Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1873-04-21
glifi Eruurbrt- gourad,
CHARLESTON pHospHArEs.

~ Few people are aware of the extent
= and richness of these immense deposits.
They cover many hundred square miles
and the material of purely animal origin,
IS actually richer in phosphate of lime
chan fresh bone itself. A cargo Of fresh
bone, for example, viii yield but little
over forty per cent, always less than fifty
Der cent, Of phosphate of lime, while the
Charleston phosphates yield fifty.five to
fiftr.six per cent. They are, therefore,
actually better than fresh bone for the
manufacture of saperphosphates. only in
their natural state they are insoiuble and
" not available to the plant, but require to
be skillfully treated with sulphuric acid.
IS The length Of the Charleston basin may
be stated at seventy miles from north to
south. and the width about fifty miles.
The deposit varies in thickness from six
!, inches to two or three feet. In some
places 1t crops out at the surface, in others
II lies few feet below. 1t averages from
one thousand to fifteen hundred tons to
the acre. 1t furnishes, therefore, an in
exhaustible supply Of this great element
of fertility. 1t is almost uncomfortable in
extent.
Just suppose they were only fifty mile
square. and that the deposit would aver
age only thousand tons to the acre.
which is far below the actual average, and
it gives us sixteen hundred million tons OF
bone that has lain untouched for thousands
ofyears, to say nothing of the millions
that must have been chrushed and ground
up and dissipated by the slow action Of
natural causes, through all the long ages
since they were first deposited there. The
number Of living beings that must have
persisted to build up so vast deposit, is
quite uncomfortable. And there can be
no doubt that it is strictly of an animal or
igin. That is clearly proved not only by
analysis, but by the aid Of the microscope,
which completely reveals the true charac-
ter OF the material.
This great basin must in some former
age of the world have been favorite
place of resort for land animals and birds
Of many kinds now quite extinct, and
they must have occupied it for many thou
sand years, to left SO many million tons Of
their bones. This, perhaps, ought not tt
surprise US, wonderful as it may seem
for when DR.. Hitchcock visited the vel
known region of Turner Falls, where sc
many fossil bird tracks were found. som
one asked him how old certain specime
of track bearing shale or rock might be
he replied that he could not tell exactly
but It was so old that hundred thousan
years either way would be of no sort c
account We have then hundreds Of thou
sands Of years during large portion c
which these deposits were gradually TAX
ing place.
.sl Tho peninsula of Florida had then n
existence. The gulf stream swept rount
/. by q shorter course and directly to tn
Carolina shores. The Charleston basil
was not then elevated above the level o
the sea, and it offered q, protection to The
coral and other marine animals that reyel
led in its warm waters. Thousands o.
species of animals, perhaps, frequented
this place. 1t was a sort of inland sea,
where the weak resortcd for protection,
and the stronger for prey. 1t is truly
wonderful. but in practical and agricul-
tural point of view, it may be regarded
as one of the most important discoveries
Of our day. Pioughman