The Ketchum keystone. [volume] (Ketchum, Idaho) 1885-1899, 1893-12-23
OUR PHOSPHATE MINES.
A Newly-Developed Industry Of
Much Importance.
Destined to Become q Source of Great
Profit to American Agriculturists
some Valuable Infor-
nation

We find in special report of the
commissioner of labor the latest statis-
tics relating to the phosphate industry
of the United States. The report, says
the New York Sun, not only shows the
actual output of our phosphate mines,
but estimates the period during which
the industry may be expected to con-
tinue.
Carroll D. Wright, the commissioner
of labor, points out in his introduction
that the value Of the discovery Of phos-
pilates, from an agricultural view
point, cannot be overrated. Previously
to 1S41 the principal commercial fertil-
izer had been bone dust, but, in the
year named, guano was introduced from
the Chincha islands of Peru and, ow-
ing to the greater solubility of this
commodity, the demand for it rapidly
increased. AS time went on, however,
the inadequate and rapidly decreasing
supply of guano and bone dust led to
the active development of the phos-
phate industry in South Carolina in
1867 and in Florida some twenty-one
years later. In 1891. the last year for
which statistics are complete, the
quantity of phosphate produced in the
United States was 757, 1873 tons, much
the larger portion of which came from
South Carolina, where at present the
mines are most vigorously worked.
The next largest producer of the fer
tilizer is France, which, in the year
named, was credited with 100000 tons,
after which should be placed Belgium
with 100000. The entire output of the
world in 1891, outside of the United
States, was $50, 900 tons.
The home consumption of the fertil-
izer takes place chiefly in the southern,
eastern and western states. 1t is con-
spicuously in demand for the cotton
crop of the south, for the fruit and
vegetable crops of the east and for the
grain crops of the west. AS regards
the situation of the principal deposits,
we learn that there are in South Car
olina twentythree land mines and
seven river mines; that there is one
land mine in North Carolina, while
there are no fewer than eighty-eight
land mines and eighteen river mines in
troiled for mining purposes in Florida
is 10, ,S4S; in North Carolina, $500, and
in South Carolina 69,790, or total Of
252, 1873 acres. The total capital in
vested in plant in Florida is S3,140, $50,
and in land s11 1,346, ,067; in North Caro-
lima the plant is represented by $4,000
and the land by 800, 900; in South Car
olina the plant is worth S2,563.2 and
the land So, 920, 900. The total average
number of employees engaged in the
production of phosphates is 9,175, but
this does not include all the labor in
one mine or the skilled labor in two
mines. the facts in relation to which
are not reported. The total amount OF
money expended for labor was $2.473,-
615, and the average earnings Of a
miner amounted to S370 per annum.
We are assured that great pains
has been taken by the department
OF labor to collect trustworthy in
formation as to the amount of phos-
pilates which may reasonably be ex-
pected to be delivered hereafter from
the mines. The quantity in sight in
South Carolina is computed at 14,000,-
900 tons; in this state the industry, at
the present rate of production, will ex-
tend over twenty-eight years from
1891. The quantity Of phosphate visible
in North Carolina, Georgia and other
states is put down at 100000 tons,
while Florida is credited with the
enormous quantity of 135,056,116 tons.
Taken together these estimates show a
total of 14S, O56, ,416 tons of phosphate
in sight, and enable us to measure the
future opportunities for the employ
ment of labor in this industry.