The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1889-12-21
FLORIDA'S NEW WEALTH.
THE ENTIRE GULF COAST a RICH
PHOSPHATE BED.

LAWYER Jones hlCu Au0 w ucn Gut
Huntingdon He Bagged S25, 900
With Pouch of Birds-Capital Get
ting Hold of the New Wealth as
Fast as II Can,
The phosphate beds Of Florida are at
tracing wide attention. Recent discov-
cries of phosphate deposits SO extensive and
so unlike the phosphate beds disc overed elss-
where, on account Of the constituent rich
ness Of the Florida phosphate and its CON-
pact state and easy access, promise a source
of great wealth to the state.
The discoveries of these phosphate de-
posts in the first two instances, and the
richest fields, were more by accident than
design. The state has never had a complete
geological survey, many people thinking
that Florida is only sandy peninsula with
no undeveloped source Of wealth hidden
beneath the surface; that the vast timber
acreage, balmy climate and
tropical surroundings, adapting it
to the cultivation of tropical
fruits and vegetables embraced all, that are
calculated to make the peninsula inviting
to the tourist and the immigrant, but it
appears that while the commissions of
nature covered it with sand, they also con-
cealed near the surface extensive phos-
phatic strata, sufficient TO fertilizs the state
for years and still yield its vast surplus for
less favored agricultural sections.
GLIMPSE UNDER THE SURFACE
Some four or five years ago, Hon. W. d.
Chipley and the late Gov. Perry, of Pensa-
cola strenuously advocated a complete
geological survey of the state, claiming
that there was something more than sand
on the peninsula, and some geological
investigations have been made, but they
have fallen far lort of com 1leteness.
Mr.. W. Prengle Frost. fertilizer expert
and chemist of this city, had his attention
called to the phosphate discoveries in
Florida, and spent month examining the
fields, and he thinks the greatest phosphate
deposit of the world is to be found ia
Florida on the WithlacoOchee river near
Dunnellon, eighteen miles from the Gulf
coast in a branch road of the Florida Cen
trail and Peninsular, running from Ocala
southwesterly to the Gulf.
STORIES OF THE BIG DISCOVERIES.
There are two interesting stories of the
discovery of these great deposits near Dun
mellon. One of these. and probably the
correct one. is that Mr. Albertus Voght,
who lives in primitive log cabin, with a
small orange grove that he cultivates, was
sinking we'll, and when about two to three
feet below tie surface be struck the phos-
phate stratum. 1t was altogether different
from anything he had ever seen, and he
concluded there was no use of trying to And
water in any such formation, and aban-
doned digging. But Mr.. Voght wanted TO
know what the formation was, and the
next time he visited Ocala he took a sample
of the clay with him, and submitted it to q
friend, Mr.. George f. Dunn. IL was ex-
amined, and proved to be phosphate, with
about 60 per cent. phosphate of lime,
The other story of the discovery Is that
MIR. Voght, as is common with the natives
there, went opossum hunting one night,
and his dog, in digging for the "varmint,"
Unearthed some Of the phosphate, the
threads of the first story being taken up at
this point.
DEPo SITS OF GREAT THICKNESS.
Mr.. Frost says that the Dunnellon de-
posts are, to mis- certain knowledge, sixteen
feet thick. and how much thicker he can
only conjecture. but the witness told him
that in digging wells in that section they
did not get through the phosphate forma-
ton until they had dug TO a depth Of sixty
feet.
Mr.. Frost says that the discovery of the
Dunnellon beds led to the formation of the
Dunnellon Phosphate Company, with
$3.50. 900 capital stock, Mr.. Dunn being the
president, and it has purchased 5000 acres
of land, and, having an analytical chemist
in the company, the land selections were
wisely made. Mr.. Frost thinks that this
heavy deposit of phosphate exists In not
less than 5000 acres of the tract.
is this phosphate in close enough prox-
unity to compete with the South Carolina
rock here for employment IN the fertilizer
MANUFACTURES of Savannah?' Mr.. Frost
was asked.
TO BE TRIED BY A SAVANNAH FACTORY.
"Yes, l think so. The Beaufort phos-
phate works are to dig 400 tons of it as an
experiment for a Savannah factory For
many reasons it will compete with the
South Carolina rock. The latter is found
IN nodules in pockets, whereas the Dunnel-
lon deposits are solid, and mining and
preparation for market would be inex-
pensive. 1t only requires to be dug up and
shoveled out in other words, cubic yard
of the Florida deposit is cubic yard Of
pure phosphate, while of a like
measurement of material mined in
the South Carolina fields small per-
centage only would be phosphate. Lying
close to the surface, there would not be the
lOOth part OF the stripping as in Carolina.
i saw the phosphate in some parts of the
phosphate fields of the Dunnellon tract CROP
ping out on the surface, and the roots of
trees ran along for ten and fifteen yards on
the surface, not being able TO penetrate the
phosphate formation. There would be no
washing of the Florida phosphate, as il is
not mixed with the soil as in South Caro-
lima. On the average it analyses about the
same as the Carolina rock, and some of it
exceeds that Of the Carolina phosphate"
LAWYER JONES' BIG DAYS HUNT.
The second largest deposit in Florida is
on the Peace river, around Charlotte
harbor, and the story of the discovery, as
corroborated by its discoverer, is that MIR.
>. z. Jones, a lawyer, of Orlando, while
hunting on Peace river, found phosphate
nodule on the surface, aud he at once made
up his mind that it was the luckiest days
hunt he had ever had, and nothing so
valuable ever went In his game bag as the
dull looking rock which he dropped in to
keep silent company with his birds.
On his return home Mr.. Jones took run
over to Palatka. and, hunting up W. Z.
Mckee, land agent of the Florida Southern,
told him he had something as good as a gold
mine, and he almost took McKee's breath
away as he pointed to package in his hand,
and, dropping his voice TO a whisper, said !;
There's millions In it,
CATCHING THE CAPITALISTS.
Mckee fastened to fasten the door. that
no one but his friend Jones aud himself
should examine the treasure AS a result
of the conference George w. Scott, presi-
dent of the George w. Scott Manufacturing
NV Of