The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1890-01-21
STILL AFTER PHOSPHATE.
FLORIDA'S WOODS FULL OF TX
CITED PROSECUTORS.

Experts by the Hundred, With Their
Pockets Full OF Rocks and Bottles
OF sulphuric Acid, Tramping over
the Entire Phosphate Section-The
Baldwin Fertilizer Company TO De-
velop It's %, 600 Acre Tract at Once.
The Marion Phosphate Company to
Operate the Mines.
There is a continual rush Of Spectators
to Florida hunting phosphate lands, and it
Is said that Charleston phosphate men have
no less than twenty experts in Florida
The travel to Florida from all parts of the
country, of men who are going on business,
has more than compensated for the slack
tourist travel which has been occasioned by
the open winter.
gentleman from Florida says that the
woods OF South Florida are full of strangers
who are on the hunt for phosphate deposits,
and they are going about with their pockets
fu4 OF rocks gathered up for analy zation.
Sulphurlc acid has taken a big jump, for
everything that looks like phosphate is put
70 the acid test
THE PHOSPHATE SECTION ovERRUN.
A native of Florida in the neighborhood
| OF Dunnellon Informed a prominent citizen
| OF Savannah the other daY that the influx
OF strangers has Teen great and continuous.
why, haven't done an honest days work
for three months, he added. at has been
one continual demand upon my horses,
mules, and myself, and every child big
enough to pilot the people through the
woods. have been compelled to turn inn
| keeper, for the phosphate hunters must
nave meals, and the trampS through the
woods whet their appetitesn
Probably the largest purchase Of phos-
phate lands yet made by Georgians is the
block OF 25, 900 acres on the Withlacoochee,
at and in the neighborhood of Dunnellon.
The Baldwin Fertilizer Company of this
city was the purchaser, and Mr. g. J. Bald
WIN said to MORNING NEWS reporter last
night that the lands are to be mined aud
the bulk OF the phosphate exported.
A NEW SAVANNAH COMPANY.
The mines are TO be operated by a COM
| pany to be known as the Marion Phosphate
Company.
| How soon do you expect TO begin opera
tonsp Mr.. Baldwin was asked.
| soon"
From what seaport do you expect to
export the phosphaten
We will ship the first cargo from Savan-
nah, ont l am not prepared TO say from
what port the rest will be exported
Mr.. Baldwin went on to say that the
baldwin Fertilizer Company will also use
phosphate from the Florida mines.
While other and valuable phosphate de-
posts are being found in South Florida IL
Is believed that the phosphate lands on the
Wlthlacoochee are the most extensive and
valuable in the world. While the Carolina
phosphates are found in pockets and nodule
deposits, the deposits in the neighborhoOd
Of Dunnellon are in solid strata, and range
IN depth from 10 to 30 feet, and contain so
per cent. Of phosphates.
THE GOVERNMENTS REPORT.
For the past SIX or seven years the phos-
pilates OF Florida have been given only a
passing notice in the United States geolog-
lcal survey. In the report Of the mineral
resources Of the United States for 1887. il
was estimated that 900 tons would cover
the product Of phosphate rock in the states
other than South Carolina and it reported
| that developments were promised on the
Peace river, near Arcadia, in De Soto
county, Florida, and at several other points.
The prediction has been more than realized,
but the Peace river deposits while extensive
aud promise to be most profitable, it is said
that they do not begin to compare with
| those on the Withlacoochee.
Developments now point to the general
deposit of phosphates along the entire south
ern and western coast of Florida from a
point west of st. Marks TO Punta Rassa, the
phosphate deposits extending inland and
being both subterranean and subaqueous.
SOUTH CAROLINA's BIG RIVAL.
The phosphate discoveries may be said to
have nearly reached their climax, and with
the development of the phosphate lands
promised, the South Carolina phosphate in
dustry, it is predicted. will necessarily begin
to wane, as the Florida mines promise to be
more easily worked and the phosphate much
more economically prepared for the market.
In fact, it is said that Charleston phosphate
men were among the first to realize this,
and have invested heavily in the phosphate
lands of Florida. and still have experts To-
eating and securing options in South Flor
ida lands.