The Manning times. [volume] (Manning, Clarendon County, S.C.) 1884-current, 1891-03-25
EXECUTIVE CHAMBER.

Mr.. Robert Adger, CnleI Manager ol
the Coosaw Mining Company, Charles
ton, S. C.-DEAR SIR: Your letter OF
March II came duly to hand and was
submitted to the Board of Phosphate
Commissioners yesterday. We also held
conference with Mr.. Smythe, your
representative, in which the questions
at issue were fully and freely discussed
There are in this case two main objects
to which the Phosphate Commission
must direct its attention in order tc
guard the States rights and interests
The issue is not whether the CoosaW
Company shall have the continuing
right to exclusively occupy the territory
in Coosaw River" as you say. but:
First-Whether the State has now OF
shall ever have power to raise the royal
ty on phosphate rock.
Second-NVhether the monopoly which
would thus practically be given to the
Coosaw Company shall be continued. Il
the Coosaw Company has contract
with the State of South Carolina to per-
petually mine our richest deposits at one
dollar a ton. it is idle to think OF
increasing the royalty as against the
miners outside of that river; and it the
monopoly hitherto possessed by the
Coosaw Company, by means of which il
has practically absorbed the Sea Island
Chemical Company and the Oak Point
Company, shall be allowed to continue
it is only question of time when the
other three companies will be forced tc
suspend operations or be likewise alb
Sorbed.
The main question is as to the right tc
increase royalty; for our observation OF
the mining around Beaufort has led us tc
believe that exclusive rights are not
detrimental to the States interests, anc
that it would be best for the State ano
for the miners were all the mining done
by one company. / would call your at
tention to the fact that your offer tc
allow US the use of one of your dredges
with which to test and make examina
tion OF the territory hitherto occupied
by you could not be accepted, because
the offer involved the payment by thu
State of the running expenses OF the
same, and promised so little practlca
knowledge that we did not feel author
lied to make such expenditure. Whether
there is much or little rock in CoosaN
River is not at present a matter for ou]
consideration; whether there is yarla
tion in grade which requires the peculiar
skill possessed by your superintendent
to nine pTofitably is not the issue
The ruinOuS lawsuit which your Com
pany has inaugurated and the tenaclt.
with which it fights for their territor.
will rather influence mems opinions a.
to its value. ItWas our desire and hopt
to have saved the company from sucl
loss and the State decrease of revenue
But the question by your act has to b.
decided by the courts, and neither tn
dignity nor welfare of the State could b.
maintained, as we see it, had we agreed
to the proposal You made.
Realizing how heavy must be the los
to your Company in deterioration o
plant aud disorganiZation of labor W
would further suggest that pending
the lawsuit you take a license to min
outside Of the disputed territory alon'
with the other companies which hav
been driven out of Coosaw by the IN
junction of the United States Court, a
it is possible that you may thus max
running expenses. This is not a dlsln
terested suggestion but it is made Il
good faith. Yours respectfully,
3. r. TILLMAN,
Governor and Chairman of the Board
Phosphate Commissioners.