The weekly Union times. [volume] (Union C.H., South Carolina) 1871-1894, 1891-03-27

CLOSING The CorsAw CAsK.-Columbia.
Msrch l9.-By resolution Of the board of
phosphate commissioners Governor Tillman
VA essnihosized TO reply to the letter Of MIR.
19oert Adgsr, whose letter on behalf Of the
Ccosaw Company was published to-day in
the Ners and Courier. Governor Tillm an
wrote this ultra u'tmatum tonight, Of which
the following is cory:
CoLunDiA, s. G., March 10, 1851.
To Mr.. Robert Adger. Chief Manager of
the coo'aw Mining Company, Cbarles'on on, s.
u; Dear Bir: Your lsttsr Of March II can,
S duly tshand end was submitted 10 the board
% phosphate commissioners yesterday. We
\ also held assconferenee with Mrs 6aythe, :
\ your rsps tsentative, in which the que. tions
- issue wore fully and freely discussed.
There ere In this case two main objects to
which the phosphate commission must direct
Its attention in order to guard the States
rights and interests.
The tsue is not whether the Coosaw Com.
any shall have continuing right to exelu-
eivcly occupy the territory in Coosaw River.
80 you say, but 6rst, whether the State has
now, or shall ever have, power to mise tho
royalty on phosphate rock.
Second. Whether the monopoly which
would thus practically be given to the
Coesa~ Company shalt be coutinuedf
- the Coosaw Company has "a contract
ally mine our richest dsposi, at 81 n ton, it ia
Idle TO think OF increasing the royalty "A
against miners outside Of thnt river.
And II the monopoly hitherto possessed
oy the Coosaw Company, by means Of which
u has practically absorbed the Sea Island
Cnemicai Company and the Oak Pint Mines
= Company, shalt re allowed to continue, Il ia
4 snly question Of time when the other three
conPsnies will ss, forged i il ,...-r.na- opers.-
The main qassdiln Is as to the right to in.
crease the royalty, for oar observation Of
the mining around Beaufort has led us to
the States interests and that IL would be
best for the State aud the minors were nj
the mining done by ono company.
q would call your attention to tho fact
that your offer TO allow us the use Of enc Of
your dredges with which TO test and make
examination Of the territory hitherto occu-
pied by you could not be accepted, because
the otter involved the payment by the State
s little practical knowledge that we did not
fecI authorized to make such expenditure.
whether there Is much or little rock in
Cnosaw River Is not at present matter for
our cousideration. Whether there is n yari-
at'on In grade which requires pee uliar skill,
possessed by your superintendent alone, to
mine proftably Is not the issue,
Ihe ruinsus lawsuit which your Company
mas inauguratct, and tho tcnacity with
which IT fights for this territory. will rather
iunuenee mems opinions as to its value. Il
was our earnest desire and hore to have
saved the company from such loss and the
State decrease Of revenue. But the
question BY your act has to be decided by
the Courts, and neither the dignity nor wei.
fare Of the State could be maintained. as we
see i, had we agreed to the proposal you
made.
Realizing how heavy must be the loss to
your comp,ny in the deterioration of the
plsst and d'sorgsnization of labor, we would
further suggest that, pending the lawsuit,
you take q license to mine outside or the
disputed territory along with the other
three companies which have been driven out
OF Coosaw by tho injunction of the United
States Court, as il il possible you may thus
mako running expenses. This is no. q dis
tnterestcd suggestion, but it is made in good
NTH. Yours respectfully,
B. r. TILLMAN,
Governor and Chairman Board Phosphate
Commissioners.