The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1891-11-25

pick about, mining Tor the rich pockets and
beds most easily accessible. In thinking over
the conditions surrounding the industry and
proper course to be pursued in its manage
Inent, / have always deemed 1t essential that
there should be a survey Of the phosphate
territory, but a personal Investigation show
ell hat such a survey, to be OF any value,
would require n large outlay and much time.
Therefore IL was deemed best by the CuInmis-
sion not TO undertake 1t with the means
placed at our disposal, viz, SlO,UO0. This
amount would hardly have been sufficient TO
give us a dredge adapted 10 test even the
shallow streams with less than twenty feet
of water. and when 1t is that
most OF the estuaries emptylug into St. Hell
ena SECOND and Port Royal Harbor are very
deep, and that much of the rock mined has
been raised out of water over forty feet in
depth with all orerhurden OF sand OF from
six TO twelve feet thickness, the obstacles in
the way of q survey can be readily seen. We
found That in order for the Inspector to cXer-
else any intelligent supervision OF the min
ing, and TO enable him to see that the royal
ty was honestly paid, IL was absolutely neces-
sary to provide some means OF water trans
portation therefore we used part OF the
money, S2,3l3g3O, in purchasing a small steam
launch for his use. The balance OF the appro-
priation is still in the Treasury, but owing to
an omission in the appropriation Bill the
Commission was forced 10 borrow enough
money to pay the salary of Inspector Jones
and other expenses. This money was kindly
loaned US by the Carolina National Bank OF
Columbia without interest, and provision
will have 10 be made for It's payment. The
amount Is S2.S9l "A.
On the LIST OF March In accordance with the
instructions Of the Act creating the Commls,
sion, we took possession OF Coosaw River and
issued license to mine therein to three COM
panies. Two of these entered the river, but
were enjoined in the United States Court by
Judge Slmonton. He took advantage OF the
fact that the Phosphate commissioners were
treated as individuals rather than as State
officers, although he knew they were STATE
officers, 10 grant the injunction.
AS the public prints have given 1nli &C
counts OF all subsequent litigation and the
present status Of the Co,saw case, l shall not
mention it further than TO say that while
there Is a decrease In the revenue conse-
quent upon tn The Is stoppeageg OF the n Co e SiaSs G 10 ~
be congratulated upon the present status, as
there is every reason TO expect that the IN
tied States Supreme court VIII sustain inc
view already expressed In the decision oil
Chief Justice Fuller and the suit be tcrml'
mated early next year.
The price of phosphate rock continues high
and as soon as work can be resumed In Coo
saw River there will be an increase In the In
come of the state from royalty more than SUI
fcient 10 recoup US for the little loss we nave
sustained in maintaining the right OF Inc
State t%ocontrol her own property II would ne
wise, in my opinion, to give the Commission
The power to impose a graduated royalty To
correspond with the prices of rock, and also
TO permit 1t to fix the royalty on rock In
streams other than (tooSaw at II less rate d an
for that river. Some OF the rock Is or low
grade, and some of the deposits are very hard
making mining difficult. Therefore, Il nxed
royalty for every locality precludes prom
table mining In many streams II concessions
are not made to the miners. 1t would also
be better when Coosaw River is opened 10 APP
portion bal territory among the aime er
them to mine over the whole allotted lerrl-
tory. We have found, by the report OF In.
spector Jones, that under the management oi
The Bureau of Agriculture, Commissioner
Butler and MI. Roche, the different compa-
MES, notably the Coosaw, have been paying
less royalty than the law requires, ny reason
of not making due for Inc mols-
In re expelled in drying the rock. HOW mlucn
of this. if any, can be recovered will have to
be determined by the Courts If the Attorney
General shall deem 1t wise To enter suit. Inc
loss to the State thus discovered has amount
ed to sl32 .35l. 81 since mining operations were
begun, and $50. 50 since the eStaollsnmrhI
of the Agricultural Department in 1851. me
difference, 6.45 per cent, between the amount
of moisture actually expelled ana thaL Whtcn
the companies have allowed, amounts for
fiscal year to more than Sll 900, and as me
present officials cannot be held Responsible
for any quasi agreements or neglect on tie
part O { their predecessors, payment OF inns
sum will be demanded, and, II necessary, en-
forced in the Courts, while we Will In future
require payment on the basis OF Sl.lO per ton
for dried rock.
ton the importance OF some steps peins
taken to prevent the damase now resulting
to the States interests In the Ashley; Stoho
and Edisto Rivers by the dumping or the de-
bris or tailings into those streams from the
works of the land miners. Some time ago l
addr essed IL communication TO Capt. +. '.
Abbot, U. S. Engineers, at CharieSlon, ask
inp for I'm formation as TO the filling up OF
these streams by reason Of this debris being
emptled therein. He replied that he had re-
ported 10 the authorities at Washington In re,
gard to Ashley River, but knew nothing oil
obstruction to the other streams mentioned
and In formed me that Congress. last Decem-
Der, had passed an Act prohibiting the dump
Ing of such material into ~navigable streams.
The States interest is 10 prevent her phos-
phate beds from being buried SO that they,
cannot be protitably mined, and United
States seeks to preserve the naVigaollly OF
rivers. But for fear the Uuited States author
tiles may not press the matter / call II TO
your attention..