The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1873-04-10
South Carolina Manufacture Of Fertilizers.

1t is well remarked, in the recent publication
of the Charleston Chamber Of Commerce, that
the extent and importance of the trade in COM
mercial fertilizers, manufactured from the
South Carolina phosphates are not fully ap-
preciated in this State. AS matter of con-
siderable general interest, we present some OF
the most interesting facts and statistics upon
this subject, gathered from this publication.
This trade has been developed with surprising
rapidity, all the companies engaged in it are
doing an active and increasing business, and
the use Of their products is constantly extend
ing. There are six factories in or near the
city-the Wando, the Sulphuric Acid and Su-
perphosphate, the Pacific Guano, the Atlantic
and the Stono Companies, and Sardy's
Wappoo Mills. The first FIVE mentioned have
acid chambers of the largest and most approved
patterns. The capital represented in mills,
machinery, dredge5, pumps, wasbers, Hats,
steamers, tug boats, wharf property and mate
rial for manufacturing, amounts to s., 600,
and has been accumulated or diverted into this
channel since 1868. The requirements of this
growing trade have induced many vessels to
seek business ct the port, and carried much OF
the raw material away as freigh Direct ship
ments of Peruvian Guano and crude sulphur
are now received, and manufactures are thus
kept supplied with the best articles for making
their products, at competing rates, equal to
any of the Northern cities.
The demand for the fertilizers has so far not
extended much beyond the South itself In
supplying it, it has checked the heavy trade
that formerly existed with Philadelphia, Balti-
more, Boston and New York in commercial
manures and guanos from the Chinca Islands.
The prospect is not unfavorable that, in few
years, the Northwest and even New England,
may look to this quarter for their supply, just
as we hope in time to turn the tables on the
last mentioned enterprising community in
shipping them, not the raw matsral Of cotton,
as we do now, but the articles Of yarn and
cloth manufactured from it. With plenty of
the crude phosphate and cotton everywhere,
we do not see why we may not do tt = Enter
prise and capital are all that are needed, and
the one is rapidly developing and the other
steadily increasing. The first shipment of the
crude phosphate was made in 1867, and from
that time to July 1, 1872, no less than 242, ,4l5
tons s.were shipped. The six companies men
toned have manufactured 1864 tons of sui
phurc acid, valued at $3.50, 200, and have
shipped, by rail and water, up to July l, 1872,
nearly 10000 tons of manufactured fertilizers.
Notwithstanding the large proportions into
which this interest has expanded, the field yet
invites laborers, and will afford them ample
and profitable employment. Skilled labor is
especially called for to devise more economical
means of obtaining and handling the rock.
We do not know where, on this planet, finer
fields of enterprise, industry and skill are to be
found, than in the phosphate mines and cotton
crops of this State, in mining and manutactu-
ring the one, and in making and mauufactu-
rims. the other-C0luna6iG PteniG.