The Charleston daily news. [volume] (Charleston, S.C.) 1865-1873, 1872-02-24

$40 to So. Aunlf0rm lee OF foUu IL pTeSCCloeu
| for phosphate companies instead of the sliding
| scale, with $500 as the minimum, before pro.
| posed. A license fee of $25 Is prescribed ior
all persons engaged in the business of selling
| by sample or soliciting orders for goods:
The Governor, this morning, sent to the Two
branches OF the General Assembly another
special message, transmitting an interesting
report, by DR.. Otto a; Moses. on me os Pnos-
pilates OF the seaboard and indulglng there
upon In rose-colored speculation that these
deposits, II properly worked and protected,
would Yield the State a revenue almost sufti-
cient to supercede The levying OF any other
taxes whatever. The following Is the message
and report: =! - 60
STATE OF SoUrn CAROLINA, ID
EXECUTIVE DEPARTMENT
COLUMBIA, February q, 1872.
Gentlemen of,ths Senate and House Of Repre-
tdtlUeS:
Ibeg to call your attention to the following
EreDort from DR.. Otto A. Moses on the phos-
pilates of the seabord, 10 which The State has
direct interest:
| GEOLOGICAL AND CHEMICAL LABORATORY,
No. 20 GEORGE STREET:
CHARLESTON, February 20, 1877,
To His Ercellency, Robert e: Scott, Gouernor
of the State of South, Carolina:
| SIR-Your request for report on the ex-
tent, value and best methods for economizlng
the phosphate strata belonging to the Slate
lowing statements are based upon my per-
sonal observation during three entire years OF
practical and scientific study Of this remarka'
bic deposit.
A considerable portion of each Of the Coun-
/ ties of Charleston, Colleton aud Beaufort Is
underlaid by two apparently distincts BEDS ol
|,recentn formation, very Interesting IN tnelr
character. The upper one is composed Oh
stratined or imbedded rock; the other IS less
| coherent in it's Nature" The principal ingre-
dent OF the upper bed (Which varies from
four to twelve inches In thickDess) Is phos-
| phate of lime. This material forms from tity
to seventy per cent. Of the entire mass: Tne
lower bed, varying conaIdera5ly 10 thickness,
consists, for the most part, of siliclous matter
and constantly present phosphate Of lime.
Upon the presence of this latter substance de-
pends the value Of these strata.
Over or, through these beds flow the Wando,
Cooper, Ashley, Stono, Edisto, Coosaw and
Butt Rivers, with their network OF navigaole
tributaries. Their bottoms are generally Gov
cred with the nodular masses imbedded ID tue
phosphate sands.
No survey has get been instituted to deter
mine accurately the extent OF water surface
under the Jurisdiction OF the State, represent
Ing basis for mining operations; but 1t can
not be less than fifty square miles, say thirty
thousand acres. The yield Of rock varies from
one hundred to FIVE hundred tons per acre.
|.of phosphata rock belanGlng "a lhe Stale an6
available for mining purposes, equal to nine
millions of tons. This does not INCLUDE the
phosphate OF lime contained In the sublacenT
strata, which Is very valuable, and easily eX-
tracted by proper washing machinery; NO
effort has yet been made to utilize tnss lower
deposit.
The present value of phosphate rock Is
about six dollars ton. The expense for lay
ing proper pLn for digging the rock Is cou-
siderable, and may make the cost OF extrac-
lion, for the first year, from three to four
dollars per ton, including the State royalty ana
this even will diminish in inverse proportion
10 the increase Of demand The average cost
per ION OF rock dredged in rivers ls less than
OF that mixed from land-consequently the
river mining Interest will regulate The mar.
kets.
with regard 10 protecting the phosphate de-
posts belonging to the State from waste, !
would suggest that an agreement to that END
might be made between the. different char
tered companies among themselves and the
State It might stlpulate that mining be not
conducted in an irregular or superficial man
ner, as this course tends to exhaust the work.
able deposits Again, It would be OF great In
portance to the mining companies tnat may
work hereafter, that ships taking cargo be not
allowed to discharge their ballast ioto ine
river, as this materially delerlorales the value
of the phosphate beds beneath. 1t would be
advisable to request the United States Coast
Survey to publish their maps OF the ABOVE
mentioned rivers in q cheap and covenient
form for distribution.
In conclusion, would call your attention to
few facts indirectly bearing upon the SUD-
ject: .,-.
The Peruvian Government has given notice
of the exhaustion. OF the guano deposits on
Chincha Islands; the Guanape Will only supply
the demands Of the world for o short lime.
Since this announcement, civilized nations
have sought In every direction, substitute
for the Peruvian guano. The South Carolina
phosphate strata, the potash and magnesia
salts of Stassfurt, in Germany, the new source
of ammonia on the Rio de Ia Plata, have been
discovered, and will be utilized, and there Is
every. prospect that the gradual disappearance
| of the Peruvian Suano will not seriously
affect the interests of agriculture.
Let me add that The demand at present, Tor
phosphate material, Is greatly In excess o1
that for potash and ammonia.
In 1866, ever ten millions of dollars returE-
ed to Peru from England alone, In exchange
for her treasures oil guano, and lhe Chlncna
Islands have been able to sustain all the ex-
pense of her government for many years.
But the revenue from this source Will have
soon disappeared, and that nalion Will have
lost her influence on the agriculture OF this
age.
place, have no hesitation In declaring that
i've hundred thousand tons Of our phosphate
rock could be annus1y disposed of in the mar
kets of the world.
Respectfully submitted.
(Sgned) OTTO A, MOSES, Phi. D.
At this late day of the session Of the General
Assembly can say but little more Than 10
call to your nolIce the importance Of provid-
ing some means 70 insnre the collection oil
ROYALTY due the State, and for guarding thiR
valuable interest against deterioration and
spoliation. There has existed a vague impress
sion that the phosphate property OF The state
| was very large, but 1t has only recently been
developed that the neglected phosphate sra-
ts, forming the beds Of many of cur streams,
| are of vast and increasing importance to the
| welfare of the world. These, II protected.
win, In q short period of time, yield revenue
almost sufficient to supercede the necessity OF
levying q tax on other property: Tne reler-
ence, in the communication OF DR.. Moses, to
the revenue derived by Peru from her gnano
interest will give you soma conception OF the
value of these deposits.
Z earnestly recommend that you Will take
such action, under the suggestions contained
in NV last annual message, as will give ade-
ouate protection of law 10 these most valuable
possessions of the State.
Very respectfully
ROBERT K. SCOTT, Governor.
These documents were received as intOrma-
| tlon, and NAV have an important influence
upon the late of Smalps bill, now pend
| Ing in the Senate, to provide for an Inspector
of phospeates. PICKET.
|