The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1888-02-20
A BIG THING FOR FLORIDA.
Discovery of Eich Phosphate Beds in
the Peace River Section.

the Peace River Section.
From, the Jacksonville F2d) Times Union.
Col G. w. Scott, of Atlanta, was in tho
city Wednesday, and during his stay here
representative Of the Times Union had a
very pleasant talk with him regarding the
recent find Of rich phosphate deposits on
Peace river in the Southern portion of this
State. Col. Scott is well known in this
State, having during the war commanded
regiment of Florida troops, and in 1868 he
ran for Governor He is now a director of
the G. w. Scott Manufacturing Company,
of Atlanta, Ga, one of the largest phosphate
manufacturing establishments in the United
States, and is also largely interested in the
phosphate beds in South Florida. To the
reporter, Col. Scott aid:
About two years ago John c. Jones and
Capt. w. r. Mckee, OF Orlando, while on
a hunting trip on the Peace river from Fort
Mead to Charlotte Harbor, discovered
phosphate, DO lie and other material in the
river. In January, 1887, through their
efforts, a syndicate known as the Peace
River Phosphate Company was formed,
including Messrs Jones and Mckee, Me,sls.
Hill and Hunt, of Birmingham, Ala, and
myself.
1--WE organized a corps of scientists and
went down there, with Maj. NJ. T. Slaughter,
Mr. NJ F. Pratt, chemist, of Atlanta, for
the purpose OF making a scientific eXamina-
ton. Capt. Mckee accompanied us as civil
! engineer and was assisted Ly Mr.. q. BAR
bishire of Fort Mead We made a thor
ough inspection OF the river and found what
seemed H. be an almost ineXhaustibe deposit
of phosphate rock, which, in the territory
over which we passed. averaged 81 per cent.
pure bone phosphate, which IS about per
cent. higher than the South Carolina de-
posts.
''Beiug encouraged by the rich find the
company at once secured forty-throe miles
of the river front Including both banks,
making a total distance down the river OF
| twenty-one and one-half miles.
The company proposes at an early day
TO develop TINS valuable property, and viii
III the near future send & cargo OF the rock
TO the Scott mills in Atlanta. to be worked
| up and put practically upon the market.
This shipment Will IN all probability be
made via Puuta Gorda to Columbus, Ga,
and thence by rail to Atlanta.
During the last session d the Legisla-
ture,' continued Col. Scott, "a bill was
passed granting q. W. Scott and associates
the right TO prospect and remove from the
navIgable rivers of the State any phOs-
pilates they could find. This bill. OF course,
granted a general, bat not special right.
Acting under this act we purchased a small
steamer and secured the service Of scientists
to make "A thorough investigation. All the
naVigable waters OF the eastern and south
| ern portion of the peninsula have been ex-
amined without discovering the bone phOs-
pilates of quality and quantity sufficient to
be worked with profit, except that on Peon
rive, but here and there III Marion and
Alachua counties light deposits were found,
ranging from about 80 10 35 per cent of
phosphate OF IRON and lllumnlc, which is
too low grade Tor commercial fertilizers -