The weekly Union times. [volume] (Union C.H., South Carolina) 1871-1894, 1891-11-27
CAROLINA AND FLA. PHOSPHATES.
DIR. Wyatt Writes Upon the "Phos-
pilates of Amerisa."

1t is rare indeed that the publication
OF scientific book is not heralded by the
statement that the work in question fills
long felt want, )" and no doubt it does
III the eyes of the writer, the pub
h.her, and generally of small section
OF the public. 1t is, however, our good
fortune to have had placed in our hauds
treatise. "The Phesphates of Amer
ica," by DIR. Francis Wyatt which, 1n-
questionably, does fill long felt want.
Until now the literature of this subject
has been so scattered that one may say
there was none; for the various scientific
and economic papers that have been writ
ten upon 1T are buried in the back files of
scientific Journals and in the proceedings
"i societies OF different nations, and in
different languages. Most has been writ
ten by French chemists, who have natur-
ally devoted almost their entire attention
TO the various deposits in France, and
have studied mainly The chemical reac-
uons with view to the economic use of
tn sc phosphatcs.
In the Unicd States the only we'll
known work on the subject in book form
Is "ihe Nature and Origin of Deposits
OF Phosphates of Lime" by Dr. r. A. f.
Penrosc, with an introduction by Prof.
N. :. Shalcr which was published in
1883 as Bulletin No. 46, of the L. S.
Geological Survey. In this valuable
monograph, written by DR.. Pcnrose as
his thesis for the degree of Phi. D., the
phosphate deposits of the world ere de-
scribed in hundred pages, but at the
time 1t was written the Florida deposits
were unknown economically. Since then
.InnCh hnncct c,,i,,t;f,,,
done in Canada and i'm South Carolina,
IN the latter place more particularly by
Drs. Shepard, Pratt and Holmes; much
has also been written on the Florida de-
posts, most Of which, however, has tax
en- the form of advertising and mislead-
ing pamphlets. 1t has been reserved for
DIR. Wyatt to collect and epitomize what
has already been writted on the phos
pilates of North America, and to supple.
mcnt it with the result of his own large
and varied experience. The book which
is now issued to the public will without
doubt be on the shelves of every chcmi-
cal-manure manufacture and phosphate
miner, and in the pockets of every pros
pector.
Since the nature aud extent of the
Florida deposits were discovered, there
has been 'boom" in phosphstes and
more attention has been attracted to this
mineral than ever before. All the prin-
c'pal cities of the United States, as well
as London, in England have been full
OF promoters and land spectators, who
have told capitalists of the fabulous prof.
its to be obtained in mining phosphates;
and, while many of the companies form.
ed to operate in the new region have been
organized upon II Legitimate basis, many
visionary enterprises have been undertake
Ell by investors who have had no means
OF guidance. The general ignorance con
cerning phosphate is even now immense,
there having bcca no authoritative book
of reference on the subject, and unscru-
puious or over sanguine promoters and
land owners have been enabled to make
illusivc statements which have sadly mis-
led the trusting investor
The investor can now, with the aid of
DIR. Wyatt's book in his hand, check the
statements and figures of the would-be
promoter, and we fear that many who
read it will have wished that Dr. Wyatt
had published it earlier DIR. Wyatt
gives Q-lSt-at- com l les fornhaett5zes
mine phosphates in Florida, within the
past two years, and then SAYS:
"This list is, we repeat, only partial
one. and the number of companies is in
creasing daily. If, instead of the mean
ingless paper capital which most of them
represent, forty odd millions of >dollars
were really at stake the fact would ex-
cite serious anxiety. We should be COM
PEELED to show the amount Of phosphate
TO be mined and disposed Of at a profit
in order to pay 3 per cent dividend on
the Investment would surpass the total
consumptive capacity of the entire world.
Fortunately no such question is nccessar,
we know that the capital i m rely nomi-
nal, that many of the companies are mere
mushrooms and that, in brief, this phase
of the question will regulate itself. From
all that has preceded it will have proha-
bly, been gathered that, in our opinion,
Florida phosphate mining will prove cX-
trcmely profitable to those who purchase
ad work its fields with judgement, but
that it will certainly turn out in the
highest degree disastrous to those who
purchase on insufficient or .i-,e.sf,loto
examination, and allow themselves to be
led away by their excited first impress
siOns.'
DIR. Wyatt also describes the phosphatcs
of South Carolina, giving the geological
features, the mode of mining, together
with the number of companies at work,
and their output. He discusses the legal
difficulties between the State and
the Coosaw Mining Company
and shows that in all probabilities the
average p'ice for land phosphate, f. h.
at Charleston, with - pr cent. tribasic
phosphate is 81 30 per ton, and of the
river rock - %. the selling price being
500. He es imatcs that in the area ex :
plored, but still uncxploitcd there are
$4,000, 900 tons of phosphate rock re-
naming, allowing an average production
of so, 900 tons per month for % years,
which entire amount will very shortly be
consumed in the local markets. In Dr.
Wyatt's opinion South Carolina rock
must be regarded as raw material of
the tirst-cass in the manufacture of solu-
bic and available phosphate, and it can
not be surpassed by any other material as
an all round staple, uniform and reliable
article.
In the same manner DR. WYATT de-
ccrihpa thp and min ,,f 4 lo