The Charleston daily news. [volume] (Charleston, S.C.) 1865-1873, 1869-12-15
4 HUGE MONOPOLY.
The Phosphatcs in the BED OF our Nav
igable Streams.

A correspondent oi the Columbia Phoenix
calls attention to an exceedingly succulent morse,
in the shape of BILL now before the Senate, in the
following words:
A bill to grant to certain persons therein named
the exclusive right TO dig and mine IN the beds Oh
the navgabie streams and waters OF the State,
for phosphate rocks and phosphate deposits:
Be it enacted, &C., That the State OF South Car
ona docs hereby give and grant unto the follow
ing named persons, to wit George ". Williams,
James II. Taylor, Joseph X. Robertson, Edwin
Platt James Bridge, Jr., William Btrnie Edward
Willis, Alexander r. Chisolm, W. l.. Bradley, and
Charles C. 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 jurisdiction
of the State OF South Carolina, the phosphate
rock and phosphate deposit Froetded, That the
persons named and their associates, shall not IN
any way interfere with the free navigation OF the
navirabe streams and waters Oh tne State, or
the private rights OF any citizen or citizens resi-
ding upon the banks Of the said naVlgaple rivers
and waters of the State.
SEC o That this gift and grant Is made upon
eXpress condition that said grantees snali pay
the State OF South Carollna Tn esnm OF 1--WE. Iweh1y
cents per ton for every ton OF phosphate rock or
phosphate deposit dug, mined, or removed from
the said navigable rivers and waters oil the state.
The Phoenix correspondent remarks:
The phosphate bed OF South Carolina Is known
TO extend from the Wando River to the Savan-
nah. Its value depends hpOn ltS prONllulV W VIC
surface and the facility with which it can be con-
yeyed TO navigable waters, and thence to the
markets of the world. Throughout the section or
the State between the Wando and the savannah
the channels of the intervening rivers cut through
the phosphate bed, and tile phosphate, washed OF
It's earthly incumbrance, lies ut the bottom OF
OF their channels. and can be lifted by dredges
and scows In q condition ready for the market,
and worth at least, 100 per cent. more than In
localities where 1t Is overlaid by from TWO to four
feet of earth, and where it has to 90 through the
manipulation OF washing machines and transpor-
tatlon to the banks OF river 1t Is worth, there
fore, on board OF the scow, at least from six TO
eight dollars per ton, for which this bill proposes
TO nay the State twenty cents per ton. The grant
above proposes that the favored individuals named
shan have the exclusive right to take the phos-
phASss 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 ofphosphate, making an
aggregate OF 1,125 900 Of TONS Compare the diff
| ference between this immense quantity Of phos-
plate at twenty cents per ton, the price proposed
to be paid to the State, and the four TO Six dollars
per ton, what It is worth to the individuals named
| in the grant For be 1t recolected, that this i'm
mense treasure is now the property OF the State,
| and It NAV be asked, Is she In condition to di
vest herself of it for the benefit OF few favored
| individuals II this franchise was disposed OF OF
public SALE 1t would relieve SOuth Carolina OF her
entire State debt in single year..