The Charleston daily news. [volume] (Charleston, S.C.) 1865-1873, 1869-12-15
4 nUGE MONOPOLY.
The Phosphntcs Ina the Bed OF our fsy-
ignbie Streams.fS ~

a correspondent oil the COLUMBIA Phoenix
calls attention to an exceedingly sr. ,ulcnt morsel
ia the shape of BILL now before the Senate In the
following words: pi.s,,
a bill to grant to ccrtain;nersons therein named
the exclusive right TO dig aud mine In the bells OF
the navigHie streams and waters OF the State
Tor phosphate rocks und phosphate deposits
Be Il enacted, &c.. That the State c; SoHth Car
ing named persons, to Wit George w. williams,
LANES Jam, H. Taylor Joseph r. Robert son, Edwin
Ms WHIT f a T" ~ GT s9ws
Charles c. Coe, and such other persons as they
may associate with them, the exclusive right TO
gable streams and waters within the Jurisdiction
Of :he state Of South Carolina, the Phosphate
rock ana phosphate deposit, TT'ori&ed That the
persons named, aud their associates shall not in
| any way interfere with tile free navigation Of the
navIgable streams and waters OF the State, or
the prlvi:s isiG Of any citizen citizens resi-
ding upon the banks OF the said navlguhle rss
and waters OF the State.
SEC. . That this gift anl grant is -mailc uio.
express CONDITION that said grantees SHALL pay
the state of South Carolina tn csu!n Oftwen,y Y
cents per ton for every ton OF phosphate rock or
the said navigablc rivers ana waters OF the State.
The Phoenix correspondent remarks:
Tile phosphate bed of South Caroina Is known
to extend from the Wando River TO the Savan-
nah. It's value depends anon its proximity to the
surface and tile lacillty with which IL run he con
veyed TO naYlsablc waters, and thence to the
markets of the world. Throughout tue section Of
1.-THE State between the Wando aud the Savannah
the channels of the Intervening rivers cut through
the phosphate bed, and the phosphate, washed Of
i;s earthly incumDrancc, lies Mt the bottom OF
| Of their channels. and can hc lifted by dredges
| and scows in q condition ready for the market,
and worth; Mt least, 100 per cent: more than In
localities where II Is Overid by from Fwo to four
feet or earth, and where II has TO go through the
ma ianlpulation OF washing machines aud iranspOr.
tauon to the banks Of river. 1t Is worth, there
FORE on e'ard Of the scow, mt least. from six to
ei2ht doisss per ton for which this bill proposes
To pny tho State twenty cents per ton. The grant
above proposes that the favordi individuals named
shall have the exclusive right to take the pllos-
pilates from the beds OF all the naysahle streams
and waters, embracing the bays and iniets along
the coast comprising, At least, 1000. 600 of acres
Of surface, and each acre may be calculated on
for from 500 to 1000 tons OF phosphate, making nm
aggregate OF 1.l25 600 Of tons. Compare the ,Iif-
ference between this Immense quantity OF phos-
plate ut twenty cents per ton, the price proposed
to be paid to the State, and the four to six dollars
per ton, what Is worth TO the individuals named
in the grant. For be It recoccted, that this i'm
mense treasure "a now the property of the State,
and II may be asEed, Ia She In q condition to di-
vest herself OF 1t for the benefit OF few favored
indiyidualsP II this franchise was disposed OF ut
public sale, 1t would relieve Sonth Carolina OF her
entire State debt In single year.