The Newberry herald. [volume] (Newberry, S.C.) 1865-1884, 1872-01-03
The WIndO Fertilizer.
NlSlT TO THE SuIrIl CAROLINA
PHOSPHATE MINES.

Nl"lF TO THE SuuTH rARni.iNA
PHOSPHATE MINES.
Thr writer has recently exam.
med these extraordinary prlriIac-
tons OF animal bones and drpos.
ITS, and WAS greatly impressed
with their magnitude, and the OK.
cerd'nS value OF the discovery.
These phoSrhalic beds unlrrlic.
IN Il greater or less dc~,rr, nn
area Of about thirty square miles.
IN what is known ~ the Charles.
ton basin, formed by the Cooper
and Ashley Rivers or csluarics.
y guest Of Mr.. Thomas y. Dot.
tcrrr the grnlIcman;y and cntrr-
pr'S'ng superintendent OF the
Wando Company, we rode out
with him one day the present
week, over Emooth and brauli.
l"l road, part planlicd and par,
composed Of pounded shells, to the
works Of the company. located on
tho banks Of Ashley River, nj, 0
miles from Charleston. Before
rcchlng our destination, wc PASSED
IN full view Of tho Pacific Factory.
three miles from the city, then OF
tho Ellwnn works, ono milo fur
thrr, then of the Atlantic, IL half
milo moro distant, and lastly those
OF tho Stono Association, five miles
from Charleston. All thcso are
III successful operation, and some
idea may be formed OF the demand
and consumption of the phosphate,
when IT is stated that forty ships
carrying one thousand tons each,
havo loaded ior Europe with the
crude material during tho past
year, while fully IL many cargocs
havo been shipped conslwiso to
other points. This is exclusive OF
the immense amount which bus
been ground and treated for arri
cultural purposes, at tho several
manufactures.
Arrived at tho Ashley River.
We found the Wundo Works pic.
turcsqucly located near tho banks
OF the stream, in close contignity
TO magnificent grove Of moss
covered liHo-ouks. They arc very
extensive, embracing hugo build.
'ngs for tho washing, drying.
crushing, grinding, mixing, and
sac'tinG Of the fertilizer, besides a
vast and unique establishment,
used in the mnnulacturo of sui.
phuric acid, one hundrm aml G1v
rnrboys Of which. each containing
eleven gallons, arc distilled or pre-
pared ovcry day. The capuciou>
tanks Of lead, countless tubes and
rctorts, and ingenious scientific
rontrlvanccs used in tho prcpara
ton OF this article, arc almost be
w'ldcrinS to tho uniniliatcd. A.
a single ltom, showing tho marni
Judo OF tho operations, wo saw in
ono chamber not loss than five
Thousand bushels Of crudu sulphur,
imported by tho cargo from the
'slaud Of Sicily. Wo will no.
pause AZ prosont, however. to dc.
scribe the mocftS ope,nnM of the
works. but 20 direct to tho mines
Tho company arc cxhumiug the
phosphate about ono milo from
tho r'vor, in " llnt region OF conn.
try intorsporsed with growth OF
OAK, gum, cedar. pino aud myrtle.
Ihoy have, at heavy exponse, con.
s.ruGtoI u railroad with iron rails,
and equipped 1t with - dininnlive
locomotive aud oars resembling
coat boxes, which trAuaports the
pctriiiod bones and fossils TO the
washing house, situated npon the
river bank. In bricr, the mode Of
procedure is ~ follows: First,
the ground is sounded with an
IRON rod to detect tho veins Of
phosphate, then Il narrow ditch is
cut about four feet in depth Of the
desired length, TO Indicate with
tho depth and richness
'f tho deposits. Once asccrtnincd
, ,hat tho mining will paY, and tho
work begins in oarnrst.' Slrairbl
arc made six foct wide,
ma varying from two to four in
irpth, rcaching to l,o upper sur.
AGO OF the deposit, and after the
'arth has boon carefully removed
ma thrown on one sido OF the
l'tch, tho ph"SphalcH arc dug out
Tlth picks and pIaccd on thc other.
Tho veins dIilur IN tlfickncss
rom six inches to three feet. The
zones Iie in confused masses, show
nS tho teeth, vcrtcbrm, ribs, Jaw
zones, and o!her portions alike Of