Frostburg mining journal. [volume] (Frostburg, Md.) 1871-1913, 1892-08-06
Financial Embarrassment.
SEMI-LOAL NEWS.
New Paradise Phosphate Works.

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The JOURNAL copies the following
description of the plant of the Paradise
(Fla.) fertilizer company because CD
it embodies some account of the new
est description of mining, and GU be-
cause the development is the out
growth Of the enterprise of IL Frost
burg citizen, o. j. Moat. 1t should be
read by all, and miners should remem-
Der that this time it is not mineral that
is eXhumed from the earth, but bone {:
The SIN reporter in company with DIR. G.
II. Sutherland, went to Paradise the other
day to look over the plant of the Paradise
phosphate company, of which we had lately
heard a good deal of talk.
1t will be remembered by readers of the
SIN that we gave a sketch of this enterprise
at Paradise last summer, just few days be-
fore the great explosion that took place
there, in which the saw mill and part of
the building were wrecked, one man killed
and two others seriously injured.
Since then there have been many improve
ments. A new engine and boilers from the
foundries of Corinth Mass and Il complete
phosphate manufacturing plant have been
put in. The engine is fifty horse power, the
boiler siXty-five horse power and runs all of
the machinery with ease. Everything runs
on time. There is no hitch anywhere. The
crude phosphate is taken from the mine and
dumped on a truck, which is drawn by a
horse to the factory, distance of half a mile.
There it is taken by bull rope to the drying
pans. After being exposed on a platform in
the sun for a time it is shoyeled into the
pans and goes through process of artificial
drying.
1t would be well to enter into some ex-
PLANTATION Of these drying pans, as they are
an invention of the machinist who put up
the machinery. Mr.. Baldwin was at work
on the invention some time, but it seems it
has repaid him, as the work done by the
apparatus is very satisfactory.
There are three hundred of these pans,
working on an endless chain. When one
pan is being filled, the one on the opposite
end is being emptied. This throws the
dried phosphate rock into kind of trough,
through which it is raked by scrappers,
running also on an endless chain into re-
ceiver and taken up an elevator to the top of
the building. From here it comes down a
shute into the grinder. From this, the
course is up another elevator, to the top of
the building, down another shute into the
pulverizer, and by way of a third elevator to
the top again where it is sifted. The part
that remains is returned to the grinder and
meets the same course until ali meet at the
top in condition very much resembling
that of flour. Here it is gathered into bins
and emptied at leisure into bags
This is on the second floor, which is at the
same time the ware room. There are two
platforms, one on the first and the other on
the second floor, communicating by gentle
slope. By the side of the platform runs the
side-track from the S. +. d W. railroad, Il
venience and good order about the machinery
and the best ofmanagement
The works are situated about four miles
from this city on the S. f. Il W. railroad in
the heart of one of the finest phosphate re-
gions i'll the State Of Florida. The pebble
phosphate from the mines of this company
analyses in the crude state fifty-one per cent
the pure bone phosphate, which predomi-
mates, from seventy to seventy-tive per cent.
This is twelve per cent. more than the IA
nous Belleview phosphate rock analyses.
This phosphate in what is technically
called "hOats," that's, in the pulverized state,
will be sold at 81 a ton, delivered at the
works. The Belleview sells for So and the
Lacrosse phosphate for SIS. The company
will sell either as pebble, as floats or after
awhile as prepared Fertilizer
Professor Lawrence johnson, United States
geologst, says he would rather have the
washings from these mines than most of the
commercial fertilizers in the market
The factory was at work when we visited it.
The process is an interesting one to those who
have never seen anything of the kind. You
never see the rock after it leaves the drying
pans until it is turned out as floats, unless for
some reason you open one of the receivers or
the elevators.
There were nine hands at work at the
factory and three men at the mines though
it is expected to increase the force as soon as
the work warrants it.
o. J, Moat, of Frostburg, Md, is secretary
of the company, as well as general manager.
Information as to the factory or other mat
tiers can be had by addressing him either at
Paradise or at Gainesville. Gainesville .Suu.
journalistic.