The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1890-02-26
OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES
THE FERTILIZER TRADE GREATER
THAN WAS EVER KNOWN.

THAN WAS EVER KNOWN.
The Amount Sold In Savannah Ten
Per Cent. Greater Than Year Before
Last When Georgia Consumed $780,
900 Tons-The Causes of the Increase
The Effect Of the Florida Discoveries
on the Market-Rumors OF Phosphate
Finds In the Vicinity of Savannah.
The rush Of the fertilizer season may be
said to be well over, as far as receiving
orders goes The season viii last from two
weeks to a month yet, but the orders viii
not come in 50 close together.
Mr.. George ]. Baldwin. president Of the
Baldwin Fertilizer Company and Of the
Mariou (Fla.) Phosphate Company, left last
night for Florida, on business connected
with the mining operations Of the company
and the construction of the extensive works
contemplated on the company's phosphate
lands.
Before he left Mr. Baldwin gave MORN
ING NEWS reporter an interesting review
of the fertilizer trade for the present season
thus far. He says it has been greater
than ever before known 70 the SOUTH 1t IS
fully 10 per cent greater than it was year
10000 tons. Last year he says it dropped
TO about 202, COO tons
BIG YEAR FOR PHosPHATEs.
The great increase Mr.. Baldwin attributes
to variety of causes. The planters made
excellent crops last year, sold at good prices
and paid of old debts and improved their
credit AS a result they are planting more
ground this year, and fertilizing ground
better than they did last year. The open
winter and early spring he thinks may
have had some influence in stimulating
early orders, but not sufficient to account
for the large increase in the trade
The reduction in the price Of fertilizers,
Mr. Bald win says, has been another factor
to increase the demand, as fertilizers are
selling at about 81 so per ton less than they
sold last year. This he accounts for by the
cheapened material and the southern man
ufactured fertilizers taking the place OF the
northern fertilizers the reduction OF 80
cents per ton in the inspectors fees aud the
freight reduction Of nearly 20 per cent
ordered by the railroad commission.
EFFECT OF THE FLORIDA DISCOVERIES.
The discoveries of Florida phosphate. Mr..
Baldwin thinks, has had no appreciate
effect upon the market, nor does he think it
will have during the year. 1t may, he
thinks, push the Charleston rock down 81
on the ton, but this he says, viii not affect
the market much. Eventually, however,
when the Florida companies are fully
equipped for mining phosphate a
material reduction may reasonably be
expected, as the Florida phosphate rock,
analyZing 60 per cent, which is equivalent
TO the Charleston rock can be mi led at such
a less cost. will, when the Florida oorn-
panies get TO work, be shipped everywhere
throughout the south, except to Charleston.
The 50 per cent. grade will go to foreign
markets.
Mr.. Baldwin says that the demand from
England and Germany has already begun.
He has nearly 400 tons In Savannah await
ing vessel TO be sent 70 England, aud he
received a cable from Germany Yesterday
for cargo. Four or five other orders for
cargoes for England had to be declined, as
the company is not yet reSdy to mine on
such an extensive scale, as it will be in the
latter part Of August or the first of Sep
TENDER.
THE EXPORTS FROM SAVANNAH
Mr.. Baldwin was asked if Savannah Is to
be the point of export, and he replied that
1t will depend on freight rates. The better
facilities for shipment here viii warrant the
company in paying a little more to bring
the phosphate here, but he says a matter Of
two feet Of water may determine whether
Savannah will have an annual export of
100000 tons Of the Florida phosphate, as
vessels OF large draught will be required for
the economical shipping of the product of
the phosphate mines If the government
makes liberal appropriation for the har-
Dor, heavy export trade may be expected
to follow the harbor improvements.
Some idea Of the extent of the phosphate
deposits may be gathered from a single in
stance. Mr.. Baldwin received letter from
his manager in Florida saying that one
solid boulder of 50 per cent grade, and
weighing not less than fifty tons had been
discovered. and it was necessary to send
down a dynamite battery to break it up.
MIR. Baldwin says that nests Of phosphate
boulders weighing from five to six tons are
not uncommon.
RUMORS OF SAVANNAH FINDS.
Referring to a rumor on the Bay yester-
day that phosphate deposits have been dis
covered near Savannah, Mr.. Baldwin ex-
pressed the opinion that none of any
commercial value has been or will be found.
He says that the Georgia coast has been
thoroughly explored for phosphate forma-
tons, and he has himself been one Of the
phosphate hunters. The only deposits found,
he says, are some specimens in the neigh
borhood of Savannah and some near
Brunswick, but in extent and quality they
have no commercial value. In fact, Mr..
Baldwin says, there is skip from Beaufort
all around the South Atlantic coast, and
not until the Gulf coast Of Florida is reached
In the Wathlacoochee section do the de-
posts re-eppear, and they suddenly disap-
pear west OF Wakulla county.