The Ocala banner. (Ocala, Marion County, Fla.) 1883-194?, 1891-03-13
WITHLACOOCHEE PHOSPHATE co.
THE PROPERTY AND PRosZ
PECTS OF THE COMPANY.
THE VERY BEST.

Beds of Ph0sphate.--Beds OF Gyp.
sum---Whole Islands OF Humus
ana Two Hundred Acres OF spIen-
did Orange Grove Property.
Ttni, Eedi, VTcil was Caesars excla.
nation after visiting and so easily con-
| quering Pontus, part of Asia Minor,
many centuries ago. After visiting the
property of the Withlacoochee Company,
and seeing its rich beds of phosphate,
its rich beds of gypsum, its islands of
humus and its more than two hundred
acres SO splendidly adapted to the
growth of oranges, We shall have to
transpose the epigramma,ic quotation of
the great Roman general and statesman.
and say, that I'VE eaw aud were con-
quered."
A great deal of phosphate history is
connected with the Whithlacoochee
country. 1t was here that the phos-
phate industry had its birth. It was
here that the discovery of gypsum, by
our pioneer hero, Mr.. Adam L. EieheI-
berger, was made, and which later on,
led 10 the greater discovery of phos-
RnAtIf AZ was nCiC AllC great 0u-
mus deposits were discovered, and it
was here that Mr. Eichelberger made
his great reputation as a successful
ofangeculturist.
It is a rich, beautiful and wonderful
land and will add many a leaf to the
wreath which is destined to crown our
state in horticultural, commercial and
mineral wealth.
The lands are watered by the Withla-
coochee river, which give easy commun-
ication, and wild orange groves line the
shore. These trees, or the most of them,
have long since been budded with sweet
sprigs and for many years have been
bearing the famous "EichelbeTger kid
glove" that has given that section a repg
utation for the production of fine
oranges, which is unapproached by any
other section of the state.
But were there no phosphate, were
there no gypsum, were there no humus,
were there no mari on this property, its
orange industry alone, according to the
value put upon orange grove property by
the late sales at Citfa, would be worth
the capitalized value of the company.
But the deposits of phosphates are ex-
teneiye, and out Of the first pit, upon
which work has scarcely begun, thous-
and tons have already been extracted,
and phosphate experts think that it will
not be exhausted for many years yet to
come. There are ten separate and dis
tinct deposits on the property, some of
which show a larger area than the first
pocket and upon which work is being
prosecuted.
The gypsum deposits have merely
been pitted, and while its importance
for the time being has been overshad-
owed by the discovery of phosphate, Mr..
Eichelberger thinks. that in time it will
become as valuable, and the deposits on
the property of the company are almost
as extensive as the deposits of phos-
pilates.
The humus is four feet in thickness
and covers whole island, and when we
state that Prof. Shepphard, an eminent
chemist, says that the ammonia alone,
that can be extracted from every ton of
1t, is worth seven dollars, some idea of
its value may be approximated.
Soon the South Florida railroad will
tap this property with one of its numer-
Gus spurs which will augment its value
and carry its stock beyond par.
The capitalization of the company is
only four hundred thousand, and from
the acreage, on which it is based, and
the richness of tho same, the Withlaeoo-
chez stock ought TO be. and will be in
our opinion, the most valuable on the
market