The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1891-10-03
The Florida Phosphate Industry.

The ElSriO9 FlO5p4AIo AA~~Se-S -
These engaged in mining bard rock phos-
phate in Florida are about 10 do WHAT Tue
MORNING NEws said several days ago would
/ lave to be done in order to make the MN
/ ing OF the rock profitable. The acton taken
at the large meeting Of phosphate mine
owners at Ocala, an account OF whlca was
published in our dispatches yesterday,
shows that the cause Of tbs present depres-
siou in the hard rock phosphate industry Is
fully understood by those engaged in it,
and that the proper .emedy for the depreS~
zion will be applied.
OF the merits Of the hard rock phosphate
there is no question. Il has been extensively
marketed in Europe and this country, and
when properly prepared has given entire
satisfaction. The trouble has been that
vast quantities Of the rock have been
thrown upon the market in an unstable
condition. Tee owners Of this improperly
prepared stuff have accepted any price for
it they could get. BY this means the market
has been broken down and the impression
created in Europe that the Florida deposits
were 50 great that it was only q matter OF
little time when the phosphate rock buyers
could get an ample supply of rock at their
own price.
The most of those who have placed IN
merchandise rock upon the market have
not the means to put the rock in the condi-
ton demanded by the trade. And in many
instances they have been totally ignorant
of the treatment to which the rock should
be subjected in order to obtain its full
value.
In not few instances farmers, having
discovered phosphate rock upon their lands
and believing they had something as valu-
able as q geld mine, have abandoned their
crops and turned their attention to mining
the rock. They did this without even know
ing how they were to dispose Of their
product or whether it was necessary to sub
ject it to any process before offering it for
sale. And had they known how to prepare
| it for market they could not have used
their knowledge successfully because Of the
want of capital.
The energetic and wise action taken at
| Ocala will bring about marked change in
the mining aud handling of hard rock phos-
pbate Not only will the rock be made
acceptable to the trade, but the output will
be limited to the demand. A careful in
spection OF the whole hard rock phosphate
field will be made. and the amount of the
annual output will be closely determined.
! With the knowledge thus obtained, and
knowing pretty nearly the amount of the
annual demand, it will not be a difficult
matter to keep the supply within a limit
that will leave a reasonable profit to the
| miners.
The policy that is now being entered upon
ought TO have been adopted some time ago,
though it is a question whether it could
have been enforced until the phosphate
mine owners were convinced by experience
of its necessity.
In the beginning Of phosphate mining in
South Carolina there was great depression
in the industry owing to eau es like those
that have brought about the unfortunate
condition of affairs in Florida. And what
has been done in the former state to make
the industry a success will have TO be done
in the latter. The miners of the pebble
phosphate, which is found in some of the
counties and in the beds of some of the
streams, are meeting with no discouraging
obstacles. Their product is in demand at a
profitable price.
1t must not be understood that the rock
phosphate industry is likely to prove an
Improbable one permanently. 1t has only
received q setback from the causes men
toned. In the near future it will be mined
and handled intelligently, and fortunes will
be made out of it.