The daily phoenix. [volume] (Columbia, S.C.) 1865-1878, 1869-12-14
J -,..l,TEs BIEiEsSsif FSisE oai."

Il
attention and that Of your readers to an
exceedingly AncouIent morsels in the
Shape of bilS now before the Senate, in
the following worlds: e S (
A Bill TO grasst to ogrtain persons tberei,s
,idmed.- the epclusive right to dig and
mine in the beds ef The ncY:Sa5!As S!!77-sanss
and aoaters Of tho State, for phosphate
rocks and phosphate deposits.
Be endcted, etc., That the State of
South Carolina does hereby give and
grant unto the following named persons,
to-wit: George w. Williams, James 81.
Taylor. Joseph r. Robertson, Edwin
Platt, James Bridge, Jr., VIM. Birnie,
Edward Willis, Alex. r. Chisolm, w. L.
Bradley and Charles G. Coe, and such
other persons as they may associate with
them, the exclusive right to dig, mine,
and remove from the beds of the navi-
gable streams and waters within the ju-
! risdiction of the State of South Carroll
ma, the phosphate rock and phosphate
deposit. Provided, That the persons
named, and their associates, shall not in
any way interfere with the free naviga-
tion of the navigable streams and waters
of the State, or the private rights of any
citizen or citizens residing upon or own
ing the lands upon the banks of the said
navigable rivers and waters of the State.
Sec 2. That this gift and grant is
made upon the express condition that
said grantees shall pay to the State of
South Carolina the sum of twenty cents
per ton for every ton of phosphate rock
or phosphate deposit dug, mined, or re-
moved from the said navigable rivers
and waters Of the State.
The phosphate bed of South Carolina
is known to extend from the Wando
River, to tho Savannah. Its value de-
pends upon its proximity to the surface,
and the facility with which it can be con-
veyed to nnvigable waters, and thence to
the markets Of the world. Throughout
the section OF the State between the
Wando and the Savannah. the channels
of the intervening rivers cut through the
phosphate bed, and the phoshate, washed
of its earthly incumbrance, lies Mt the
bottoms of their channels, and can be
lifted by dredges and scows in condi-
ton ready for the market, and worth, at
least, 100 per cent. moro than in locali-
ties where it is overlaid by from two to
four feet of earth, and where it has to go
through the manipulation Of washing ma
chimes and transportation to the banks of
river. IC Is WOrtn, therefore, on DOard
of the scow, ut least, from six to eight
dollars per ton, for which this bill pro-
poses to pay the State twenty cents per
ton. The grant above proposes that the
favored individuals named shall have the
exclusive right to take the phosphates
from the beds of all the navigable
streams and waters, embracing the bays
and inlets along the coast, comprising, at
least, 1000, 900 Of acres of surface, and
each acre may be calculated on for from
500 to 1000 tons of phosphate. making
an aggregate of 1,125, 900, 600 of tons.
Compare the difference between this i'm
mense quantity of phosphate at twenty
cents per ton, the price proposed to be
paid to the State, and the four to six dol
lars per ton, what it is worth to the indi-
viduals named in the grant. For be it
recollectcd. that this immense treasure is
now the property of the State, and it
may be asked, is she in condition to
divest herself of it for the benefit of q
few favored individuals? If this fran
chise was disposed Of at public sale. it
would relieve South Carolina of her en-
tire State debt in q single year.
MORE ANON.