great depth, the city of Charleston itself
We have spoken Of this great discovery as
one deposit; but in point Of fact, it consists OF
several stratifcd beds underlying each other.
After removing the surface soil quantities OF
brown phosphate nodules worn into water
holes and bearing the imprint Of marine shells
are first reached. Beneath this deposte is
stratum of stiff blue clay eighteen inches thick,
and below this again another layer of the same
thickness of bones and nOdules-mauy of the
bones being of enormous size and indicating a
period of the world when the IcthyosauruS, the
flesiosaurus aud Megatherium lived and -four
shed and the sea covered many fathoms deep
what has since become, either by gradual up
heayal or by some sudden cataclySm, dryand.
Below the aSt-mcntioned stratum lies bed Of
white mari unusually rich in phosphoric acid
and which, therefore, also constitutes an excel
lent fertilizer. although less valuable than the
superintendent deposites Of phosphateS.
The stories Of these rich discoveries sounded
at the time so much like romance that it is
quite probable many thought they were great
~ exaggerated and not few that the deposits
could not be proiitably worked But practical
experience has demonstrated the fact that the
phosphate deposites of South Carolina are Of
unusual commercial importance. 1t speaks
we'll for the enterprise Of our citizens that
number of gentlemen should have organized
themselves into an incorporated company, for
the purpose of working those valuable deposits,
and of opening a market for them in Baltimore.
The President Of the company is CHARLES j.
BAKER, Esq. and all the arrangements looking
20 an extended trade have been so far perfected
that the company is now able to deliver car
goes at this port. This company, styled "'Ghe
Ashley Mining and Phosphate Company" has
become the owner Of three thousand five hun
dred acres of land on the Ashley river, all Of
which is underlaid with the deposits of phos
phates. to which we have alluded, and which,
according to analysis made by Professors PIG
GorT. and LIEBIG, and Mr.. PoPPLEIN respec
tivev. contain from 81 to GS per cent, of bone
phosphate Of lime 4 remarkable feature Of
/ these Charleston deposits is that there is found
l . IL 70 Of coli
! phosphate than in any Of the phosphate
guanos which have been imported into the
United States.
The object of the Ashley Mining and Phos-
/ phate Company is to furnish to manufacturers
/ of super-phosphates and others, superior
article Of phosphate at n rate quite as low as
the imported phosphates can be purchased at,
and of greater solubility. We understand that
! LARGE orders have already been received both
for the plain ground phosphate and for the
crude article.
As a further means Of giving practical utili-
/ tv to this valuable discovery. another company
/ has been organized and incorporated by the
/ Legislature Of this State styled The Mary
Gland Fcrtiiziug and Manufacturing Com
3" pany." This company is also now in opera
/ ton. and proposes not only to furnish the pure
/ article ground ready for use; hut also to manu-
/ f1cturc an amoniated supcr-phosphate, taking
| the Charleston phosphate as a base. This
latter company. of which Mr. LAWRENCE
/ SANGsToN is President. has recently opened an
office at No So Exchange Place
/ Owing to the necessity which has annually
/ become more imperative, Of resorting to com
mercial fertilizers for the purpose of restoring
! those phosphates and that nitrogin to the soil
/ Of which, by frequent cropping, it has become
/ in many instances almost wholly exhausted,
/ the discovery Of these beds Of bone ephosphates
/ in South Carolina Is not merely matter affect
ing the future prosperity Of that impoverished
State. but it is also Of great public interest
/ Every agricultural chemist knows that where
/ the soil has been even partially deprived of It's
/ due supply Of phosphates the yield in grain
/ will be reduced to the extent Of that depriva-
| ton. In the famous wheat growing region OF
| the Genesee valley, where, at one time, the
average product was rarely less than twenty
/ five bushels of wheat to the acre, the crop
/ will not now average more than twelve bushels.
/ This dimiiution in the grain product has gone
/ on steadily from year to year. and may be
/ traced there. as elsewhere, chiefly to the ex-
baustion of the phosphates with which the
soil was at an earlier day so amply supplied
Baltimore Gazette.