New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1891-11-29
PART II.
PAGES 10 TO IS.

out, dried and weighed. Then mathematical cal
cuation gives the quantity Of phosphate In that area
with about as much accuracy as a mason calculates
the perches Of stone concrete In a wall, farmer
figures out the mount Of corn in crib. chemists
analysis establishes the grade Of the pebble, which
determines It's value, and the proprietor knows how
much phosphate he has and what IL is worth on the
cars and, knowing the expense Of mining IT, he can.
with approximation to accuracy, reckon his profits
before he invests q dollar In machinery in mining
operations"
Though differing in minor details the drcdg-
ng process and subsequent manipulation Of pebble IL
the same all the plants Peace River. The pebbles
are taken from the river bed by means Of pump
dredge, a powerful centrifugal pump mounted or .
boat and driven by steam engine Of twenty TO forty
horsepow suction pipe from six to ten inches
In diameter extends from the upper deck into the
water in front OF the boat and can be adjusted TO any
required depth, by Of ropes and pulleys, con-
Meeting its extremity with spar or carrier So
great is the suction force that not only pebbles bus
large fossil bones are brought up, and IN instance
a steel crowbar that had been dropped overheard was
drawn up by the pump. Pebbles. fragments OF
bones, sand and water, all come up together Ano
fall into revolving from which the phosphsts
passes through chute to a lighter alongside ana tbs
sand and water discharged at the stern OF tho ooe
The pebble Is aerward elevated from the lighter TO tho
wet bins which another elevator carries It to
hugo rotary dryer; thence conveyor takes tho
thoroughly dried pebble TO the boot OF the dry-bin
elevator and after passes through series Of screens
it is conveyed to tine storage bins.
In very many Of the Shops but especially In the
windows and on tables offices Of the phosphate
works may be fossil specimens. In
one window that Of jewelry store, there
was a fossil tooth OF mastodon, with deep
hutings In 1t about eleven inches long snd
four inches through at the thickest part. Alongside
of IL a fossil Of a broken tusk OF an elephant.
about fourteen inches long, and eight inches through
at greatest thickness. Then there was fossil OF
perfect tooth of shark and fossils OF cedar wood ana
bones In various offices in this region there
exhibits taken from the phosphate mines, OF remains
OF the antediluvan horse, the cave bear, the pre-
historic elephant, the mastoion, and other links con-
Meeting preadamte ages with the present time, which
have been found and classified by scientists Manatee
ribs fish vertebrae, and sharks teeth are found In
abundance. and bones Of other extinct species
found in this fossil conglomeration, but are broken
and crushed beyond Identification. Tuberulate teeth
and other remains Of the mastodon, including eleven
almost perfect skeletons said to have been found
In one pile in the wlthlacoochee River. As this
statement Is vouched for by Professor shrader would
seem that this must have been the last ditch oil the
prehistoric animal.
A stone Ratchet was also found in phosphate bed
recently It was only a few years ago that the fossil
laws and teeth and the bones Of the feet OF woman
were taken from coral Ank on the Florida COAST
After a thoroughly scientific examination PROFESSOR
Agassz pronounced them to be at least 10000 years
old. 1t was specially marked that the jaw was well
preserved but Professor Agasz failed 10 say whether
II had been normally exercised much during life.
When asked for his opinion as to the origin Of the
phosphate beds Captain Rose said "A pure SAND
covers the whole peninsula OF Florida and what lies
beneath It'll First Of all the carbonate formauon VI
siluran coras and In them the scattered phosphate
deposits. Then, through their centre BREAKS az
various places up the peninsula white ana cream
colored very hard sandstone. This is phosphate OK
alumina oxide of alumna silica and two or more
OF the rarer metals and this phosphate OF alumiha
f. the backbone OF Florida. We know that Inc
sen A. lul OF phosphorc acid Not only does II come
from the rocks the sea-growth and the nsh' put IL
added 10 by the incalculable amount OF sewage thS
flows into the ocean from the Rnd Then the myriaas
anImalcuae in the ocean, many secreng phosphate -
we'll as carboIpte of lime, and the hshcs Oh al Minus
which once teemed in these waters, died. ana 'ieir
homes served to increase the amount Of pDospha'es
deposited where the sea-water washed have no
doubt also that the of Florida were elevated py
gradual urheava and the phosphaes which tey tae
estuaries that had been found and in the WIDER ryer
beds the phosphate Of lime in Suspension WAS was ae
posted as an alluval secondary deposit. Wi ear al
this was going above the Limestone were the oOnes
Of the various beasts and fishes killed rom hss so mo
cause, and OF these bones helped ny .ne.r aS
composition 70 add to the phosphate o. Lime P present. as
In the underlying strata The phosphate OF lime Wa
the Irregular deposits in which it is found The phos
plate, also carried in suspension was @ 'ee
phosphate and in the shallow streams. With this
were the bones of the dead beasts that have men
toned. Then segregation and accreton TOOK pace.
the richer phosphate little knots or lump; Of irreIa,
the radius Of their attraction, and thus was formed
the nodulsr phosphate rock, which consists OF rlcn
cencreed umPs In hc Of p6ospses @
qeny show themselves By SURFACE tst nGGppgnss and
scientific American on the formation Of these phos-
that the feature in the Florida deposits Of phosphates
10 be most particularly brought out is that the forma-
ton consists ss mestone filled VIII hard and soft rock
phosphates and debris, mounds or beaches rolled up
on the elevated points. and chiefly consisting OF huge
powders of phosphate rock drift or dsntegrated rocR
Covering immense areas, chiefly In Polk and De sots
counties, and underlying Peace River and It's tnou'
The last Legislature Of Florida enacted law which
authorized the appointment Of Board OF Phosphate
Commissioners gives them the control and manage,
from her navssble waters. Under the law the state
phate rock or deposit taken from these waters and
analyzing so per cent or less and not exceeong %
each ton Of rock or deposit dug or removed that may
yield over IS and not exceeding so per cent OF bone
phosphate of lime and 81 per ton for each ton mined
The c sn are authorized to make contract
for the exclusive right to take phosphate rock on
phosphate deposits from the beds of the navigabls
waters Of the state within certain weldefned imin
and for period not to exceed five years Any
person who shall dig mine or remove any phosphs,s
waters OF the State. without complying with che terms
Of the act, NAV be tried for msdemeanor and found
guilty be punished by fine not TO exceed $1,000 o.
prisonment.