The news and herald. (Winnsboro, S.C.) 1877-1900, 1879-12-13
TIE PHOSPHATE BEDS.

|
Report Of tho Phosphate Com,nission--Ex
haustivc Mining, and Payment OF Royal
Y, Best Obtained by Exclusive Rights.
Tho Legislature at its last session
provided for the appointment of d
commission to examine into tho rights
, and Interests of the State in the phos-
phatic deposits in tho waters and
marshes Of the State, and to report
upon tho best system for the protection
Of the States rights in these beds.
Governor Simpson appointed on this
commission General John Bratton, Of
Fairfield, j. d. Pope, Esq, Of Colum-
bia, and Col. Zimmerman Davis, of
Charleston. The commission made
all examination Of the phosphate beds
as directed. A report has been mado
to the Legislature by General Bratton
and Colonel Davis, Mr.. Pope sub
mittcd a minority report which We
have not yet seen.
The report of tho majority refers to
. tho Information contained in tho re-
ports of State officials, and also to q
mp Of the phosphate region, now on
! file in the Comptroller G Gcncral's office.
BY this it will be seen that tho river
deposits, belonging to the State, con
stitute but very small portion of the
great phosphate beds. The land de-
| posts arc all in the hands of private
individuals or companies, and the
State has nothing to do with them.
The committee recommends re-
tcntion Of the royalty plan Of deriving
revenue from the phosphatcs. No
accurate knowledge Of the quantity
and quality Of the deposits hns been
gained: Such n survey would be too
| expensive. Large deposits arc found
/ IN Beaufort River, but they arc not
rich enough to pay for working. TO
find how rich and how extensive the
deposits are Is not important so long
rs revenue is drawn by tho royalty
system.
The term "plant" means the equip
mcnt ofcompanies for tho work. a
fully equipped plant consists Of tongs,
tatDoats, lighters, washboats, drcdyes,
tug.boats, wharves, crushcrs, screens
and drying sheds. The parties opcr-
ating under privileges granted were
yariously equipped, some having only
flats and tongs.
SYSTEMS OF MINING.
Three systems arc practiscd. Some
who hold privileges and have given
security, do no work themselves but
grant permits to outside persons and
exercise no supervision whatever over
them. This system gives no security
whatever to the State, and would re-
quire thorough and expensive de-
tcctivc system. Some grant permits
This Is botter, but there Is no fixed
place for bringing the rock and pay-
ing the royalty. Others have their
thorough equipments and fixed place
OF business. These arc equally inter-
cstcd with the State in securing OK
haustivc mining to realize full returns
from their investments while the
amount OF capital invested In fixtures.
and the severe bonds under which tho
companies arc placed, make it to their
interest to pay the royalty honestly.
rather thnn run tho risk of losing their
charter and having their bond forfeit
cd If detected In fraud.
ExIIAUsTlvE MINING.
On this subject the report saws:
The rock Is taken from tho water by
two modes-by ''hand picking" (undcr
which is included that taken with
tongs) and by machinery. All of the
testimony Is that both modes arc
necessary to thorough and systcmat-
ic working Of tho river mines. "Hand
picking" can only obtain loose rocks
and deposits lying on tho bottom and
can avail nothing with the rock that is
ccmcntcd by sand and mari in firm
sheets or masses, called ''strata rock"
which requires powerful dredges to
break through and tear it up. And
this "strata rock" is found in nearly
all of tho river phosphate beds, that Of
the Ashley River being, perhaps, the
only exception. There the loose
nodtles lic on bed Of pure mari and
no drcdge has rs yet boon adapted to
work In this tough putty-likc sub
stance.
But, though tho returns and pay.
ment and royalty may bo faithfully
made and the security for tho same
may be satisfactory to tho authorities
OF the State for oil rock "dug, mined
and removed," your Commissioners
nave failed to discover in these sys-
toms and modes Of conducting opera
tlons, without fixed place of busi-
moss, tho taintest shadow Of q security
for the States interest in the thorough,
systematic and exhaustive working Of
her Mines. They arc not organized
or equipped for It and arc incapable
OF meeting this demand of the intcr-
ests of tho State, and, more, thoy
initiate against It. Thoy skim of its
tatness the whole territory to which
!hoy nave access, leaving that which
Is difficult and expensive to mine.
One exception was found to this
state Of things which should be men
toned: The Marine and River Phos-
Phate Company Is operating its drcdec
in Stono River nd more rock is
loosoned than is brought up in the
buckets Of tho drcdge. Promiscuous
"hand-pickers" swarm in and take up
the rock that is loosened but not
brought up by tho buckets Of tho
dredge. While this mining cannot
we'll be claimed as Systematic, it is
probably very thorough and exhaust
iVO h1lf f1so F,hefoo H. :,